Not too far off the beaten track in Austin, visitors are welcomed to The Writing Barn retreat center, a place where deer wander the meadows, the buildings are air conditioned and rooms are filled with bookshelves. There, thirteen Native participants gathered the weekend of Aug. 4 to Aug.
Continue Reading Guest Post: Patricia Morris Buckley on the We Need Diverse Books Native Intensive »
We’re thrilled to welcome Jyoti Rajan Gopal to Cynsations.
When you look back on your writing journey, what are the changes that stand out?
There are several moments that stand out!
I knew that children’s publishing was extremely hard to break into,
Continue Reading Author Interview: Jyoti Rajan Gopal Reflects on Owning Her Identity as a Writer »
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Suma Subramaniam, AJ Eversole and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: Dadaji’s Paintbrush by Rashmi Sirdeshpande, illustrated by Ruchi Mhasane (Levine Querido, 2022).
Author/Illustrator Insights
Congratulations to Melanie Crowder on her new young adult novel, Jumper (Viking, June 2022)! It received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews. Melanie recently joined the faculty of Vermont College of Fine Arts Writing for Children and Young Adults program.
Take a look back at Melanie’s thoughts on her debut novel,
Continue Reading Throwback Thursday: Melanie Crowder on Parched »
Featured image: Melissa Coffey signing advance copies at the 2022 Texas Library Association Conference.
Today I’m pleased to welcome two Austin authors to Cynsations, Melissa Coffey and Kristin Wauson. Melissa is the debut author of Fridge-Opolis, illustrated by Josh Cleland (Little Bee Books,
Continue Reading New Voices: Melissa Coffey & Kristin Wauson on SCBWI’s Role in their Journeys »
I’m thrilled to welcome author Kellye Crocker to Cynsations! Like me, she’s a Vermont College of Fine Arts alumnx more than a decade past graduation. Her debut middle grade novel, Dad’s Girlfriend and Other Anxieties (Albert Whitman & Company, October 2022) features practical tips on mindfulness and managing anxiety shared through a hilarious,
Continue Reading Author Interview: Kellye Crocker Uses a Light Touch for a Serious Subject »
Award-winning author Jim Murphy died in his Woodstock, New York home on May 1. He was 74 years old.
Shannon Maughan reported in Publishers Weekly that Jim enjoyed writing and illustrating his own comic books during his childhood, but didn’t become an avid reader until high school.
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Suma Subramaniam, AJ Eversole and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: I Hope by Monique Gray Smith, illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard (Orca Book Publishers, 2022).
Author/Illustrator Insights
Congratulations to Varsha Bajaj on Thirst (Nancy Paulsen Books, July 2022), a New York Times Bestseller!
Take a look back at Varsha’s thoughts about her debut novel, Abby Spencer Goes to Bollywood (Albert Whitman, 2014). This post originally appeared on Cynsations March 3, 2014.
Varsha Bajaj is the debut novelist behind Abby Spencer Goes to Bollywood (Albert Whitman,
Continue Reading Throwback Thursday: Varsha Bajaj on Abby Spencer Goes to Bollywood »
Today, I’m thrilled to welcome Kidlit Caravan authors Debbie Zapata, Donna Cangelosi, Margaret Aitken, Rebecca Gardyn Levington, and Robyn McGrath to Cynsations.
Kidlit Caravan is a troupe of authors and author-illustrators with debut picture books headed your way in 2022.