Texas Authors Group -- Tamra Norton

Tamra Norton
Author

Tamra Norton, the mother of seven, is a full-time, keeper of the peace, feeder of things that growl, and supreme commander of all things coming and going from her home in Spring, Texas . Oh, and she writes books!

Tamra attended Ricks College and Idaho State University , majoring in English. Her writing career began with the Fort Bend Sun newspaper—a family life column called The Home Front. Make Me a Home, sequel to Make Me a Memory is Tamra’s sixth published novel and will be released February 1, 2008 .

In April of 2006, Make Me a Memory was selected by the Utah Commission on Literacy, and Utah ’s First Lady, Mary Kaye Huntsman, as the state’s Book of the Month. It has also received high praise by many in the military community. Tamra has been invited to speak on several occasions including writers and educational conferences, but her favorite audience is a classroom full of children.

First Lady of Utah , Mary Kaye Huntsman and Tamra hand out copies of Make Me a Memory to 5 th grade students at Hill Field Elementary at Hill Air Force Base.

School counselor, Brandi Carroll of Cedar Valley Elementary in Killeen, TX—a military impacted school—wrote and received a grant for every student at her school to receive their own copy of Make Me a Memory.

Presentation Descriptions

1. Reading — It ROCKS!
2. Writing — Squeezing Out Those Creative Juices
3. Making Memories — Our Brilliant Brains & How to Stimulate Them
4. Dreams & Goals — Crafting Our Own Future

Tamra loves to visit schools! Over the past few years she has visited nearly 30 elementary schools, speaking to approximately 15,000 students. Her presentations can be geared to large assemblies as well as the classroom, older students as well as the younger grades. There is something for everyone—even teachers!

Pricing

Sessions
Full Day, multiple sessions: $500
(*Special $300 rate for Military Impacted Schools)
Half day or share between schools: $250

Available
All States
Travel Expenses
Mileage or Air Fare
Hotel Accommodations
Available
Take Home Flyers
Handouts
Specifics Clarified
No Crafts
Book Sales at Presentation

Tamra's Books

Make Me a Memory

Awards:

Utah Commission on Literacy,
Book of the Month – April 2006
Winner of the Joan Lowery Nixon Award, Houston Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

Allie Claybrook’s life is changing drastically. Her dad has left for the faraway country of Iraq to fulfill his duty as a soldier, while Allie, her mom and brother, move to Edna , Idaho —“ Hicksville ”—to live with Grandma and Nanna, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.

Throughout this time of struggles, discovery, and even a bit of fun, Allie comes to understand that memories, as well as loved ones, can be both precious and fragile.

Make Me a Home — Release date: February 1, 2008

Allie Claybrook has spent the better part of her sixth-grade year as the “new kid” at Edna Elementary School , a title she is eager to shed when Ivy Peterson moves to town. For reasons varying from deployment to divorce, the two girls discover many similarities in their lives, most importantly, the need of friendship and a place to call home.

PUBLISHED WORKS

Meet the Bearubs

Tamra is working with David Lindsley Studios to create a series of picture books as well as thirteen animated episodes of Bearubs—The Teddy Bear Cherubs. For more information go to www.bearubs.com

Make Me a Memory

REVIEWS

“Make Me a Home is a great story and truly captures the 'roller coaster' of emotions that a young person might experience during the deployment of a loved one.”
—Stacye Parry, The Military Child Education Coalition

“Tamra Norton is a very inspirational writer!"
—Mary Kaye Huntsman, First Lady of Utah, Chairperson, Utah Commission on Literacy

“Make Me a Memory is homespun and heartwarming, filled with delicious imagery and timely topics. Use it in the classroom to prompt discussion and writing, or simply savor it as a wise and genuine glimpse into Allie’s life, as she willingly chokes down her green beans for the payoff of a good dessert, sends letters off to Baghdad , and keeps poignant family memories close at hand.”
—Peg Millar, Middle School Language Arts Teacher

Having read and enjoyed Make Me a Memory, I eagerly looked forward to reading Make Me a Home. I was not disappointed at all. Tamra Norton has a way of creating characters so real, it’s as if she looked into their minds and hearts, and then gave the reader a glimpse inside.
—Tristi Pinkston, Media Reviewer, Families.com.

...Using a voice both amusing and insightful, Norton takes readers on a journey of discovery.
—Mollie Miller, Fort Hood Herald