Teresa Funke is a long-time friend of this blog and a fellow historical fiction fanatic; as she mentions below, we have both spent time telling home front WWII stories. After you read her post today, head on over to her website to learn more about her work as a speaker and writing coach; she also… Read more »
One of the best things about being in this industry is the people. Really great people. People who say yes when a complete stranger (me!) reaches out to them to ask them if they’d be my Friend Friday friend. One of those great people is today’s guest, Shanda McCloskey, whose debut picture book, Doll-E 2.0… Read more »
A huge admirer from afar, I had the great fortune of meeting Elly Swartz at nErDCampMI last summer. Despite the fact that she likes Twizzlers (this red licorice fan shudders at that thought!), she is charming, insightful and a darned good writer. I am so pleased to shine the spotlight on her latest book, Smart… Read more »
I had no idea that Duke would launch a series. It turns out if you put a dog in a book, kids will gobble it up, even [supposedly hard to sell] historical fiction! In a few short days, Code Word Courage (Scholastic), the fourth and final… Read more »
Dori Hillestad Butler may have been sad to leave her Iowa home and friends but we in the Pacific Northwest have certainly been enriched by her change of address! In the few short years since her arrival, she’s helped to create an even stronger bond between local book creators (and mandolin players!). It is a… Read more »
Erin Dionne and I share a publisher, and a passion for writing for the middle grade reader. Her books are full of energy and humor, as is Erin! (Do go over to her website where you can see an adorable photo of her in her marching band days!) I am delighted to host her today… Read more »
I predict that The Creativity Project (Little Brown Books for Young Readers) will be a hit with classroom teachers. Colby Sharp, an avid literacy advocate, gathered together more than forty beloved, award-winning, diverse and bestselling authors and illustrators and presented them with a creative challenge. I was honored to be one of those authors asked to… Read more »
Serendipitously, Laura Purdie Salas and I were seated next to one another at a Golden Kite luncheon a few years back. Though we’d just met, I cheered loudly for her honor award in the poetry division. As someone who loves to read poetry but is flummoxed by the writing of it, I have delighted in… Read more »
I’ve been friends with Larry Dane Brimner since *cough cough.* We first met at the Humboldt County Author’s Festival and since that meeting, I have always admired his work ethic, and I especially admire his passion for stories that make us think about social justice and injustice. I am evidently not his only fan; the… Read more »
Okay, when I tell you that Dave Patneaude is a friend, that is a serious understatement. He and I have been in critique groups together off and on for years. He was the first person I called for help when it looked like the pile of notes I had were going to be a novel… Read more »