AN INTERVIEW: FRATERNAL TWIN SISTERS

Do you have twins in your family? Do you believe twins have a special connection? I invite you to read the interview below and would like you to come to your own conclusions as to whether a special bond exists between twins. I am fascinated with twins. This is why I have written two trilingual children's picture books about twin girls and boys. My Sister is My Best Friend will be published summer 2011. My second twin book, My Brother is My Best Friend publication date is not yet determined.

Donna McDine and Debra Brennan are fraternal twins. I had each sister answer the interview questions; below are the answers.

DEBRA BRENNAN

Studies have shown that twins usually think alike; do you find this to be true with both of you?

At times I completely agree. Donna and I have often purchased the same clothing for events, as well as the same birthday cards for each other and for friends and family. We also often make the same decisions in child rearing etc...

Studies have also shown that twins are hereditary; do you have a long history of twins in your family?

I am not aware of a history of twins.

Can you explain what it was like growing up as fraternal twins?

There was always the closeness of having my other half with me. At times it could be competitive but we always were there for each other during those years. We were very different as individuals and in the high school that we went to which had a graduating class of over 600 we were often not known as sisters.
One of the clearest memories I had of my sister, Donna, was when I tried to get back my stolen varsity jacket from another student who decided to start a physical altercation with me. Donna showed up immediately and tried to protect me from the assault. How she knew about it, I don't know, but she showed up just in the nick of time! We were often compared to each other and that did not help us become independent of one another. Over time we became confident in who we were and were able to develop our own true identities.

Was it difficult to develop your own identity as an individual?


At times it was difficult, but we are both fiercely independent and we worked hard to develop our own true identities. We really did not have the same strengths and weaknesses, so it was always interesting how people had a need to compare us and try to measure us against each other.

Now that you are both adults living separate lives, can you explain a little bit about your life? Do you both have the same interests, or are you polar opposites?

I am a sixth grade math teacher. I have been teaching for the past 21 years. I am also a Vice President of my school's Teachers Union. I am married with three children aged 15, 12, and seven. They are heavily involved in hockey, baseball, etc... and I spend a great deal of my time involved in their sports.
We seem to have the same interests in what we read, the types of friends we are the most comfortable with, how we spend time with family, etc... A lot of that may have to do with how we were raised. I would not say we are polar opposites but rather that we have become the best of friends as we grew into adults.

Do you have any advice for mothers with newborn twins?

Allow your children to explore their interests. Do not try to portray them as one in the same. Each child will have their own voice if encouraged.



DONNA McDINE

Studies have shown that twins usually think alike; do you find this to be true with both of you?

Our thoughts definitely coincide. Without even trying to, our decision-making process has always been quite similar. On many occasions we have purchased the same gifts for each other, have shown up at social gatherings with the exact same outfit or the same outfit but in a different color. The different color aspect, I lend that to being fraternal twins.
One specific event that occurred was the fall after we graduated from high school, my twin sister was in Boston with friends and I was home. During dinner one evening she was overcome with a strong urge to call home because she had an overwhelming feeling something was wrong with me. And sure enough I was in a terrible car accident just hours earlier.

Studies have also shown that twins are hereditary; do you have a long history of twins in your family?

We don't have a long history of twins, but our mother's grandmother had twins.

Can you explain what it was like growing up as fraternal twins?

Our parents always made sure that we were treated as individuals even though the expectations of doing well in school were the same for both of us and our older siblings. Competition between the two of us would rear its ugly head at times, such as who learned to ride a bike first, who made the school team, and of course who passed their driver's test first. After getting through childhood, graduating high school, and attending different colleges the competition barrier fell to the wayside. We grew closer because of this.

Was it difficult to develop your own identity as an individual?

Even though we are fraternal twins the comparison teachers held over us became quite frustrating. To break from this mold we gravitated towards different groups of friends and interests. This was not difficult to establish since we lived in a large neighborhood and attended a large school.

Now that you are both adults living separate lives, can you explain a little bit about your life? Do you both have the same interest, or are you polar opposites?

