Christmas Gala Book Signing

Hello all!  Just wanted to let you know that I will be having another book signing event on Dec. 3 as a part of the Tecumseh Library's Christmas Gala inside City Hall. As a Christmas special, I will be making my book available for purchase at the discounted price of $10.00.  The book makes a wonderful gift for Christmas or for any occasion and families and children of all ages are sure to enjoy it so please stop by and purchase your copy on Saturday the 3rd.  It will only be on sale for a limited time.

The Tecumseh Public Library will celebrate the holidays 8th annual Old Fashioned Christmas Gala, set for 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at the library, 114 N. Broadway. The event features music, games, a Christmas store, hot chocolate and many baked goods to eat.  Vendors offer many unique and inexpensive items at the Old Fashioned Christmas Store each year. Shop for ornaments, all types of Christmas items, and yummy baked goods offered by many local crafters and businesses. A wide variety of attractive, inexpensive items will be available, including personalized and signed copies of my book, "Destination White House".

This free library event is offered by the Tecumseh Public Library who partner with the Tecumseh Chamber of Commerce and the Friends of the Tecumseh Library to host the gala. 
Registration is not required to take part in the festivities.
For more information, call the library at 598-5955.

Hastings Bookstore

On October 29th, Hastings Bookstore hosted a book signing event for me in Ada!  It was almost surreal to be inside the store and to have customers asking for my autograph and hearing the manager announce the event over the speakers. I was so blessed to be there and meet all the people and hear their stories and share my own.  Below are two pictures from the event.

TV Commercial!

Here it is!  The TV commercial for my book, "Destination White House", is complete and will begin airing on National Cable Channels some time next month. I will let you all know when I receive a detailed report at the end of the month about the airing times and channels so you can take a look! A big thanks to Chris Larocco at Tate Publishing for putting this together. Please share the link with friends and family or post on your Facebook and Twitter!  

 

Book Signing This Week!

Hastings Bookstore in Ada will be hosting my book signing event this Saturday, Oct. 29th from 2:00-4:00p.m.  Please feel free to invite your friends and family to stop by the store to see me and purchase a signed copy of my children's book, Destination White House. If you, or someone you know, would like a copy of my book but are unable to attend this event you can purchase a copy online through the links listed on the right; Tate Publishing, Barnes & Nobel, & Amazon.  You can also call your local bookstore and ask them to order you a copy. 

Many blessings,

~Robin Burk
Matthew 5:16

Full Circle Bookstore

Well, my first in-store book signing event was a wonderful experience from start to finish!  I met so many amazing people and had the unique opportunity to share the event with seven authors who, like myself, reside in Oklahoma.  I was thrilled to meet and visit with them about their books, past publishing experiences, and their personal life.  It was amazing to discover my connection with several of the authors who either knew of me, or had met one or more of my family members.  Below is a picture of me at the event and another picture of myself surrounded by the other seven authors!  A big thanks to Dana and Full Circle Bookstore in OKC, the unknown person who provided the cookies for each of our tables, and to each of you authors who made this event so wonderful!  It was a blessing and a delight to meet you all!  For those of you who were not able to attend this event, I will be having another book signing at Hastings Bookstore in Ada on Oct. 29th from 2:00-4:00!  Please feel free to invite your friends and family to this event.

Update

Last week I was able to share with over twenty bright-eyed little children at the Shawnee public library in Oklahoma.  I was so honored to be asked to come as this event's featured author, and to share with these precious home schooled children and their mothers. What a tremendous blessing it was to see their smiling faces as they sat eagerly and attentively on the edge of their seats, their hands shooting up so they could pepper me with questions, and their mother's faces beaming proudly from the back row as they heard their children's voices asking very intelligent questions. These mothers have done a wonderful job teaching their children.  A big thanks to my parents and all the other parents who have bravely and selflessly given of their time to home school and to give us a great education.  May the Lord bless you for your diligence. You are my hero's and indeed the best teachers a child could ever wish to have. 

The event at the Shawnee library was held last week and this week, on Saturday the 15th, Full Circle Bookstore  in OKC will be hosting my first in-store book signing event!  I will be joined by seven local authors and we will be signing and discussing our books with the public.  This is an open event and everyone is welcome to attend and to bring as many friends or family along as well.  We will be signing books in a quaint little sitting area by the coffee shop inside the store.  The event goes from 3:00p.m. - 5:00p.m. so please stop in, purchase a hot cup of coffee and enjoy this unique opportunity to visit with eight Oklahoma authors!

Also, on October 29th I will be having another book signing at Hastings Bookstore in Ada from 2:00p.m. - 4:00 p.m.  Please let your friends and family know so they can stop in and see me! 

Please let me, or my Tate marketing agent, Traci Jones, know if you or anyone else you know is interested in booking an event or having me come speak.  You can contact Traci by calling Tate Publishing Co. at 1-888-361-9473 and asking to speak directly with her.  Thanks so much!

