Illustrator Interview: Simona Ceccarelli on Illustrating Internationally

By Elisabeth Norton

I’m talking today with Simona Ceccarelli, an illustrator based in Switzerland who has worked books for publishers in several countries, including the U.S. market.

Simona, it’s been so rewarding to watch your career take off! It wasn’t that long ago that the first book you illustrated came out,

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Author Interview: Ruth Erica on De boom met de bittere bladeren (The Tree with Bitter Leaves)

By Elisabeth Norton

Today I’m pleased to introduce Cynsations readers to Ruth Erica, whose young adult novel De boom met de bittere bladeren (The Tree with Bitter Leaves) has been published in Dutch in the Netherlands and Belgium by Lemniscaat. The novel explores the experience of growing up in the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide through the eyes of a teenaged protagonist who was a small child when the events took place.

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Author Interview: Hollis Kurman Highlights Human Rights in Her New Picture Book

By Elisabeth Norton

Today I’m pleased to introduce Cynsations readers to Hollis Kurman, whose debut picture book, Counting Kindness: Ten Ways to Welcome Refugee Children, illustrated by Barroux (Charlesbridge, 2020), has been released in six countries so far this year, with two more countries planned for 2021.

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Industry Interview: Andrew Rushton of NordSüd Verlag & Beth Terrill of NorthSouth

By Elisabeth Norton

I recently talked with Andrew Rushton, Associate Publisher with NordSüd Verlag (Switzerland), and Beth Terrill, Editor, NorthSouth Books (U.S.), to learn more about publishing in two different markets. In the above photo, Beth Terrill and Lulu the dog are enjoying a good story.

For people who are not familiar with NordSüd Verlag (NorthSouth Books,

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2019 Europolitan Con: Literary Agents Molly O’Neill & Alice Sutherland-Hawes

Cynsations Note: This is the second in a series of posts highlighting the upcoming SCBWI Europolitan Conference, set for May 4 and May 5 in Zurich, Switzerland. Today’s post features faculty members Molly O’Neill and Alice Sutherland-Hawes, both literary agents.

By Melanie Rook Welfing

Here we are at base camp,

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2019 Europolitan Con: Authors Kathi Appelt & Chitra Soundar, Editor Naomi Colthurst

Cynsations Note: This is the first in a series of posts highlighting the upcoming SCBWI Europolitan Conference, set for May 4 and May 5 in Zurich, Switzerland.

Today’s post features faculty members Naomi Colthurst, editor at Penguin Random House Children’s, as well as authors Kathi Appelt and Chitra Soundar.

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Guest Interview: Editor Emma Ledbetter & Writer Zoë Armstrong on Picture Books & SCBWI’s Bologna Manuscript Contest

Guest Interview: Editor Emma Ledbetter & Writer Zoë Armstrong on Picture Books & SCBWI’s Bologna Manuscript Contest

By Elisabeth Norton
for SCBWI Bologna 2018 and Cynthia Leitich Smith‘s Cynsations

Note: This interview is part of a series focusing on the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. 

SCBWI Switzerland Regional Adviser Elisabeth Norton talks with the judge and winner of SCBWI‘s new Dueling Illustrators Manuscript Contest. Continue Reading Guest Interview: Editor Emma Ledbetter & Writer Zoë Armstrong on Picture Books & SCBWI’s Bologna Manuscript Contest »