I'll be married 22 years this August and have two daughters, 16 and 13. Working from home is a blessing, but can be problematic if I don't set boundaries, which I learned the hard way. I am now not so quick to be that "yes person" to others' needs during working hours. If I don't keep these boundaries I'm frustrated and exhausted before my girls get home from school, from my lack of work production, and find myself trying to "catch up" when I should be available for them.
I am fiercely loyal to my twin sister as well as she is to me. We celebrate both our successes and provide a safe haven in times of sorrow. We have had our moments of disagreement with each other, but we are always quick to get over it.


I can't say we are polar opposites since my two nephews are close in age to my children, 15 and 12. The two oldest are both January babies and are 10 days shy of being exactly a year apart. With the two youngest being in the seventh grade, even though they are 10 months apart. The number 10 seems to be a similarity. The difference in children is my twin sister has a third child, Leah, who will be eight in October. We are both avid readers and approach parenting with the same no-nonsense approach. And to top it off, our husbands are best friends...[since] years before we married our respective spouses.

What do you do for work?

I have worked from home for the last 13 years as a virtual assistant, as a children's author the last three years, and most recently as the Editor-in-Chief for Guardian Angel Kids Ezine and publicist for the Children's Writers' Coaching Club.

Do you have any advice for mothers with newborn twins?

Each baby comes into this world with their own personality, whether solo or with a twin. Embrace their individuality from the onset and watch them soar.

To learn more about Donna you can visit her sites:
DonnaMcDine.com
Write What Inspires You Blog
The Golden Pathway Blog
Readers, I hope you enjoyed reading this interview. If you are a twin, please feel free to share your experiences in the comments section.


Read more: http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/interview-fraternal-twin-sis...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

A MOTHER’S LOVE IS SELFLESS AND UNCONDITIONAL
As mothers we go out of our ways to provide for our children. On Mother’s Day 2011, I am especially thankful that all three of my children are doing well. This to me is the best gift of all.
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO ALL!

Here is a poem I wrote; I thought I would share it with you all.

A MOTHER’S WISH

Son, daughter I shall be to you
what the marrow is to your bones
I will nourish you with my love
for I wish you length of life.

Son ,daughter till you are
twenty and one I will pray
to God that day by day your
steps may he guide.

Son, daughter may in my absence
wisdom becomes your best friend
for common sense will keep
you out of harm's way.

Son, daughter though sometimes
you will heed the advice of fools,
I know you will indeed find ways to succeed.

Son, daughter never, ever give up
for wherever life's journey
takes you, I will remain by your side
forever and ever.
© Nicole Weaver 2009

BASKING IN HIS MERCY AND GRACE

I thought I would share my heart and soul with my wonderful blog followers.

I am celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and also a new book contract .
I was granted a contract for :
MY BROTHER IS MY BEST FRIEND
God is awesome, in celebration please enjoy the two poems I wrote.
HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!

VAST AS THE OCEAN

Vast as the ocean is your love for me Heavenly Father
with you, there is no turning back. I will forever be
your daughter, not because I deserve it, but because
your son paid the ultimate price by giving up his life
for a wretched sinner like me.
Vast as the ocean are your desires to meet my every need
for with you, there is no burden too big
you take pleasure in seeing that I am well taken care of.
Vast as the ocean are your thoughts towards me
so much so, you have written a book just for me
Oh! Savior Divine, how I love thee! My love
for thee is as vast as the beautiful azure ocean
that you so lovingly blessed mankind with!

MY HEART

My heart overflows with glee.

Every single day you shower me with your goodness.

Free From sin, you empower me with your Holy Spirit.

In every situation, I am a conqueror.

Heavenly Father there is no limit to your kindness.

You favor me, even though I am not worthy.

Such love and devotion set ablaze a fire in my heart, that will surely Last forever!

AN INTERVIEW WITH JAKKI SLAVIN:ARE TWINS HEREDITARY?

Below is an interview I did with my very good friend Jakki Slavin.  Thanks Jakki for doing this interview.


1)     Studies have shown that twins are hereditary; do you have twins in your family?

