So far this month, about 55,000 unique visitors have surfed over to my Web site, which is currently under redesign (I’ll keep you posted).
Most of them went directly into the site from a bookmark or typing in the URL. The other big referrers were Google, Yahoo, MSN.com, and my blogs. The largest number of visitors were from the U.S.
I posted the following link on November 14:
“Do I Need an Agent and How Will I Know If I Do?”: a chat with Sharene Martin, co-founder of the Wylie-Merrick Literary Agency from the Institute of Children’s Literature. See also Wylie-Merrick Literary Agency.
But I’m featuring it again because it has been updated with some Q&As that previously were lost to cybergremlins.
Continue Reading “Do I Need An Agent, and How Will I Know If I Do?” »
Books for Military Children: annotated bibliography (with cover art) of more than fifty books portraying children with parents in the U.S. military. Divided by picture books, middle grade, teen, and teen/adult. Highly recommended.
Even More Long-Winded and Practical Writing Advice from Whatever: The online home of writer John Scalzi. Taunting the Tauntable Since 1998.
“At school, the subject of Native Americans pretty much comes up just around Turkey Day,
like those cardboard cutouts of the Pilgrims and the pumpkins and the squash
taped to the windows at McDonald’s.”
–from Rain Is Not My Indian Name by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Harper, 01)
I am thankful for the children’s and young adult literature community–for the young readers,
Author Interview
The University Place School District in Tacoma, Washington has banned Geography Club by Brent Hartinger (HarperCollins, 2003), which is a highly recommended young adult novel. Brent was kind enough to share his thoughts and his essay in response.
When did you first hear that The Geography Club was being banned?
Continue Reading Author Interview: Brent Hartinger on the Banning of Geography Club »
Liza Ketchum is the author of fourteen books for young readers, including the recent historical title, Where the Great Hawk Flies (Clarion, 2005), a novel in two voices. The book is based on a true story about her ancestors, a Pequot Indian midwife and an English farmer who lived in central Vermont during the 18th century.
I’m just back from co-teaching Writing for Children and Teenagers (scroll) to an inspiring group of teachers and librarians as part of the 2005 Oklahoma Fall Arts Institute at Quartz Mountain in Lone Wolf, Oklahoma. The OAI offers a “series of weekend retreats for educators, professional artists, and amateur artists.” The student body is comprised primarily of Oklahoma public school teachers.
Continue Reading Oklahoma Fall Arts Institute at Quartz Mountain »
I had the pleasure last night of attending Kathi Appelt‘s signing for Merry Christmas, Merry Crow, illustrated by Jon Goodell (Harcourt, 2005) at the Barnes & Noble Westlake (TX) last night.
It’s a magical title that reunites the amazing author-illustrator team behind one of my all-time favorite picture books, The Alley Cat’s Meow (Harcourt,
Cheryl Klein, editor at Arthur A. Levine Books, has arranged that her e-book, The Rules of Engagement: How to Get (and Keep!) a Reader Involved in Your Novel, be made available for free by the organization Children Come First.
The Austin Public Library Foundation is holding a “Read-in” from 5 p.m.
Show; Don’t Tell! Secrets of Writing by Josephine Nobisso, illustrated by Eva Montanari (Gingerbread House, 2004). An interactive picture book. Gorgeously illustrated. Ages 7-up.
What was your initial inspiration for creating this book?
For eighteen years, I’d been going into schools, speaking at conferences, etc., limiting myself to conducting 100 writing workshops per year.
Continue Reading Author Interview: Josephine Nobisso on Show; Don’t Tell! Secrets of Writing »