A writing community can make all the difference in navigating the long and often frustrating journey of becoming a published author. Whether it’s sharing craft tips or submission opportunities, writing buddies provide the encouragement and support needed for going the distance. But connecting can be a challenge, especially if a given community represents a small percentage of the population.
Continue Reading WNDB Native Children’s – YA Writing Intensive Applications Open »
Spotlight image: Ale Díaz Bouza at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in Italy.
Today I’m talking with Ale Díaz Bouza, an illustrator who also serves as the Regional Advisor for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators chapter in Spain, about publishing for young readers there.
Continue Reading Illustrator Interview: Ale Díaz Bouza on Publishing in Spain »
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Stephani Eaton, Suma Subramaniam, Bree Bender, AJ Eversole and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: Kicks by Van G. Garrett, illustrated by Reggie Brown (Versify,
By Carol McAfee
Spotlight image by Taha on Unsplash
Today I want to talk to you about poetry.
You may not consider yourself a poet. You may be scared of poetry in the way I am wary of numbers and higher math, so much so that I would join the witness protection program to avoid them.
Continue Reading The Power of Poetry: Carol McAfee Shares Five Cool Things about Poetry »
By Carol McAfee
I am excited to speak today with author A.S. King whose books about trauma and resilience are so powerful, they hit you like a lightning bolt.
Welcome here today, Amy. Please tell us about you as a writer. Your aesthetic.
I write weird-to-surrealist novels about young adults in order to help readers of all ages face and heal from their trauma.
By Carol McAfee
I am delighted today to speak with author Jasmine Warga, whose books have always deeply moved me, from her very first book, My Heart and Other Black Holes (HarperCollins, 2015) to her recent Other Words For Home (HarperCollins, 2021). As recent events unfold and we feel we swim in a choppy and dehumanizing sea,
By Carol McAfee
I am delighted today to speak with author Martine Leavitt whose books always make me cry in the way a sunset can make you cry, for the sheer beauty of it.
Martine, please tell us about you as a writer. Your aesthetic. What do you care most about that you want to share with the world?
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Stephani Eaton, Suma Subramaniam, Bree Bender, Gail Vannelli, and AJ Eversole for Cynsations
Happy spring, Cynsational readers!
We’re taking a short break, and we hope that you can, too!
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Stephani Eaton, Suma Subramaniam, Bree Bender, AJ Eversole and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: Show the World! by Angela Dalton, illustrated by Daria Peoples (Viking Books for Young Readers,
Today I’m thrilled to welcome fellow Austin author and friend Jennifer Ziegler to the Cynsations blog for a chat about writing and teaching. Her latest middle grade novel, Worser (Margaret Ferguson Books/Holiday House, 2022) has received several starred reviews and lots of positive buzz.
Tell us about your new release,
Continue Reading Author Interview: Jennifer Ziegler on Word Play and Developing Characters »