I have a rich history of fertility when it comes to multiple births within my family tree. My grandmother had a set of twins. One of my aunts gave birth to triplets. A few of my cousins have twins. My only sister has fraternal twins, and I have fraternal twins. I am told that my father had a pair of twins from a previous marriage who passed away in a fire many years ago.

When my sister had her twin daughters three years prior to my giving birth to fraternal twins, I felt such a sense of relief and was happy it was her and not me. I had been told that multiples usually skip a generation.  After my sister's babies were born; I thought   there was no way we could both have twins. Boy was I wrong.    

2)  How difficult was it raising your twins?  Can you explain how you handled any sibling rivalry issues?

Raising a family when multiple births are involved is not for the faint of heart. It was without a doubt one of the most complex challenges I’d ever faced. With very little assistance and even less guidance from family or friends, I often questioned and second guessed many of my decisions. If there was a manual out there to help guide me through those murky years, I never found it. Besides, I wouldn’t have had the time to read it anyway.

I already had a three year old son by the time my twins were born so I figured I knew enough about babies and could handle a few more. After all, how difficult could it be?  I was in for a shock when I realized that nothing was easy about it, and it was not going to be for at least 18 more years. Everything from grocery shopping to vacuuming took three times longer to complete.    

Within one year, I went from a stay at home mom to a displaced, unemployed single parent with two one year olds and a four year old. Because my fraternal twins are a male and a female, most situations were handled according to gender.

The jury is still out on some of those decisions. Sibling rivalries were mostly due to someone needing or wanting more attention than the other. Every day I tried to give each child at least 30 minutes of individual time. Often times someone’s time would get interrupted by a sibling, so I had to change the game plan. Special treats and rewards became a life saver for me.

 My children were rarely out of my eye sight, and because it was just us for a long time, we did practically everything together.  A social life for me seemed impossible.  So as they got older, I eventually found other moms that were in the same situation as me.  My children had someone to play with and I on the other hand had a new female friend that I could socialize with.

3) How did your oldest handle having twin siblings?    

Surprisingly, it was usually my oldest son who at four years old still did not know what to think about his new siblings. He was my greasy wheel until he started school. As they all got older, I tried to stay out of most of their conflicts. I was very fortunate that most times they managed to work it out among themselves. To this day, they are all very close and supportive of each other.

4) All three of your children are now attending college and are well adjusted young adults, what exactly did you do to set them up for success?

I continuously instilled in them the importance of an education, regardless of our economic status.  I gave only two choices, college or military. Of course my oldest son rebelled against both for several years after his high school graduation, but has since come to appreciate the value of an education in these distressed economic times.

I am proud to say that all of my children graduated high school with honors; all are in college and are on a path towards success for their individual futures. I don’t believe I did anything extraordinary as a mom. I stayed involved in their lives in every way I could, and I supported them in any extracurricular activities that they chose to get involved in. I was and still am their biggest cheerleader.

5) Do you have any advice for parents who are raising twins?

Whether multiples are fraternal or identical, I feel it is important to teach them to be individuals. There were many times when it would have been easier to lump them into a one size fits all status, but intuitively I didn’t feel it was the right thing to do.

 As a parent of multiples, there will be many sleepless nights, a great deal of frustration and at times a pity party for one, but the greatest joy and the biggest reward comes from knowing that God gave me the task because he knew I could do it.

The twins at six weeks old

This is Trent the twin's handsome older brother!

Picture of the twins, Tyler and Taylor taken at their high school graduation May 2010

SIBLING RIVALRY - A FEW TIPS ON HOW TO DEFUSE IT

I am forever the optimist.  I am one of those people that see the glass half full instead of half empty.  I was verbally abused as a young child; I learned early on to block out the negatives by daydreaming about things in a positive way.  This is one of the reasons I wrote my second trilingual book as two twin sisters being best friends.  

Even though I do not have twins, but I know from raising three children, there can be plenty of friction between siblings.  Conflict is part of life; consequently, it is important to teach your child how to resolve issues that may come up.