Many Blessings,

~Robin Burk
Matthew 5:16

New children’s book takes readers on White House adventure

Destination White House: Barney's Incredible Journey is a fur-raising tale that begins when the president's plane, Air Force One, is forced to make an emergency landing in the Chicago O'Hare airport because of engine trouble. In the confusion, the president's Scottish Terrier, Barney, is mistakenly left behind. When Barney is snatched up by a young girl and her family, he is forced to make an escape and find his way back to the White House. Along the way, Barney meets a peculiar cat named Snider, with a taste for Swedish Fish. The runaway cat joins the scene to assist Barney in his journey home. During their adventures, the two traveling buddies take on hawks, wolves, and even dump trucks.

Will Barney make it to the White House? Will Snider be able to make the journey without his beloved Swedish Fish?  You can find out when you buy your own copy of "Destination White House".

Published by Tate Publishing and Enterprises, the book is available at bookstores nationwide and can be ordered through the publisher at www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore or by visiting barnesandnoble.com or amazon.com.

I Need YOUR Help!

Hello to all my friends, family and fans!  I am so excited to announce that my book, Destination White House, hit the market today and will now be available to order at any bookstore, including my personal favorite, Barnes & Noble!

I want to thank each and every one of you for all your prayers, support, and encouragement which you have given me from the very beginning.  This book may not have been published if not for God and you. 

So my book is published, it has hit the market and now I'm going to sell millions of copies and be a best selling author, right?  Well...it's not all quite as spectacular as that.  Yes, it has been published and it is available to order, however being that there are over a million children's books already out on the market and my name carries little to no weight since I am not a celebrity, there is not an immediate demand for my book and so bookstores are not buying thousands of copies to stock on their shelves.  So here's where you come in.  I need your help in creating a demand for my book.  I'll admit that at first this probably sounds very overwhelming, but actually it takes very little time and effort on your part and you can't imagine how much it would help me.  All I need for you to do is one or all of three simple things.

One: Click "share" on this blog post and do exactly that; "share" my book's link on your Twitter, FaceBook etc...

Two:  If you, or someone you know, would like to buy a copy please call your local bookstore and request it.  Being that I am a first time author, it helps me tremendously to have you personally request my book at the stores because it creates a demand for my book.  Once there is a demand, the stores, who always want the books with the highest demand on their shelves, will begin ordering my book and keeping it in stock. 

Three: If you have already read my book please take the time to visit one or all of the bellow links and post your review of my book.  This is very helpful for future buyers.

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/destination-white-house-robin-burk/1104288299

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Destination-White-House-Robin-Burk/dp/1617778834/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1316554337&sr=1-3


And that’s it!  It really is as simple as that.

Again, I thank each and every one of you for all your support. It means the world to me.  May the Lord bless you richly in return!

In Stores This Week!

Destination White House: Barney's Incredible Journey, will hit the market this Tuesday, the 20th! It will be available to order at your local bookstore, Amazon, or through Tate Publishing. To purchase your copy please click on the direct link to Tate's Page here on my blog.

I am excited to announce that my first in-store booksigning event will be held Saturday, Oct. 15th, from 3:00-5:00 at the Full Circle Bookstore in OKC!

Please share this link with your friends and family and invite them to come and see me at Full Cirlce Bookstore.  I would love to meet you in person and answer any questions you might have! 

Full Circle Bookstore
1900 Northwest Expressway #135
Oklahoma City, OK
(405) 842-2900

How It All Got Started

Some of you have been asking me how I got started in writing and where I got the idea for my book, Destination White House.  I would love to answer those questions and share with you a little of my journey as a writer so here is a brief outline of how it all got started.

I grew up in Tecumseh, Oklahoma.  My amazing parents, Roger and Marily Burk, are both very gifted in writing so it was no surprise that those gifts were passed down to many of their children.  I was the ninth oldest of thirteen kids.  And for those of you who always want to ask; no, we have no twins, none of us were adopted and my parents consider themselves the most blessed parents in the world. :) I was schooled at home by the best teacher, my mom, who encouraged me in my writing abilities.  It was through school assignments that I began to discover I had a gift in expressing myself through various forms of writing and thus a love and passion for writing was born in my heart.

When I was eleven years old I began reading Bill Wallace’s animal books and as a child I was captivated by the different characters and his great sense of humor.  I was inspired to write my own book which began as a story about a talking dog.  In school we were studying the Presidents and, seeing as George W. Bush was our current President, I began following their campaign and greatly enjoyed reading up on his family background and history, political background, etc…

What began as a story about a talking dog was soon crafted into a fictional story about former President and First Lady, George & Laura Bush’s dog, Barney.  I also incorporated many true facts into the story. 

With much help and support from family and friends, the book was completed when I was thirteen years of age.  Even Laura Bush herself was kind enough to read my letter and the poems I wrote and sent her which she praised and encouraged me in her personal response and sent pictures and information to help with my book.  In return I chose to include a portion of her favorite poem which I had written, in my book, Destination White House.

After the book was complete, Mr. Bush’s presidency had ended.  I figured I’d just pack the book away.  However, many of my friends and family encouraged me to seek publication and so five years later I finally sent it to Tate Publishing, in 2010 and it was accepted.  Since it is the very first book I have written, and at such a young age, I was amazed that it had been accepted for publication.  I know God had a hand in that. He has continued to bless my efforts and provide financially in many miraculous ways.

