Wednesday, August 3, 2011

INDIE EXCELLENCE WINNER!!!!

                                      


I WON!!!!! MY BOOK WON!!!

I have just gotten off the phone with the National Indie Excellence Book Awards president, Ellen Reid. In the most exciting phone conversation I've ever had, (now nominated for the most exciting conversation in the history of the telephone) Ellen personally confirmed the e-mail leak I received last night.....

My book, "Red, White and Blue" has indeed been chosen as the winner of the Indie Excellence Book Award in the category of 'Children's Book with Audio' division!!!! I am ecstatic!!!!!!!!

My Picture Book w CD Recording:

My book is based on the song I wrote immediately after 9-11. Receiving this honor, at this exact moment, is the perfect way for others to become aware of the existence of this project. It is just barely in time for the upcoming 10th anniversary observance. I envision classrooms of children raising the flag, saying the pledge, having a moment of silence and then singing this book in conclusion. I honestly believe this song could bring HOPE to the day.

Pre-K, Kindergarten, First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth - TeachersPayTeachers.com
[Editor's note from the future: I have now joined Teacher's Pay Teachers and my song and the end-notes from the book are now available for immediate down-load! Click here for a zipped file that includes 2 Mp3 digital versions of my song (sung +instrumental) plus the charts for sign language and music notation.]

I am sitting here trembling with excitement and have no idea what this means, beyond the fact that I am now entitled to use their logo for all future printings of my book. Ellen promises that I can use it  the logo, on my website and blog FOREVER!!!! And rolls of shiny stickers are winging there way to me up here in Door County, WI as I type!!!!!! Shiny stickers!! Children love shiny!


The book might actually be 'discovered' by some new folks, in time for being used next month for the anniversary. The award can shine a little light on this response of mine...... all in the effort of bringing teachers a resource to use with their students.


A NATIONAL book award!!!!!!! ME!!!! National recognition. ME!!!!! . I know this has yet to sink in. I envision taking the first dozen stickers and affixing them all over my face!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [Take a deep breath Debbie.]

Last summer when I was making the final quilt illustrations and I could barely lift the iron as I was quilting, (due to the complications from my Breast Cancer surgery....... )Allen kept saying: you can do it, you can do it, you can do it. I know that most days I didn't believe him. I sit here in total dismay that the work got done. I sit here in absolute disbelief that this little work of mine has garnered the award. May I have a Hallelujah chorus? How about a resounding "AMEN!"


In our phone conversation, Ms. Reid was kind enough to take the time and talk to me directly about the need for excellence in self-published projects -- particularly for children. She was full of enthusiasm in her congratulations and the evaluation from the judging panel. She spoke of my project making the grade for superlative quality. Do you love that word? She placed a lot of emphasis on the word 'excellence,' All the time she spoke, all during her upbeat delivery of the amazing news, I was attempting to keep from falling off of the ceiling!!

 Let us always remember to offer hope as a choice. Hope is indeed a choice in the face of each and every challenge. No matter how big. No matter how small. We can always choose to select hope. I am willing to choose hope, though sometimes I have to be prompted. Let us always cherish the choice of hope. Today I am here to celebrate! I am here to celebrate the keeping of hope alive.

****Click here for a link to the YouTube video of the song version in sign language.


*****Click here for the amazing response in Carie's Kindergarten classroom. Carie served our country for a year in Iraq in the Army, before taking the helm in K. This series of posts details her K-kiddos construction of a HUGE quilt in response to my quilted illustrations.

*****Allen just added a 'promo-code' to my website. For anyone interested in ordering their own copy of "Red, White and Blue" if you enter: RWB911 into the box, you will automatically save 20% off of the cost of the book. Please feel free to share that info with anyone who might be interested. The code will work from now until the end of September.

My emotions are running the gamut from tears of honor to hilarious laughter and back and forth again. If you are a tweeter, please tweet this news out to the big tweetin' early childhood & educational universe!! Let the Wild Rumpus begin!

****Click here for a linkie-party of amazing ideas to support children in their understanding of the historic event of 911. This link-up is being hosted by Denise over at Sunny Days in Second Grade and there are dozens of teachers from across the country with ideas.


****Click here for a "linkie-party" of favorite songs for the classroom, hosted by my friend & fellow blogger over at 'Learning Ahoy!!'

46 comments:

  1. Very proud of you. Fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congratulations Debbie!!
    How Fabulous and How Exciting is this! It is an Honor that is Well Deserved, for you are such an Amazing Lady! :)
    Continue to Shine Ever So Brightly! The World's Children and their:) Grown Ups ;) Need You!
    Love,
    Laura
    PS
    I've "Pinned" You and The book!:)

    ReplyDelete
  3. CONGRATULATIONS DEBBIE!!! I can't wait to get a copy of your award-winning book!
    -Vicky Leon

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow! This is amazing! What a feeling! Just think about how many more children you will reach with your great work! Congratulations!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Shiny stickers would be enough to make me giddy, so I can't imagine how excited you are. :-) Congratulations! I want to get a copy of the book too!

    ReplyDelete
  6. How wonderfully exciting!! Congratulations and Kudos to you!!

    ~ Deborah

    ReplyDelete
  7. Congratulations! What a wonderful accomplishment!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Congrats dear friend!!!! I'm so excited to see your wonderfully special endeavors be celebrated!! I need to get my orders in for some moms-to-be and new mommies before they are all snatched up.