If you have twins or any other children   and are having a hard time figuring out how to reduce the tensions between them, here are a few tips on how to restore peace:

1) Sometimes jealousy can set in; one way to handle that is to make individual time for each child.  Giving undivided attention will make a child feel very special.  Perhaps you and your spouse should take turn taking each child out. In my household, I call it: "SPECIAL TIME WITH MOM" "SPECIAL TIME WITH DAD."  For example, every year until my daughter went to college, I took her to see the Nutcracker in December.  My husband would take my son to a basketball game.  When my son was still living at home, my husband took Tae-Kwando lessons with him.   My oldest ended up getting a Black Belt in Tae- Kwando his junior year of high school.

2)  Never compare them to each other.  Try to focus on what they are good at.  Looking closely at what your child does well will help build self-esteem.

3) Children always emulate their parents; try to be a role model by handling conflicts that may come up in a constructive manner.

4) Remember, children go through many emotional ups and downs as they continue to develop; be sure to practice lots of patience with them.  Let them know you will be there for them no matter what. 

5) Always show your support by giving tons, and tons of positive feedbacks and affirmations.  I tell my children, I love them every chance I get.   I make a big deal when they accomplish a goal.  For example, today my 15 year old shot a perfect three pointer at 51 seconds remaining in his league basketball game.  We won the game!  I made sure to compliment him and took him out to eat lunch.

INTERVIEW WITH MY PUBLISHER, LYNDA BURCH OF GUARDIAN ANGEL PUBLISHING

I love learning as much as I can about the publishing world. After perusing Guardian Angel’s website I knew right away I wanted to submit my manuscript for consideration. What caught my attention was the company’s mission statement:

“Welcome to Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. - where our publishing goals are to lovingly create fun, affordable and educational eBook computer & print book experiences for preschoolers and primary age children. And to embed positive, loving and worthwhile meaning into these books.”

As a teacher and parent of three children, I believe it is our responsibility to provide children with well written and wholesome books. To that end, I am proud to be part of the Guardian Angel Publishing Family, and it is with great pleasure I introduce Lynda Burch, founder and owner of Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.

Thank you Lynda for taking time out of your busy schedule to do this interview.

How did you get started in the publishing industry?
I saw a need for children's ebooks. When I started writing musical eBooks to be played on the computer, I got wonderful feedback from big publishers but they didn't know what to do with them. So I started Guardian Angel as an eBook publisher and opened to submissions, but within about a year we expanded our lines of books and we started going to print, too.

In regards, to manuscript submission, what makes a manuscript appealing to a publisher?

Clean, well written mss - which means properly punctuated, setup in a proper paragraph form and stories that are suitable for the GAP market. You’d be surprised at how many sloppy, poorly written, and punctuated manuscripts we see. And I can’t begin to tell you how many are inappropriate for our market of kids 0-12. People don’t even research our website to see what we are looking for.

How do you choose which illustrator to put with an author?

Often when I read a new story the visuals that pop in my head automatically point me toward certain artists. So after feeling out the author for what style they are thinking I will suggest the artist for that style. The authors get some input.

With your knowledge of the publishing world, what do you think aspiring authors should do if they want to make a living as a writer?

I think that today there are probably too many authors to make a living writing. But a true author will write and write and write and hone their skills and be recognized for their storytelling efforts.







How has the business changed since you first started a career in it?

 Oh it has changed just like I predicted it would. Ebooks are here to stay and will assume its role as a major player in both education and personal reading — just look at the Kindle and ebook readers for all the electronic devices. That market will only grow.

What are your thoughts on e-publishing versus traditional publishing?

I think that as an independent small publisher I recognized the importance of ebooks long before the traditional publishers and if those traditional “big boys” don’t jump on the ebook bandwagon they will fall by the wayside.

Where is GAP headed? Where do you see the company in five years?

I want to see Guardian Angel’s artists and authors recognized for the quality work they consistently produce. That is already happening as more and more are winning awards and getting on bestseller lists at Fictionwise and Amazon. I want us to be increasing our production level to over 100 books per year instead of over 50. And I would like to get a grant to encourage our artists and authors to get into more schools and influence our youth to be better readers and accomplish more in their educational endeavors.

