Given the title of her book, it seems quite appropriate that Yamile Saied Mendez and I met in Vermont when the weather hovered around 14 degrees. Despite the chill, Yamile radiated warmth. She was so positive and upbeat and supportive of her fellow students in the Vermont College MFA program; I felt confident good things… Read more »
It is a sheer delight to host a longtime friend, Kaelen Felix, today, along with Allistar Banks, the author of the book Kaelen illustrated. I “met” Kaelen through email years ago, when she wrote to ask me for tips on being a children’s book creator. Not only have we kept in touch, I actually got… Read more »
Emily Whitman is in the house! We both had sand between our toes the first time we met, at a now-defunct writing retreat at Cannon Beach, Oregon. Then, that retreat was moved to Reed College and I sat in on the most miraculous session, facilitated by Marla Frazee. Marla had recruited writers to submit works… Read more »
It’s such a pleasure to host Nancy J. Cavanaugh today; as she shares in her post, we were first cyber friends and then, one day, I was doing a book event at Anderson’s Bookshop in Naperville, Illinois and there was Nancy — with her daughter — there to support me. Nancy’s generous act highlights the… Read more »
Holly Niner and I met at the Kentucky Book Festival eons ago. We immediately bonded (I even conned her into staying over an extra night) and have rooted for each other from afar ever since. I’m so pleased to host her today in celebration of her latest books, The Day I Ran Away, and No… Read more »
I have spent three days this week in the amazing CyFair school district, and will spend five more days next week. I am so grateful for the warm welcome and thoughtful preparation each of the eight librarians has extended me. (Special thanks to my darling buddy, Kelley Book, who is my hostess for the visit!)… Read more »
(For most of this month, I have been celebrating readers, rather than writers. Enjoy this little diversion and then stop back on December 30 for an inspirational post from the amazing Nikki Grimes!) From the get-go, my kids loved books (be still my heart!). Though they grew up a little before the cyber explosion and… Read more »
I am so very lucky to count among my friends some of the most talented, generous and kind people in the kidlit world. In the past month or so, I have been celebrating a very special set of friendships. A few years back, I invited Barbara O’Connor, Augusta Scattergood and Susan Hill Long to our… Read more »
I am so grateful to count Augusta Scattergood as a friend! She’s well-read (she reviews for the Christian Science Monitor), smart and a tiny bit sassy. And she tells a very good story, as evidenced by her newest book, Making Friends with Billy Wong (Scholastic). I’m going to let her tell you about it. Sometimes stories… Read more »
This isn’t too far back, but I am so grateful to these women: Susan Hill Long, Barbara O’Connor and Augusta Scattergood. I invited them to Shangri-Lar just last year for a writing retreat (some of us didn’t even know each other!) and out of that we produced 4 books, all to be pubbed in 2016…. Read more »