Oh my goodness: I love Dana Middleton‘s post today and its reminder that stories do indeed chose us! I’m sure many of us can relate to Dana’s story of wanting to wiggle out of being tagged “it,” and, like me, you will admire how Dana turned her desire to run into a connection with her… Read more »
Susan McCormick should probably buy a lottery ticket. Or perhaps a hundred. When she set out to write a medical fantasy that would catch young readers’ attention the way Rick Riordan’s mythology series has, likely she had no idea that we’d been spending a year or two or a thousand dealing with a pandemic. Her… Read more »
I first “met” Anne Nesbet through the wonderful historical novel, Cloud and Wallfish, becoming a fast fan of her work. Her latest novel, Daring Darleen, Queen of the Screen (Candlewick) completely captured my heart and, in fact, I still think about the characters and the enchantment of the story itself, reeled out in true melodramatic… Read more »
I have a strong memory of being sent a Linda Oatman High book or two by my editor when I was first published at Holiday House, as examples of what to strive for. She was one of many authors I read as I tried to figure out how to be a writer. So it is… Read more »
Friendships begin in many ways; mine with Barbara O’Connor started with a fan letter sent in response to one of Barbara’s books (NOT Greetings from Nowhere, where the bully is named Kirby. But she didn’t know me then.) Not too long after those initial email exchanges, we met in person at ALA in Orlando and… Read more »
When I think of kind and caring, I think of writer Barbara Dee. She cares so much about her kid readers, that she bravely writes about the challenges so many of them face and I so admire that about her. In addition, I genuinely appreciate what she shares in the essay below regarding adult characters… Read more »
My friend Dana Sullivan has a huge imagination and a huge sense of humor. And he is terrific about supporting other book creators. So it gives me great pleasure to shine the spotlight on him today, in support of his brand new series, Dead Max Comix, and the first installment in the series, The Deadening… Read more »
I met J. Albert Mann when I was a guest lecturer at the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA program for Writing for Children and Young Adults. We instantly bonded over our love of historical fiction and I was delighted when she was a Friend Friday guest for What Every Girl Should Know: Margaret Sanger’s… Read more »
Today’s special guest may be about the nicest person in the kid lit world. Laurie Ann Thompson always has a smile, encouraging word or wry joke to brighten even the darkest of days (and trust me: Seattle can get uber gloomy). She also happens to be a fabulous writer, with a penchant for nonfiction (with… Read more »
I am impatiently waiting for the “Beam Me Up, Scotty” form of transportation so that I might easily have coffee on occasion with some of my favorite kidlit people, like Nanci Turner Steveson, who live much too far away from me. Nanci writes stories filled with heart and hope and an unwavering gaze at the… Read more »