Featured Author:
Cherrye S. Vasquez, Ph.D.
1. Please introduce yourself. Tell us a little about the person behind the pen.
My name is Dr. Cherrye Vasquez. I love children, so my plight is not to see them hurting as the expense of others. My platform topics centers on diversity and bullying issues. It is my desire for children to realize that they are very important and unique. I believe that all children should learn about each other’s similarities as well as differences.
I maintain that when children learn from one another they also learn that others are just as unique, beautiful, and important as they are. Children will become more diversified in their communities, and in our schools while learning and engaging in activities that can be useful in their own lives. I also trust that adults/educators can promote diversity awareness among children by role modeling and creating an atmosphere of respect and care for others while implementing appropriate culturally relevant materials/activities in the classroom setting in an orderly, consistent and systematic fashion. By doing so, perhaps bullying in our nation’s schools will become a record low.
2. What made you decide to write (the genre of your book), were there any influencing factors, or were any of the stories based on true events.
You’ll find that my books will center on my platform topics. I wrote “No Tildes on Tuesday” because I want people to understand the complexities children endure when they aren’t taught to embrace all of who they are from birth onward. It is my desire to see children embracing themselves totally. Children should love all of who they are.
“Clique, Clique, Stop” should be released any day now. It is actually a “take-off” from “No Tildes on Tuesday” but can very well stand on its own. Now, Isabella, main character realizes the importance of diverse groups to the point she wants to start a Heritage Club at her new school.
I’ve also written two Journals: Affirmation Daybook: Journal & Diversity Daybook: Journal. These titles attest to my plight for building strength, positive character and diversity awareness in the minds of children. In addition, I co-created a little girl’s diary with my young daughter, Kelly. The diary is titled: “Guess What? Dear Diary,”
Please stay tuned for “Teacher, Teacher Can’t You See?” This elementary aged book is about bullying. A young boy eagerly begins school, but suddenly his new friend turns into a bully. All the little boy wants is for the teacher to pay attention and do something.
3. How do you promote your book, and do you find that difficult or just par for the course.
My books are promoted on my website. I use my site to draw attention to my blogs, articles, You Tube videos, helpful activities and my books. I also use social networks: Facebook, Facebook fan page, Twitter, Google +, Reddit, Stumble upon, Digg, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. I love being featured on other author’s blogs as well. Soon, I’ll venture into Webinar presentations, so this next step should be very exciting.
I believe that hard work pays off, so it’s “par for the course” for me as an author.
4. Do you remember your first review and how it made you feel? (If it was a bad one, also tell about your good one too).
Yes, I remember my very first review of “No Tildes on Tuesday.” It was an excellent review, and I was very pleased with it because I feel that the reviewer was very honest and gave her true perspective of the overall book.
5. Tell us about your book and if it’s a series and how the public is reacting to this book.
No Tildes on Tuesday is a book that touches on the lives of children who need positive influences, empowerment, encouragement, and self-identity boosters. Since my main character, Isabella, is biracial and has discarded one of her heritages, her grandmother (Abuela) becomes concerned and feels that Isabella needs to learn her father’s first language, Spanish, and should begin learning it ASAP.
At her father’s firm request, Isabella begins her Spanish lessons with her grandmother (Abuela), but the lessons aren’t as easy as she’d hope they would be. When over the weekend grandmother (Abuela) learns that Isabella really isn’t interested in learning Spanish, she speaks to Isabella about her discovery, and then suddenly decides to halt the lessons. Actually, Isabella becomes relieved and silently says, “No Tildes on Tuesday”.
As one can readily surmise from the brief synopsis, Isabella primarily identifies with her other heritage, at first. Follow Isabella on a journey as she avoids one of her heritages, why she chooses to do so, and finally how she comes to grip with her multi-racial life.
Overall, I believe the public loved my book, No Tildes on Tuesday.
Clique, Clique, Stop will also capture their love as readers learn more about Isabella’s strengths and talents.
6. Can you share any and all links that are important to you as a person and the book? (You can relate more to a book if you know more about the author).
Well, since you asked, here goes (smile).
No Tildes on Tuesday
Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/No-Tildes-on-Tuesday-ebook/dp/B007XVV5GC
Paperback
http://www.amazon.com/Tildes-Tuesday-Ph-D-Cherrye-Vasquez/dp/1616636890
Audio
http://www.amazon.com/No-Tildes-on-Tuesday/dp/B004Y8LDNC
Tate Publishing Online Product Store
http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/search.php?search=Cherrye+Vasquez
Book Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7ZM-ftiT1k
Scavenger Hunt Book Contest – No Tildes on Tuesday
http://cherryevasquez.tateauthor.com/?page_id=616
https://twitter.com/BooksThatSow
https://twitter.com/bullieswillstop
http://www.facebook.com/BooksThatSow
https://www.facebook.com/BooksThatSow/app_139229522811253
BTS Opt in Page link
http://cherryevasquez.tateauthor.com/help-stop-bullying/
Goodreads
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5391542.Cherrye_S_Vasquez
http://pinterest.com/booksthatsow/
Amazon Author Page
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004NWUHUE
Book Club Reading
http://bookclubreading.com/no-tildes-on-tuesday
Pinterest Boards for Selected Twitter Group
http://pinterest.com/twittergroup/select-group-board/
www.linkedin.com/pub/cherrye-vasquez-ph-d/22/907/352
Website: http://www.booksthatsow.com/
Google+ https://plus.google.com/101407349826340013789/posts
Affirmation Daybook Journal
CreateSpace eStore
https://www.createspace.com/3771349
KDP – Affirmation Daybook: Journal
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G8H32RC
Diversity Daybook Journal
CreateSpace eStore
https://www.createspace.com/3757400
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Diversity+Daybook
Guess What? Dear Diary,
http://www.BooksThatSow.com (diary and ink pen set)
CreateSpace eStore
https://www.createspace.com/3935920
7. I’ll wrap it up with this question since “7” is a lucky numberJ. Can you share an excerpt from your book, and I’d like to thank you so much for taking time to share your book with me. Please share as much as you’d like.
“I thought you forgot your notes, so over the weekend I picked up the pad and thumbed through it. I was very shocked to see what you had written.”
“Abuela. Let me––”
“I believe that if you tried hard enough, you’d probably get it,” Abuela interrupted. “But that’s it. You don’t care to learn Spanish, do you?”
“Isabella, you can come to Abuela’s house anytime you want to, but not for Spanish lessons anymore.”
I don’t care. My lessons with Abuela are finally over forever! No tildes on Tuesday!
So there you have it, Lori. No, it is I who should thank you for this wonderful and fun opportunity to have shared about me and my work with you and your viewing audience all over.
***Cherrye is a very good friend and colleague of mine and I guarantee that you will LOVE her book(s).
Lori's Song 
Wonderful interview. Cherrye, you are a very talented and imaginative author.
LikeLike
Thank you Cherrye for a wonderful interview!
LikeLike