When I was brand-new to Austin, my fellow Vermont College alumnx welcomed me to the local kidlit community, especially Anne Bustard. At a writing retreat six or seven years ago, Anne told us she was working on an intergenerational story set in the 1960s, with a small Texas town planning a UFO welcome festival.
Continue Reading Author Interview: Anne Bustard’s Advice on Historical Fiction & Far Out! »
Two award-winning Austin authors have ghostly books publishing this month: Adrianna Cuevas and Cynthia Leitich Smith. We couldn’t resist the opportunity for insight on eerie stories from these authors, so we arranged for them to ask each other questions. First up, Cynthia asks Adrianna questions about The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto (Farrar,
Continue Reading Authors in Conversation: Adrianna Cuevas & Cynthia Leitich Smith on Eerie Books »
Julie Anne Peters, the critically-acclaimed, award-winning author of more than a dozen books for young adults and children died March 21 at the age of 71.
Peters first book, The Stinky Sneakers Contest (Little Brown, 1992), was plucked from the slushpile by Megan Tingley,
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Suma Subramaniam, A.J. Eversole and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: The Song That Called Them Home by David A. Robertson, illustrated by Maya McKibbin (Tundra Books, 2023).
Author/Illustrator Insights
Process Talk: Cynthia Leitich Smith on Harvest House from Uma Krishnaswami.
Congratulations to Cynthia Leitich Smith on Harvest House, out Tuesday from Candlewick! To date, the book has received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and School Library Connection. From the promotional copy:
Deftly leading readers to the literary crossroads of contemporary realism and haunting mystery, Cynthia Leitich Smith revisits the world of her American Indian Youth Literature Award winner Hearts Unbroken (Candlewick,
Spotlight image: Shachi Kaushik celebrating Diwali with her new book.
I love sharing the success stories of Austin authors with Cynsations readers. Today I’m interviewing two debut picture book authors, Shachi Kaushik and Susan Johnston Taylor, about their paths to publication and advice for aspiring writers.
Continue Reading New Voices: Shachi Kaushik & Susan Johnston Taylor Share Picture Book Advice »
By AJ Eversole
Today Cynsations gets to share an interview with Guadalupe Garcia McCall, co-author of Secret of the Moon Conch (Bloomsbury, June 2023). From the promotional copy:
Award-winning authors David Bowles and Guadalupe García McCall join forces to craft a sweeping fantasy romance about falling in love despite all odds.
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Suma Subramaniam, A.J. Eversole and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: Love Makes a Garden Grow by Taeeun Yoo (Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 2023).
Author/Illustrator Insights
Cover Reveal for When a Brown Girl Flees by Aamna Qureshi from We Need Diverse Books.
Congratulations to Christina Soontornvat on the publication of Legends of Lotus Island: The Guardian Test, illustrated by Kevin Hong (Scholastic, March 2023). From the promotional copy:
Young Plum is shocked to discover that she’s been accepted to the Guardian Academy on Lotus Island, an elite school where kids learn how to transform into Guardians,
By AJ Eversole
Today on Cynsations I am thrilled to present an interview with former, U.S. Poet Laureate, Joy Harjo. Her latest picture book, Remember (Random House Studio, 2023) released last week. Illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade, Remember, is a poem in picture book form.
Continue Reading Author Interview: Joy Harjo on Poetry & Picture Books »