Getting personal with Deborah Ramos

Hi Deborah! Hello everyone, Zebee here. Deborah, I’m so glad you came back to visit with us today.

D: Hi Zebee. I had so much fun on Sunday, I just had to come back.

Z: Today I’d like to share with our readers some, um, more personal things. Okay?

D: I’d like that. I want your readers to get to know me. What do you want to know?

Z: Well, since we are a zoo, do you have any pets at home?

D: Do I ever! I've always loved animals. I had lots of pets growing up. I used to set up backyard zoos with my pets and stuffed animals, and charge the neighborhood kids admission.
At the moment I have quite a collection. I have two cats, two noisy parakeets, a variety of tropical fish, and an overweight ball python named Mercury. Mercury sheds his skin and donates it to my art projects.

Z: Clever idea, the backyard zoo thing. I knew there was a reason all the animals here at the ‘V Zoo’ talk so highly of you. Shedding skin in art projects, that’s different.

D: Gee thanks. I guess they can tell when a person is an animal lover.

Z: Right now you live in California somewhere, right?

D: Yes. I live in Ocean Beach. That’s part of San Diego. You know we have a great zoo there.

Z: Yes I’ve heard of it. Actually I’ve visited a few times doing my zoo rounds. Everyone likes to know what children writers liked to read when they were children. What were some of your favorites?

D: Little Lulu comic books were my favorite stories. On rainy days or when I was home sick, I'd get comfy under my blankets and read all of my Little Lulu comics. The Secret Garden was my favorite book. As a teenager, I didn't read much. I found the classics boring, but Edgar Allen Poe fascinated me.

Z: Deborah, thanks for sharing so much about yourself with me today. Before we go, please share all you web sites, blog information and of course where your book can be purchased, in case someone missed it last time.

D: Sure Zebee. For now you can pre-order the book directly from the publisher, Windstorm Creative

My blogs are: Backyard Safari and Stormymoon
Stop on by and drop me a note.

Z: Our time for this week is up, but I hope when your book comes out you'll stop by and read it to all of us.

D: I'd love to Zebee. Thanks so much for having me here this week. I'll see you again sometime in the spring.

A Visit with Deborah Ramos and her Zeal of Zebras

Hi everyone in Bloggerville. Sorry I’m a day late, the holidays and all kept me very busy.
Hope you all had a great New Year’s. We did here at the ‘V Zoo’. Now it’s time to get back to normal, so, we have a new guest with us to start the year off. Her name is Deborah Ramos and she’s written a book titled An Armory of Aardvarks, A Zeal of Zebras.

Hi Deborah! Welcome to the ‘V Zoo’. I personally love the title of your book and the cover. Thank you so very much for putting my family on the cover.

D: I’m glad you approve Zebee. I kinda like it too.

Z: So, Deborah, can you tell us about your book?

D: I think this book summary says it best.

An Aarmory of Aardvarks, A Zeal of Zebras offers an imaginative combination of learning and visual pleasure. It is designed to appeal to a wide range of ages, from five to adult. The language is simple and fast paced keeping the readers attention all the way to the letter Z. Included is a brief history of the group naming of animals and several fact-filled sidebars. Educators and parents can utilize Aarmory of Aardvarks, A Zeal of Zebras as a teaching tool to stimulate topics such as why animals live in groups, or how they behave within their environment. Children and students can do further research to discover more collective nouns, and challenge their creativity to come up with their own. Increase a child’s vocabulary, imagination, and desire to learn by stocking your shelves with An Aarmory of Aardvarks, A Zeal of Zebras, a must have for any bookstore, library, or classroom.

Z: Wow! This sounds very interesting. I bet all your reader’s young and not so young, will go away having learned lots about all of us animals. What got you writing about collective nouns?

D: I was writing a story about Africa, and in my research, I found a website that listed animals in alphabetical order, along with their group name. It sparked an interest, and I dug deeper. I thought it would be more fun to create a list of group names in alphabetical order. And the search began. It was fun for me, and I learned a lot about collective nouns and animals. Group names can bring to mind such interesting images, such as a prickling of porcupines; you can almost FEEL those, pokey, prickly quills.

Z: No thank you! So, what is your favorite collective noun?

D: It’s hard to say, there’s so many. But I think the most interesting one is an Escargatoire of Snails. I imagine a little snail party crawling in circles on a plate, oozing in an out of butter pats and garlic cloves. I love a Pandemonium of Parrots; can’t you just hear them squawking in the trees? What an image that conjures up.

Z: Okay, snails aren’t one of my favorites and parrots are just loud. Let’s move on. Are there collective nouns for people?

D: There are lots for people. My favorites are a Giggle of Girls, a Kiss of Vampires, a Ponder of Philosophers, a Worship of Writers, an Erudition of Editors, a Pod of Publishers, an Iamb of Poets, a Scholarship of Professors, a Number of Mathematicians, a Class of Students, a Wisdom of Grandparents, a Bunch of Hippies, and finally, a Faffing of Geeks. (to faff means to dwindle or act indecisively)

Z: I guess you could write a book using all of those as well. For now, where can our readers go to buy your book?

D: you can pre-order the book directly from the publisher, Windstorm Creative

Z: Where can we go to see more of you?

D: Anyone can visit me at either of my blogs. Backyard Safari and Stormymoon
I look forward to seeing you there.

Z: Thanks for stopping by Deborah. I hope you come back Sunday and go on my trip to the world zoos.

D: I thought you’d never ask! I will be there bright and early. I’m looking forward to it.

Z: Great! See you then!