Have you ever noticed when you’re watching TV or starting a new book how many of them begin with the characters at a big event, like a wedding or a funeral, a graduation ceremony, birthday party or moving day? Why … Continue reading →
A friend of mine and a talented writer in my writers’ group invited me to an upcoming event that she’s hosting, a “Bookish Tea Party,” where her friends will discuss any book they’re currently reading. I love this! I have … Continue reading →
I ran into an interesting issue last week with a story I wrote. In the narration, as well as the dialogue, I made references to some classic literature. Those people “in the know” (agents, editors, published authors) have admonished writers … Continue reading →
Overwriting. Over-explaining. Over-doing. Over-extra-ing. Whatever project you have going on in your life right now, take a step back from it and ask yourself if you’ve done too much? But wait. Aren’t we supposed to go the extra mile? That’s … Continue reading →
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a review of a charming, middle-grade book called Gleam: Semma and the Secret of Stuffmore by new author Kurt Christiansen. Today, I have an interview with Kurt. He has some tips and inspiration … Continue reading →
Or, in the words of Virginia Woolf, a room of one’s own. What sort of space do you need to be creative, to take a breath without judgment or observation or guilt? Some people have elaborate spaces. We’ve all seen … Continue reading →
There’s a song called “Geronimo!” by Sheppard from the Alvin and the Chipmunks movie (2014) that had escaped my attention until now. Cute song, but that’s not the point. It made me wonder about the word Geronimo, which should always … Continue reading →
A new writer, Kurt Christiansen, popped up on Facebook recently in a group I follow (Middle Grade Fiction Writers). What caught my eye, besides the cover of his book, was this, “13 years in the making, a hundred drafts and … Continue reading →
Everyone has one. I know someone whose superpower is the ability to work diligently at something until it’s just right to his ears and his soul. Someone else’s superpower—and I’m not sure she even knows this—is finding rainbows in the … Continue reading →
Kate DiCamillo is not a 12-year-old girl. Nor is she a pig, a puppet or a magician. Hannah Gold is not a polar bear. Erin Bow is not a boy. Sara Pennypacker is not an African American young man intent … Continue reading →