Visit Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. to view and learn about their children’s books

Article first published as Interview with Lynda Burch, Publisher of Guardian Angel Publishing on Blogcritics.

FEATURED ON BIZYMOMS HOMEPAGE

Hello all,

Click below to see me featured on Bizymoms homepage.  Comments are welcomed.  Thanks!

http://www.bizymoms.com/index.html

You are in: LITTLETON - EDUCATION & SCHOOLS - CHILDHOOD EDUCATION LITTLETON CHILDREN'S AUTHOR TALKS ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF WRITING FOR CHILDREN ~ Nicole Weaver The Children's and Teens' Book Connection Guest Blogger: Nicole Weaver, Author of Marie and Her Friend the Sea Turtle   Today’s special guest is Nicole Weaver, author of the trilingual book, Marie and Her Friend the Sea Turtle/María y su amiga la Tortuga del mar/Marie et son amie la Tortue de mer. This story is about the love that developed between a little girl named Marie and a stranded sea turtle. The story tells the struggles Marie had as she helped the sea turtle back out to sea. Esta historia es sobre el amor que se desarrolló entre una niña llamaba María y una tortuga que vino a tierra para poner sus huevos. La historia cuenta las dificultades que tenía María para regresar la tortuga de nuevo al océano. Cette histoire est au sujet de l’amour qui s’est développé entre une petite fille qui s’appelait Marie et une tortue de mer qui est venue sur le sable pour pondre ses oeufs. L’histoire raconte les difficultés que Marie a rencontrées pour remettre la tortue dans l’océan. The Challenges of Writing for Children by Nicole Weaver I once heard the statement “Writing children books is a lot easier than writing novels and other books.” I cringed and thought to myself, the opposite is true. Unfortunately this is the sentiment of many people who are not familiar with what it takes to write an engaging book for children. My challenges as a children’s author are numerous. The pressing challenge for me is making sure my manuscript is well written in English. I get tons of ideas, but as a non-native speaker of English I have to make sure the way I write is clear and concise. Once my script is ready I can easily translate it to French and Spanish. I grew up speaking French; consequently it is very easy for me to translate the text. I learned Spanish as a fourth language. French and Spanish are similar because they both are derivatives of the same root language–Latin. I recently read Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul. This book is a must for anyone serious about learning the craft of writing for children. I am about to start reading the book Picture Writing by Anastasia Suen. A second challenge is finding time to write. I am a full-time French and Spanish teacher at the middle and high school levels. I am quickly finding out in order to stay abreast and get better as a write, I need to write every single day. It is not good enough to write during my summer vacation, spring break and Christmas vacation. Writing every day has afforded me more fluidity with my thoughts. It takes less time to write a manuscript. I always carry a little notebook with me. Once I get an idea I write it down and during my lunch period I start working on the manuscript. My second children’s book due to be published by Guardian Angel Publishing was written during my lunch. After I visited my half-sister for the first time, I could not help but wonder why destiny kept us apart for so long. Thinking about the fun we could have had if we were raised together led me to write a story about her being my best friend. My Sister is My Best Friend will be published in 2011 A third challenge is finding time to promote my book. Getting published is great, but the real work starts with promotion. No one will buy your book if you do not promote it. I promote through many channels. I use Facebook and Twitter, and I post media releases on free sites. I have joined various writers groups as well. To date, the most important step I took towards self-promotion is when I joined The National Writing for Children Center. The founder, Suzanne Lieurance, makes available weekly teleclasses on many useful topics on promotion. Suzanne is a great coach, and the rest of her team is pretty good as well. The members are all very helpful and supportive of each other. I have learned so much since joining the group. Lastly, creating a good website is an essential part of promoting a book. I knew very little about blogging and creating a web presence. Thanks to fellow authors from Guardian Angel Publishing I have learned a ton about blogging and creating a web presence. I work hard every day to overcome challenges, but I still have a lot to learn. I am thankful to my friends at Guardian Angel Publishing and The National Writing for Children Center. Without their unrelenting support and help I would be totally lost.