“You Better Watch Out!” a review by Kim Peek of Santa Knows by Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith, illustrated by Steve Bjorkman (Dutton, 2006). Find out why Kim calls it “a must-have for your Christmas collection!” Visit Kim at One Over-Caffeinated Mom.

“Educators Brainstorm Ways to Inject Culture in the Classroom” from the Billings Gazette. Article mentions my picture book, Jingle Dancer, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu (Morrow, 2000):

Thanks to the Stettler Public Library in Alberta for recently recommending my tween novel, Rain Is Not My Indian Name (HarperCollins, 2001). Thanks also to the Andover (CT) Public Library for adding my new picture book, Santa Knows, co-authored by Greg Leitich Smith, illustrated by Steve Bjorkman (Dutton, 2006) to its stock; see all the new books there. And finally, thanks to Lara Zeises for recommending my interview with author Laurie Faria Stolarz on Bleed (Hyperion, 2006).

More News & Links

Heather Brewer’s Blog has moved! She’s the author of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, a YA vampire series (Dutton, August 2007). See her recent post on How To Get An Agent 101.

BookSmart: Marketing Intervention for Books by Justina Chen Headley. Read a Cynsations interview with Justina.

Congratulations to the following authors on their October releases: Niki Burnham on Do-Over (Simon Pulse)(author interview); Dorian Cirrone on Lindy Blues: The Big Scoop (Marshall Cavendish)(author interview); Alex Flinn on Diva (HarperCollins)(author interview); and Terie Garrison on AutumnQuest (Book I of The DragonSpawn Cycle )(Flux, 2006).

Kathy Duval: official site of the author of The Three Bears’ Christmas (Holiday House, 2005) and The Three Bears’ Halloween (Holiday House, 2007). Kathy was born in Oklahoma. She grew up in Texas and makes her home in the Houston area. Note: site slow loading on dial-up.

Susan K. Mitchell: Children’s Author: official site from the author of Stone Pizza, illustrated by McNevin Hayes (The RGU Group, 2006) and The Rainforest Grew All Around, illustrated by Connie McLennan (Sylvan Dell, 2007). Susan is based in north Houston.

“On Publishing Purgatory” by Robin Friedman from Absolute Write. Robin explains: “I couldn’t apply for ‘unpublished writer’ contests or ‘unpublished writer’ grants or ‘unpublished writer’ conferences, because, technically, I did have one book published. At the same time, though, I had ZERO books in the pipeline. I was trapped in a kind of Publishing Purgatory–and I felt alone, ashamed, and lost.”

Author Answers Interview with Dianne Ochiltree by Debbi Michiko Florence. Don’t miss Dianne’s tips for writing in rhyme. See a recent Cynsations interview with Dianne.

Tanya Lee Stone…Between the Buns from Bookburger. Read a Cynsations interview with Tanya.