My standby playtime routine as a child of the ‘80s, when Disney VHS tapes were watched until you could only see tracking lines, was acting out Maid Marian being rescued by Robin Hood. I would swing from my bed, sometimes hanging off the stuffed animal clip chain attached to my ceiling (until it was no longer attached to the ceiling), in a flowing red polka dot dress properly adorned with a blanket veil and a long, twisting string of faux pearls.
Read moreWriter Spotlight: Robin Kirk
Kirk is the author of numerous books, including The Bond, first in the Pentaklon trilogy (Blue Crow Books 2018), More Terrible Than Death: Massacres, Drugs and America’s War in Colombia (PublicAffairs) and The Monkey’s Paw: New Chronicles from Peru (University of Massachusetts Press). She coedits the The Peru Reader: History, Culture, Politics (Duke University) and is an editor of Duke University Press’s World Readers series.
Read moreAn Interview With Robin Kirk
Today, I’m featuring an interview with Robin Kirk, author of The Bond Series. The latest book in the series, The Hive Queen, is out today for purchase. Learn about her process in writing the sequel to The Bond and dealing with the success of her series.
Read moreBook Spotlight: The Bond Series By Robin Kirk
In the second book in the INDIE-award-winning Bond Trilogy, warrior Fir leads his brothers on a quest for salvation that will threaten everything he holds dear. After the battle that toppled the Weave, warrior Fir leads his brothers east to escape servitude, or worse—death at the hands of rival warriors. They search for the fabled Master of Men who promises freedom for men in the Weave. But their quest leads them to a foe more dangerous than they could have imagined.
Read moreA Review of The Hive Queen
After the battle that toppled the Weave, warrior Fir leads his brothers east to escape servitude, or worse—death at the hands of rival warriors. They search for the fabled Master of Men who promises freedom for men in the Weave. But their quest leads them to a foe more dangerous than they could have imagined.
Read moreWriter Spotlight: Chris Low
Chris is a children's author and elementary school teacher. He lives in Phoenixville, PA with his wife, two sons, and a dog who occasionally dresses up like a frog. He's published several award-winning stories with Highlights for Children and Spider magazine, and he is currently finishing up his first middle grade book. Connect with him via his website at www.chrislowauthor.com or on twitter @chrislowauthor
Read moreWriter by Night - Guest Post By Chris Low
There’s this scene in Love Actually that I really hate. Colin Firth plays a famous author working on a new book at his Italian villa overlooking a scenic lake. It always makes me cringe. Not the part where the wind blows his precious manuscript into the lake or the part where he dives into the freezing water to save it. What bugs me is the idea that somewhere in the world there are writers with lakeside villas.
Read moreBook Spotlight: Wolves of No World Series By Romina Garber
As Manu uncovers her own story and traces her real heritage all the way back to a cursed city in Argentina, she learns it's not just her U.S. residency that's illegal. . . .it's her entire existence.
Read moreA Review of Lobizona
Manuela Azul has been crammed into an existence that feels too small for her. As an undocumented immigrant who's on the run from her father's Argentine crime-family, Manu is confined to a small apartment and a small life in Miami, Florida. Until Manu's protective bubble is shattered.
Read moreWriter Spotlight: Romina Garber
ROMINA GARBER (RUSSELL) is a New York Times and international bestselling author whose books include Lobizona & the ZODIAC series. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and raised in Miami, Florida, Romina landed her first writing gig as a teen—College She Wrote, a weekly Sunday column for the Miami Herald that was later picked up for national syndication—and she hasn’t stopped writing since. She is a graduate of Harvard College and a Virgo to the core. For more information about the ZODIAC series, visit the books’ official webpage. Romina can be reached via email romigarber@gmail.com or on Instagram/Twitter.
Read moreAn Interview With Romina Garber
Today, I’m featuring an interview with Romina Garber, author of Lobizona. Lobizona is the first book in the brand new Wolves of No World series. Read more to learn about her influences and weaknesses as she finished her newest Young Adult novel.
