This week, we’re celebrating Samantha R. Vamos’s debut! According to family lore (and, yes, a copy exists), Samantha composed her first children’s story when she was three years old. She dictated the story and her mother typed it. Needless to say, it was a rather short story! Samantha continued to write and “BEFORE YOU WERE HERE, MI AMOR” is her first children’s picture book. Samantha attended Georgetown University Law Center and practiced law in both Washington, D.C. and Chicago. She, her husband, and young son now live in the Seattle, Washington area. Samantha is currently contending with an ice cream-loving feline, gray, Seattle skies, her ever-steady addiction to chocolate, and more while trying to finish revision of a novel.

Here’s a little bit about BEFORE YOU WERE HERE, MI AMOR (Viking Children’s Books).

“BEFORE YOU WERE HERE, MI AMOR” is a bilingual children’s picture book concerning all the things that one family does to welcome a new child into the world. The story evokes the warmth and community of family life through the acts of each member of la familia – mother, father, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, grandmother, and grandfather, as well as the family puppy. The illustrator, Santiago Cohen, enhanced the story with beautifully vibrant and colorful illustrations.  You can hear a lovely recording of the book at http://www.codyscuentos.com/2009/05/before-you-were-here-mi-amor/

“BEFORE YOU WERE HERE, MI AMOR” is an ideal book not only for children who are curious about the time before they were born, but also for expecting and new parents. Spanish words are woven throughout the English text, and both the context and illustrations clarify the meaning of the Spanish words. There is also a colorful glossary at the end of the book.

BEFORE YOU WERE HERE, MI AMOR by Samantha R. Vamos

If you had to give your book a movie rating: G through Rated R, which one would you give and why?

Rating: G – “BEFORE YOU WERE HERE, MI AMOR” is a picture book with family themes. Please see my book trailer: http://tinyurl.com/beforeyouwerehere 

 What topics, issues, or themes does your book address? What drove you to write about them?

“BEFORE YOU WERE HERE, MI AMOR” addresses several topics – the birth of a new baby, the introduction of a new family member, and as a bilingual book, basic Spanish vocabulary. Spanish words are woven throughout the English text. Some of the Spanish words featured include family member names, numbers, colors, shapes, and body parts, among other basic words.
The excitement surrounding the birth of my first nephew (my parents’ first grandchild) inspired the writing of this story. As I thought about things that family members (both immediate and extended) were doing in anticipation of my nephew’s birth, I began writing.

Name three examples of readers who would identify or like your book.

• Children ages 3 through 6 will enjoy reading the book because children like hearing about what happened before they were here.
• A sibling expecting a new brother or sister will identify with the book.
• A new or an expecting parent would identify (and, I hope like!), and so would a grandparent, or extended relative of a new baby.

List a few statistically improbable phrases or sentences one might find in your book. These are phrases or sentences you might never find anywhere else.

• Tu papi recited poesía cantada while strumming su guitarra. “Just in case the bebé is listening,” he said, with a twinkle in his eyes. (“poesía cantada” means “sung poetry”)

How can your book be used in the classroom?

“BEFORE YOU WERE HERE, MI AMOR” may be used in the classroom to generate several discussions. In terms of family themes, the book may be used to introduce discussion about involvement of family members in preparing for a new baby, about new siblings, and about the roles of various family members. The book may also be used to teach basic Spanish vocabulary. My website features three activity sheets for children: a bilingual word search, a bilingual word match, and a series of questions that children may use to interview family members about what happened before they were here. Specifically, please see http://www.samanthavamos.com/activities.aspx

Now tell us about other already-published books that readers of your book might enjoy.

• “Abuela” by Arthur Dorros.
• “I Loved You Before You Were Born” by Anne Bowen.

Now whet our appetites with a teaser.

• “Before you were here, you lived in mi barriguita, sleeping, eating, and growing for nine months.” (“barriguita” means “tummy”)
• “Before you were here, I drank mucha leche, and ate arroz y frijoles with fish or chicken and fruta like papaya, mango, and bananas so you would be healthy and strong.”
• “Before you were here, tu papi carved a mecedora from the wood of an old walnut tree so you and I could rock and cuddle together.” (“mecedora” means “rocking chair”)

Are you offering authors visits to schools, libraries, or other organizations?

Absolutely. Yes.

Are you willing to speak nationally?

Yes.

List a few example titles of presentations, talks, or workshops you might give for an author visit.

• “What Happened Before You Were Here.”

This concludes our interview with our latest author, SAMANTHA R. VAMOS. We wish her much success with her debut children’s picture book,  BEFORE YOU WERE HERE, MI AMOR. To see what Samantha is up to these days, visit her website at www.samanthavamos.com

*GIVEAWAY ALERT*  Samantha is giving away a signed copy of BEFORE YOU WERE HERE, MI AMOR. Tell your friends and  leave a comment for the author!  Enter by May 22th, 2009 11:59 PM CST.

Your email address will not be displayed publicly and will only be used to contact you if you win! And don’t forget to participate in our other AuthorsNow! giveaways.

Related posts:

1. Before You Were Here, Mi Amor by Samantha R. Vamos
2. THE CAZUELA THAT THE FARM MAIDEN STIRRED by Samantha R. Vamos
3. Connect with Samantha R. Vamos: Children’s Literacy – A Call to AuthorsNow! Members
4. Connect with Samantha R. Vamos: Books as Gifts
5. Connect with Samantha R. Vamos: Picture Books for a Lamb-of-a-Month of April