Kat Cho is the founder of Asian Author Alliance—a group to celebrate Asian Kidlit and the diversity of stories that originate from the Asian Continent.
When did you first become interested in going into writing and publishing? What sparked your interest?
I always loved to write stories ever since I was really young,
Continue Reading Author Interview: Kat Cho & The Asian Author Alliance »
As the parent of children on the autism spectrum and who also struggle with anxiety, I am a big fan of Sally J. Pla‘s books and their representations of neurodiversity. Her most recent middle grade novel Stanley Will Probably Be Fine illustrated by Steve Wolfhard (HarperCollins,
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Stephani Eaton, Suma Subramaniam, and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: Laxmi’s Mooch by Shelly Anand, illustrated by Nabi H. Ali (Kokila, 2021).
Author/Illustrator Insights
Alice Childress by Crystal Allen from The Brown Bookshelf.
My chronicles explore the heart and spirit of writers, the emotional and psychological issues and strengths that stir our creativity and are stirred by our work and the obstacles that impact our processes.
What strengths does each writer have that create and maintain emotional resilience?
How does an author’s or illustrator’s own internal process and state of mind intertwine with the narrative arc of her work?
Continue Reading Heart and Spirit: An Interview with Ami Polonsky »
Picture book author Sue Ganz-Schmitt had two new picture book releases last fall, and both contained storylines that embrace differences and fostered inclusion.
In That Monster on the Block, illustrated by Luke Flowers (Two Lions, 2020), which won the 2020 Northern Book Lights Award for Humor,
Continue Reading Author Interview: Sue Ganz-Schmitt on Vulnerability in Picture Books »
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Stephani Eaton, Suma Subramaniam, and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: Jump at the Sun by Alicia D. Williams, illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara (Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, 2021).
Author/Illustrator Insights
Author Spotlight: Louisa Onomé from KidLit411.
At age 8, Aslan Tudor arrived in North Dakota to help stop a pipeline. Aslan and Kelly’s book, Young Water Protectors (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2018), is about his experiences in the Oceti Sakowin Camp at Standing Rock.
From the promotional copy:
“Learn about what exactly happened there,
Today I am thrilled to welcome Christopher Paul Curtis to Cynsations. Christopher is celebrating the 25th anniversary of his debut novel The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963! (Delacorte, 1995), which was named both a Newbery Honor and a Coretta Scott King Honor book in 1996.
How does being a college professor and the mother of a young child influence the topics you choose to write about?
I call myself JaNay Brown-Wood, Author & Educator. These titles go hand-in-hand because I feel that I use my books and writing abilities to educate while also using my education to pull inspiration for what I write.
Continue Reading Awesome Authors: JaNay Brown-Wood on Disguised Learning with Books »
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Stephani Eaton, Suma Subramaniam, and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: Off to the Sea by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2021).
Author/Illustrator Insights