If memory serves (and there’s no guarantee of that these days!) I first had the pleasure of meeting the effervescent Nancy Coffelt at the Humboldt County Children’s Authors Festival many years ago. In fact, I think I was a one or two book author at the time and in awe of the depth of Nancy’s… Read more »
These past few months have forced me to slow down. To think things through. To practice letting go. (I was cleaning the garage and ran across my beloved Away suitcase and it took me a second to recognize what it was!) Lily LaMotte visits today in celebration of her graphic novel, Measuring Up, illustrated by… Read more »
I clearly remember meeting Jennifer Jacobson on a crowded exhibition hall floor during a conference. I think we literally bumped into each other! Within minutes, I was privileged to get a sneak peek at the F&Gs of her then-forthcoming picture book, This is My Room (No Tigers Allowed) (she was my Friend Friday for that;… Read more »
A few years back, I was chatting with Varian Johnson after a long day of conference presentations. He was debating leaving his day job to write full time. He had the pros and cons spelled out, as an engineer would. Luckily for children’s literature, the pros won out. I am so pleased to host Varian… Read more »
Three squeezes are woven into the fabric of the Larson family household. From the time my kids were itsy, they knew that three squeezes when holding hands meant “I love you.” So my heart was immediately captured by Jason Pratt’s poignant picture book, Three Squeezes, illustrated by Chris Sheban (Roaring Brook Press). Jason takes that… Read more »
What a treat it is to be part of Josh Funk’s Short & Sweet/Long & Savory blog tour! In fact, we’re the final stop; check the calendar at the end of this post if you want to see other blogs Josh has visited. As you can tell by his books, Josh is a very funny… Read more »
So often the first advice given to writers is “Write what you know.” Fleur Bradley has a different take on that advice, which she shares below. Wandering outside her comfort zone led her to her brand new novel, Midnight at the Barclay Hotel (Viking Books for Young Readers) and, perhaps, some ideas for more terrific… Read more »
I first “met” Gennifer Choldenko through her wonderful middle grade novel Notes From a Liar and Her Dog many years ago. Since then, I’ve been fortunate — blessed!– to share many meals, laughs and heart-to-hearts with Gennifer. I’ve always adored her and her work but after reading her true confession below, I adore her even… Read more »
First time author Rachel Trusty zeroes in on a life principle that she and her main character share in common in her essay below and in her brand new book, Lilly: Beyond the Horizon. Read on to learn what that is! “If you can’t let go, then you’ll never get to the other side.” My… Read more »
What a pleasure it is to once again host Jo Watson Hackl for Friend Friday. Jo is not only a lovely person and fabulous writer with a fondness for blackberries, she has a huge heart. Her concern for others lead her to find a way to stretch the story of Smack Dab in the Middle… Read more »