This last week I received another personal letter from Laura Bush who sent her congratulations on the publication of my book and thanked me for the signed copy which I had sent to her. I was so touched by her kindness in taking time to send me her well wishes.

After finishing Barney's book six years ago, I have continued to complete several other books and short stories.  I am excited to see where my writing career will take me in future.  In the mean time I am trusting the Lord to direct me according to His will.

Destination White House: Barney's Incredible Journey, will be available wherever books are sold September, 20^th 2011.   However, I will be making my book available for purchase through pre-release book signings before the actual release date. 

Just a reminder, on September 10^th, 2011, the Shawnee Library will be hosting a pre-release book signing from 11:00a.m. - 1:00 p.m. There are a limited amount of books so be sure to come early to buy a copy and have it signed! 

You can follow me on Twitter @RobinCBurk and my author fan page on FaceBook where you can be sure to find all the latest information, updates, and scheduled events.

The first letter Laura Bush sent me in 2005!

The second letter from Laura sent 2011!

 

Update on Book Signing Events

First of all, I would like to say a big thanks to all of you who came to my first book signing event last Saturday. I enjoyed meeting and visiting with each of you. Thanks for your support and encouragement and for all you have put into making my book a success! Please write me, I would love to hear your thoughts on my book.

To all those who were not able to make it to my last event and would still like to come to a book signing, I am happy to inform you that the Shawnee public library in Oklahoma will be hosting my next book signing event, September 10^th at 11:00am.  I will let you know if for any reason there is a change in the time and place of the event.  Please invite friends and family to come with you!

Once again, I would like to remind you that my book is available for purchase through me or through Tate Publishing but it will not be available on Amazon or the book stores until the release date, September 20^th.  Let me know if you would like to place an order or if you have any questions!  God bless.

Below are pictures from my first book signing event at the Tecumseh public library.



Me, standing with some of my family!



My sister created all the decorations & snacks which followed the theme of my book.





Book Signing Event!

Great news!  My sister, Jennifer Burk, will be hosting my first ever pre-release party which is scheduled for August 20th starting at 11:00am.  It is a public event so feel free to bring friends and family. I will available to sell and autograph books and answer any questions you might have.

Destination White House: Barney's Incredible Journey, is a captivating and adventurous tale which your family is sure to enjoy!  It will not be available for purchase any where else until the release date which is September, 20th.  However, I will be making it available for those of you who would like to buy it now!

This event will be held at the Tecumseh Public Library at city hall. 
Location: 114 North Broadway, Tecumseh OK 74873
Phone: (405) 598-5955

There are a limited amount of books so be sure to come early and purchase your copy and have it signed by the the author.  You can also purchase books online at Tate Publishing Co. by going to the following address:
http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781617778834

Hope to see you there!

Destination White House

Here is a sneak peek at the front and back cover as well as a few of the illustrations inside of my book, Destination White House; Barney's Incredible Journey.  The standard retail price, without tax, will be $11.99 and it will be available to order online and upon request wherever books are sold, September 20th. 

Front Cover! Illustrations By: Samantha Kickingbird

 

Back cover!

Be sure and "Join this site", my Facebook fan-page, or follow me on Twitter so that you will be updated and continually informed when I schedule my first book signing event!  Feel free to message me. I would love to hear your feedback.

Release Date Sept. 20th!!

Exciting news! Destination White House is now in print and is scheduled to be released September 20th, 2011! It will be available to order on that date through Amazon.com as well as your local bookstores. You can purchase your books before the release date at pre-release book signing events which will be scheduled soon. You will be notified as soon as the dates are set! 

The Cover Design!

After working through each step of the publishing process with Tate, the wait is over and the results are finally starting to come in!  It has been so exciting and very rewarding to work through each stage of development on my manuscript and now I have finally seen the first glimpse of my book's cover design!


Special thanks to Tate Publishing's Graphic Designer, Chris Webb, and Illustrator, Samantha Kickingbird,who have both done a fantastic job!  They were so pleased with the outcome and greatly enjoyed collaborating with me on this project. Without further adieu; here it is, folks!

Illustrations!!

My book is moving along through production very quickly.  I can hardly believe that editing is all complete.  My editor, Megan, was a dream to work with.  She was so helpful, positive, and encouraging.  It was a joy to work through the editing process with her.  She enjoyed it so much that she asked me to request her next time if I decided to publish with Tate Publishing Co. again.

This week I was thrilled to discuss the illustration process with my illustrator, Samantha, and I was able to see some of her work.  The best news of course is that they conceded to add a small sketch before each chapter, which I was really hoping for even though they had previously turned my request down due to the length of the book.  The illustration process is moving quickly.  We've already decided on a cover design and all the ideas for each chapter sketch.  I am beyond excited.  Next week I should be receiving the first pictures and character sketches.  Here is the first character sketch she has done of the main character, Barney! Thought you all might enjoy hearing an update on the process and seeing the first picture. 

Illustrations By: Samantha Kickingbird  © 2010 Tate Publishing Co.