Red Dirt Rocker

Red Dirt Rocker
Y/A novel by Jody French--Inspired by the adventures of musician- Forrest French

Friday, December 14, 2012

MOTHERS LOVE YOUR SONS~~

Mothers love your sons. Tell them that you love them every day. Spend as much time with them as you possibly can while they are growing up ---(and even when they are fully grown.) Raise them to be sensitive and empathetic. Raise them to be strong---to stand like a rock, and to someday be a Godly influence and loving head of their own households. Tell them often, how proud you are of them for the good things they have done---I believe that you can never tell them enough. There is an epidemic of lost, young adult souls in our world. Just love your children...show them your love every day of their lives when you're with them. They will carry that love and security with them forever~~words cannot describe how sad I am today. But for every night there's a day, for every storm there's a calm, and for every ounce of hate and strife there is love and peace. Prayers with so many today~

Thursday, December 13, 2012

SANTA IN THE MANGER

My grand son Landon and I just got through doing something that some of you with toddler children and grand children might like to do. I find it such an abstract thing to try to teach very young ones about the true meaning of Christmas---that it is a celebration of Christ's birth, (they really get excited about Santa though, which is fine.) Well, last year I bought several boxes of assorted, glittery, sweet, religious themed Christmas cards for probably 50 cents each. I also have lots of Holiday stickers and return labels in the mail (since I donated to Special Olympics every organization is sending me little incentives and requests for donations.) I sat down with Landon and asked him if he wanted to fill out a card for his mom and dad. He was so excited, I let him pick out which card he wanted to give to each parent and he decorated them with stickers, colored them, and I helped him write his name in them. As we looked through the cards, I told him about each scene on the front, the Wise Men, shepherds, angels, Bethlehem, the star in the sky, baby Jesus in the manger with the animals all around...all the pics that were on the front. We opened the cards and read the simple Christmas messages that were imprinted in them. His little eyes were shining as we went through the bright colored cards. He really seemed to pay attention and repeated things that I asked him about the cards as he decorated them. After he got his mom and dad's done, I gave him the box, stickers, etc. and them let him color, sticker, etc. all the ones he wanted. I think I'll do this every year. You can get Christmas cards and stickers for a dime on the dollar after Christmas. We had so much fun, and it wasn't just all about Santa. (We did have some Santa stickers too though...we put him in the manger :) Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!!

Friday, December 7, 2012

'RED DIRT ROCKER' IS NOW A PART OF THE RENAISSANCE LEARNING ACCELERATED READER PROGRAM---BEGIN TESTING AWAY MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS!!

Hey all you middle school readers out there..."Red Dirt Rocker" is now a part of the Renaissance Learning Accelerated Reader Enterprise. Pick up your copy of "Red Dirt Rocker", (and if they do not have it in your library, feel free to request your librarian to order it), log on and start testing away!  The wonderful sixth graders at IGC Mission Middle School in Coweta are testing as we speak!  I'm soooo excited!

Happy reading y'all!! And I'd love to hear from you.  If you have any questions about the book, what inspired me to write, etc. please feel free to email me!!

You guys rock!
Jody
www.jodyfrench.com

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

"RED DIRT ROCKER" AND THE RENAISSANCE LEARNING ACCELERATED READER ENTERPRISE

I am so honored that my young adult novel, "Red Dirt Rocker"  will soon be a part of the Renaissance Learning Accelerated Reader Enterprise. Middle school students will have the opportunity to read "Red Dirt Rocker," and then take a test on its contents in order to achieve more points toward their yearly reading goal. This program is a great tool to aid in reading comprehension and confidence.

A big thank you to Coweta Mission IGC librarian Mrs. Susan Landers, and to my publisher Neverland Publishing for their efforts in placing "Red Dirt Rocker" into the program.

Happy reading to all my middle school fans out there.  I can't wait for you to be able to begin testing!

Sunday, December 2, 2012

McDonalds and Herding Cats~~Good Sunday

What a fun morning--Monty and I took or Senior Sunday School to Sticky Buns Donut Shop for donuts, (and my daughter Jess, Caleb, Clara Jane and Landon were just pulling up to get some sprinkled pastries before church too!) Then had all of my Grand babies (except for baby Annabelle, who will make her church debut on December 16th for her dedication,) in extended session for Children's Church---We had a great group, and I loved Forrest's expression, "it was like herding cats!!" ...After we went to McDonalds with Maddy and Eddie Jett before taking them back home. Maddy had a beautiful white dress and sweater on and didn't get one drop of ketchup on her---Forrest however was wearing his best white button down. He had a napkin stuck in his tie and was bragging how he'd also not gotten a speck of ketchup on his white shirt either...enter Eddie Jett hugging him with tomato mouth right on the collar--ha-ha----Then got to cuddle with Baby Bell for a bit when we took them home (and Sky removed the ketchup from Forrest's prized Express white crisp shirt)~ Ready to put my feet up and read now~Hope everyone had a great weekend!