Read moreWriter Spotlight: Cathey Nickell
Cathey Nickell is Houston-based author and elementary school speaker. In 2017, her book, Arthur Zarr’s Amazing Art Car, was awarded first place by the Texas Association of Authors in the category of Children’s Picture Books-All Ages. To date, she has presented to nearly one hundred elementary schools and their students about writing, publishing and creativity. She is also the author of Yazzy’s Amazing Yarn (2019) and has more writing projects in the works. She holds a journalism degree from Baylor University and a Master of Arts from Louisiana State University-Shreveport. Find Cathey online at www.catheynickell.com and as @catheynickell on Twitter and Instagram.
Read moreWhy I Am Writing This Week - Guest Post By Cathey Nickell
You’re probably familiar with Sarah Foil’s series where she posts five reasons why she was distracted from writing that week. I love how she points out that the only thing writers love more than writing is avoiding writing. Like Sarah, I am certainly no exception. So, when Sarah invited me to write a guest blog, I decided to share my five reasons for why I am writing during the pandemic. When stay-at-home directives were issued, I knew what I wanted to do: pick up a children’s middle-grade novel that I started in 2018 and finish it. Here’s who/what has kept me writing—literally every day—since the first weeks of March.
Read moreWriter Spotlight: Phaea Crede
Phaea Crede loves writing silly picture books for silly kids. Serious kids, too! Her debut picture book Jet the Cat (is Not a Cat) will be published Spring 2021 by Barefoot Books. Phaea lives outside of Boston with her husband, two kiddos, and a slightly stinky dog named Gus.
Read moreThe Power Of The Terrible First Draft - Guest Post By Phaea Crede
As writers, we know that the first draft of our work won’t be…the best. Characters aren’t fleshed out. Plot hole are large and in charge. Spelling and grammar have taken the day off. But as an impatient, perfectionist picture book writer, I wanted everything I wrote to be publication-worthy on my first try. Since that’s impossible, I found myself putting off first drafts for as long as possible.
Read moreWriter Spotlight: Barbara Renner
Barbara Renner is a retired teacher who writes children’s picture books about wildlife that are both entertaining and educational. She and her husband have lived in Phoenix, Arizona for over 40 years, but visit a small lake town in Minnesota in the summer as “Sun Birds.” Barbara enjoys any outdoor activity such as camping, walking, hiking, gardening, and golfing.
Read moreInformational Fiction versus Non-Fiction - Guest Post By Barbara Renner
When I retired from teaching I decided to try my hand at writing children’s picture books. Since my retired husband and I had more time available to us, we decided to spend the summer in Minnesota. This was a long way from our home in Arizona in more ways than 2,000 miles. We traded a dry hot desert for humid lake country, rattlesnakes for giant mosquitos, and coyotes for ducks. But the ducks that really caught my attention weren’t really ducks, they were gorgeous waterfowl known as Common Loons and Trumpeter Swans.
Read moreWriter Spotlight: Sarah Carlson
Sarah J. Carlson writes contemporary YA that delves into complex, real world problems. Professionally, she is a school psychologist with a professional focus around supporting the success of children with behavioral and mental health needs. Sarah lives outside Madison, Wisconsin with her husband and two young children. Her works include All the Walls of Belfast and Everything’s Not Fine.
Read moreMoming and Writing - Guest Post By Sarah Carlson
Today I’m here to talk about finding balance while juggling on a unicycle. I’m here as a person with many roles. Many pieces of my identity. Many balls to juggle while riding forward in life, hopefully without falling over. First and foremost, I’m a mom. I have a cheeky, intelligent, creative four-and-a-half-year-old daughter and a curious, silly, cuddly two-year-old son. I’ve been working full-time as a school psychologist for twelve years, mostly in elementary schools. I’m also a traditionally published Young Adult author.
Read moreWriter Spotlight: Candice Marley Conner
Candice Marley Conner loves swampy settings and lives with her husband, two children—Mermaid Girl and Dinosaur Boy—and two tiny-but-ferocious tiger-cats at the bottom of Alabama where the antebellum lady rests her feet in the Gulf of Mexico.
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