Welcome May 2024! We have been waiting for you!
This month’s feature and interview with Jazzy and Sonja McGiboney is one you all will enjoy!
Let’s get started on learning their story.
How did you arrive at making stories about Jazzy?
A rescue called, Critters4You, rescued Jazzy’s mommy just before her mommy had 9 puppies, Jazzy was born last. We took her home at 8 weeks old. I took over 7,000 pictures in her first year and planned only to make a photo book. I picked out the best photos from each month and created a poem to go with it.
That book was so cute, I printed another and sent it to my great nieces. My niece asked me for more and within four years, Jazzy and I made 8 more books.
Since you photographed Jazzy for your books, tell us some experiences you have had with this. I’m sure you have some great stories to share.
Everyone asks me how I get Jazzy to pose. The answer is simple. Jazzy loves food and stuffed toys. All I have to do is put food, or the toy, on something, and ask her to wait. She’ll stare at it until I give her the okay. It isn’t always without its foibles, though. Sometimes, Jazzy takes the prop and doesn’t want to give it back.
When we take pictures outside, unless we are fenced in, she needs to have a leash. Not that she’d hurt anyone, but if she saw a squirrel, she’d chase it as far as it would go. Goodness, I think she’d chase it all the way to the ocean before she stopped and realized she was lost. Anyway, when I get home, I have to use Photoshop to erase the leash from the pictures.
Do you and Jazzy make videos?
Yes, we do. You can find 27 videos on my YouTube channel. Some are books being read, some are just fun videos. ► Videos
Jazzy is also on TikTok ► TikTok
Do you have a newsletter?
Yes. I send out a newsletter each month. It’s all about what I’m writing, what Jazzy’s doing and includes pictures and a coloring page. You can print the page at home. If you’d like to be a part of this and any special offers and announcements, sign up here. ► Jazzy’sbooks.com
How many books do you have and where can we find them?
Jazzy and I now have 22 books which includes 2 coloring books. We are working on our 23rd book which is counting to ten. The neat thing about this book is that it is translated into Spanish and Kyrgyz
Most of Jazzy’s books are on Amazon. If you search for my name, Sonja McGiboney, you’ll see them all. Or follow this link. ► Amazon
Thank you Sonja for taking time to tell us all about Jazzy and her books. What a joy she is and readers will love them!
If you have any comments or questions about Sonja and her books, please leave a note below. Thank you!
Goodreads Challenge Books – May 2024
Here’s the books I want to share with you this month. I enjoyed all these a lot.
I usually try and stay away from books this long, (408 pages,) but since Kristen Hannah’s book have never disappointed me, I thought I’d give this one a try. I’m so glad I did. “The Four Winds” is one you won’t want to put down and you’ll read to the end.
The descriptive writing of Elsa and her family’s life as they suffer through multiple situations will make you completely thankful for everything you have. A history lesson of times we all learned about with spill out before your eyes with a new understanding and appreciation.
Even though I read the hardcover book from our library, I checked to see if it was available in an audiobook, as well. I was so happy to see that it was. I read the first three-fourths of the book and then listened to the ending. Here’s a nice surprise readers will get with the audiobook. Hannah and the narrator talk about how they worked together on the script. Hannah shares some valuable tidbits of her stories and how she wrote them, which fascinated me.
If you enjoy historical fiction, I highly recommend this one.
I just finished a fun book called, “My Happy Days in Hollywood,” by Garry Marshall. If you like learning tidbits never told before about actors, actresses, old TV shows and movies, you’ll love this one. I read most of it and then listened to the audiobook since it was available at our local library. He narrated the book too, which was fun hearing him tell his story in his, “New York accent” voice. He sounded like a fun person to work for, always making sure his colleagues and team of workers played softball, together. How cool is that? ❤
For a person who doesn’t watch a lot of TV and movies anymore, I really was entertained by this book. I’m excited to look some of them up and watch the situations he wrote about.
I enjoyed reading, “Sharing Too Much: Inspirational Musings and Lessons from an Unlikely Life,” by Richard Paul Evans. It’s a small book which is easy to carry along and read for inspirations from candid, real life situations he reveals and a few fables in the middle of the book.
If you are a fan of his books, you will enjoy this book as it is written in his own voice with style and grace.
That’s all for this month. I hope your May brings you lots of sunshine and happiness. I know it’s a busy one for a lot of people out there.
I re-read this book written by, Jim Cosgrove, “Everybody Gets Stinky Feet: Uplifting Essays about the Sweet and Smelly Bits of Life.”
If you are a reader from the Midwest, you will enjoy the stories in the book you won’t want to put down till the end. There are stories filled with laughter, tears, and meaningful messages to delight adult readers. You’ll walk away feeling better about yourself and the world around you.
We had the wonderful opportunity to visit one of his children’s music concerts where we purchased this story. It was a joy to see families dance and sing along to his awesome performances.
If you want entertainment and inspiration, I highly recommend this book.
If you missed my author interview with Jessica Adams and my Goodreads April 2024 books I’ve read and reviewed, you can check them out here. ► “Goodreads April 2024 Books” and author interview.
What are your plans for May? Weddings? Graduations? We’d love to hear from you. ❤
As always,
Happy Reading!
Rosie