Calling all budding editors

Andrea White challenges student readers to help edit her next novel

Andrea White
Upcitychronicles.com
Help author Andrea White fill in the blanks.
UpcityChronicles.com

Andrea White is changing typical teaching techniques. For her next project, the noted children's book author, whose historical fiction and science fiction novels attract middle school readers, is challenging students to help edit her next novel, Time Angel, in her Upcity Chronicles trilogy.

White launched the online interactive "e-book" this summer to give students the opportunity to become an editor for a day before the book hits stores next spring. Students "sit" in the book editor's chair online and offer ideas and feedback to White. The first name and school name of all participating students will appear in the back of the book when it is published.

“I have posted a draft of my new book, Time Angel. But I know I’ve made mistakes. I know you can help me tell the story better."

In her online note to students White writes, “I have posted a draft of my new book, Time Angel. But I know I’ve made mistakes. I know you can help me tell the story better."

She told CultureMap that having an online book provides a huge opportunity to enrich students' reading skills through the technology that we have today. "This is a great way for kids to understand writing is a form of communication," she said.

The interactive book also provides teachers a simple teaching tool. Not only is White letting students have the opportunity to help her change/edit her book, she will also engage them via Skype in classrooms when school starts again in August. The author lecture via Skype is part of the VIVA (Virtual Interaction with Visiting Author), a Texas Virtual Literarcy Enrichment Project.

"Schools no longer can afford author visits so talking to them via Skype is a cool thing," White said.

White championed support for public schools when her husband, Bill White, was mayor from 2004 to 2010 and she continues to be a fierce education advocate. She said that she believes that people of all ages become intrigued by reading books by authors with whom they can identify. "Kids gain the connection from book to author from using Skype, since most kids haven't met an author before," she said.

She added she is looking forward to seeing what kind of feedback students will give her. "Kids' imaginations are wild, so I can't wait to see what kind of input they have," she said.

Time Angel, the second in a triology of science fiction novels aimed at teenagers, is now available online and with a free download.

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always be prepared

Texas tax-free weekend lets shoppers stock up on emergency supplies

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Emergency supplies like first aid kits that cost less than $75 are eligible for a tax break this weekend.

The best time for Texas residents to stock up on supplies to prepare for natural disasters is coming up this weekend. The annual statewide Emergency Preparation Supplies Sales Tax Holiday runs from April 25-27, when Texans will be able to purchase critical emergency supplies — plus household necessities like batteries and fire extinguishers — tax-fee.

Shoppers can purchase certain emergency supplies tax-free starting at 12:01 am on Saturday, April 25, and the "holiday" runs until midnight on Monday, April 27. There is no limit on the number of qualifying items that can be purchased during the weekend, and purchases can be made in store, online, through the mail, and via custom order.

Saving on emergency supplies
Emergency preparation supplies must be purchased under certain price brackets to qualify for the tax exemption. For example, portable generators must have a sales price less than $3,000 to qualify for a tax break. Ladders and hurricane shutters that cost less than $300 also qualify.

Delivery, shipping, handling, and transportation charges are included in the sales price, according to the Comptroller. So if a shopper buys a $299 rescue ladder and is charged a $10 delivery fee, the total sales price for the purchase is $309, and tax would need to be paid for that sales price.

Additional items that qualify for a tax break as long as they cost less than $75 include:

Axes
Batteries – single or multipack (AAA cell, AA cell, C cell, D cell, 6 volt or 9 volt)
Carbon monoxide detectors
Fire extinguishers
First aid kits
Fuel containers
Ground anchor systems and tie-down kits
Hatchets
Ice products – including reusable and artificial ice
Light sources – including those that are battery operated or portable self-powered sources; candles, flashlights, and lanterns
Mobile telephone batteries and mobile telephone chargers
Non-electric can openers
Non-electric coolers and ice chests for food storage
Radios – including portable self-powered radios, battery operated radios, two-way radios, and weather band radios
Smoke detectors
Tarps and other plastic sheeting

The full list of qualifying items is available on The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts' website.

As a reminder, over-the-counter items like antibacterial hand sanitizer, soap, and spray and wipes are always exempt from sales tax if they are labeled with a "Drug Facts" panel in compliance with Food and Drug Administration regulations.

Non-qualifying items that will still be taxed
Medical masks, face masks, and gloves of any kind do not qualify for a tax exemption. Other taxable items including toilet paper, cleaning supplies (such as disinfectants and bleach wipes), vehicle or boat batteries, chainsaws, plywood, extension ladders, and stepladders. Camping equipment and supplies, including stoves and tents, are also not eligible for a tax break.

Additionally, any repair or replacement parts for emergency preparation supplies do not qualify for tax exemptions, and neither do any services that are performed on or related to those supplies.

What to do if a qualifying item is taxed during the holiday
If customers buy a tax-exempt item between April 25-27 and are still taxed, they may request a refund from the seller on the tax paid for the item. The seller can grant the refund to the buyer, or provide them with Form 00-985, Assignment to Right to Refund, which would allow the customer to file a claim for their refund through the Comptroller's website.

tax free weekend emergency supplies texas