    ReplyDelete
  9. WooHOOOOO! Yeah Debbie! Lots of applause and bouquets are being thrown at you from cyber space! You are very deserving of such a monumental award! Mazel Tov! Congratulations! Yeah!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. It's Mary (marlegal) but I can never seem to post with a name! I am right there on the ceiling with you kiddo - I am sooooo unbelievably beyond excited!!!! Seeing someone who puts their heart and soul into every single project they touch get recognition is so gratifying to all of us who know and love you. Go get yourself that iPad2 if you didn't already! Run to that store and tell them who they're dealing with! Happy dancing and twirling and singing and jumping for you hon.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Congratulations Debbie and well deserved! I can't wait to see pictures of those shiny stickers on your face :) We're all cheering for you!

    Vanessa @pre-kpages.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. As marlegal said on FB, "I know Debbie Clement! I know Debbie Clement!" (Eph3_12)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Congratulations on such an outstanding honor!

    ReplyDelete
  14. WOW! I am so excited for you and your award... I love things that are shiny, too! This is a well-deserved HONOR! I think you can add this to your profile on fb as a recognition/award somehow. You've been learning a LOT about technology lately, I'm sure you can embed it in everything! ~HAPPY!~:D

    ReplyDelete
  15. Way to go Debbie!!!!!!!!!!! I'm not surprised, it is an excellent book and you, yourself are so very talented!

    ReplyDelete
  16. What wonderful news Debbie! Wowzers!! No Double Wowzers!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Great Goooogaaaaa Moooooooogaaaa!!!!!!

    Yahooooooooooooo!!!

    Congratulations Faithie!!!!!!

    Coonie

    ReplyDelete
  18. Amazing and congrats to you! I know how much this means and I can't wait to feature it in my Back To School Giveaway Event! :)

    Charity
    The Organized Classroom Blog

    ReplyDelete
  19. Congrats on the honor and big news!

    ReplyDelete
  20. I think that this is only just the beginning! This is a well deserved honor because you love what you do! To be sick with cancer and still create this stuff, this must be your destiny!

    Nyla
    Nyla's Crafty Teaching

    ReplyDelete
  21. Great honor and you have every right to be so excited! You deserve it and so so happy for you! Congrats!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Debbie, I am sooooo happy for you!!! I know you feel so proud and so special and to know all your hard work has earned you this wonderful award!!! I have to say that I have seen and heard this excitment before. I heard in my daughters voice and saw it in her face when you became her special award for all her hard work, when you took time out of your very busy life to be her guest last year. That just shows how wonderful you are!!!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Thanks to each and every one of you for joining in the celebration!!! It means so much to me to read each of your comments. Some of you I've known 'forever' and you've seen my hard work*** fun, over the years.

    Others of you have been supporting my new efforts to connect to a wider world -- and get my projects 'out there'.......... I'm grateful to everyone here for your support.

    You're the best!!!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Congrats! I'm tweeting/sharing right now!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Congratulations Debbie!! This is wonderful news and clearly an award well-deserved!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Congrats Debbie, the industry sees what a creative woman you are.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Congratulations! Well-deserved and exciting news!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Congratulations Debbie! We have tweeted and shared on our Fb page ... Woohoo for you!
    Donna :) :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  30. So happy for you, Debbie! This is truly amazing!!!

    Dana
    3rd Grade Gridiron

    ReplyDelete
  31. OH MY GOODNESS! HOW INCREDIBLY AWESOME!!!! I am so happy for you! I could not think of any other person who deserves this more than you! WONDERFUL FANTASTIC AND I'm nearly jumping up and down for you at this moment! I've said it before and I will say it again, you are a true inspiration to many and you have truly inspired me!!!! CONGRATULATIONS on this FABULOUS award!!!!! I see MANY MANY more awards in your future!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Wow, Debbie, this is fabulous. We're so thrilled for you.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Debbie, I couldn't figure out how to post my name, but I want to congratulate you and tell you that as a fellow sister of swell, you lift our spirits all the time, and I'm thrilled for you.

    Kira

    ReplyDelete
  34. Debbie, What awesome news! A well deserved honor that will go a long way toward getting your amazing books and CD's out there for so many teachers to use and parents to enjoy with their children. Congratulation on a job well done. Amy Jo

    ReplyDelete
  35. My goodness what a little lime-light can do for one's spirits! I've been renewed!!! Having a party like this in the comments section is also a first for my wee little blogging efforts & I'm so grateful for everyone's help in stretching my 15 minutes of visibility to a wider audience!!

    Grazi!! Grazi!! This was the year of my Italian tour, after all!

    ReplyDelete
  36. What an honor! You so deserve it and hundreds of shiny stickers :) Congrat's! o2bhealthy

    ReplyDelete
  37. CONGRATULATIONS and what perfect timing! May this be just the beginning of some great things for both you and your book!

    ReplyDelete
  38. What a wonderful achievement!! Congratulations!
    XXAinmXX

    ReplyDelete
  39. Congrats on your award, Debbie. I am so very happy for you. You deserve it!

    ReplyDelete
  40. The shiny gold stickers and the official certificate arrived in the mail!!! Yes, I have them affixed all over my face!!!!!!

    Thanks so much for adding your congrats here, where I can permanently bask in your support. I'm so grateful to have my fellow book lovers, teachers, administrators and survivors all joined in the effort of telling others of this project!

    ReplyDelete
  41. Congratulations! I am so happy for you!
    Rachel

    ReplyDelete
  42. Congratulations!!! How very exciting and well done! :-)

    Maggy

    ReplyDelete
  43. I just treated myself to re-reading everyones comments today: what a burst of joy. I am so grateful to everyone here for your continued support & encouragement.

    With your efforts behind me of tweeting and blogging the news a wider audience is aware of my project. Thanks from the bottom of my heart!

    ReplyDelete

I LUV to hear from you! Please leave your thoughts so we can interact!!

Thanks for your support! I am so appreciative of your pins!

Thanks for your support! I am so appreciative of your pins!
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...