Reflections on Craft: Using Specific Details to Draw Readers into a Story

Cynsations is celebrating its 20th anniversary by switching to a quarterly publishing schedule, featuring in-depth interviews and articles. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm!

By Gayleen Rabakukk

Earlier this year I had an experience that made me reflect deeply on perspective and details. My husband and I attended a Jon Batiste concert.

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In Memory: Author Lore Segal

Cynsations is celebrating its 20th anniversary by switching to a quarterly publishing schedule, featuring in-depth interviews and articles. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm!

By Gayleen Rabakukk

“Esteemed author and educator Lore Segal, who wrote and translated clever and sunny children’s tales alongside the autobiographical adult stories and novels informed by her early life as a Jewish refugee during WWII,

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New Voice: Ginger Reno on Believing in Yourself & Debut Novel, Find Her

Cynsations is celebrating its 20th anniversary by switching to a quarterly publishing schedule, featuring in-depth interviews and articles. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm!

By Gayleen Rabakukk

Today I’m excited to share my interview with debut author Ginger Reno (Cherokee) about her path to publication and her middle grade novel,

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Author Interview: Zetta Elliott on Prequels, Decolonizing Imagination & Creative Responses to Book Challenges

Cynsations is celebrating its 20th anniversary by switching to a quarterly publishing schedule, featuring in-depth interviews and articles. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm!

By Gayleen Rabakukk

Today we’re visiting with author Zetta Elliott on a wide variety of topics: writing prequels, providing honest interpretations of historical events,

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Throw Back Thursday: Margaret Peterson Haddix on Thriving as a Long-Time, Actively Publishing Children’s-YA Author

Cynsations is celebrating its 20th anniversary by switching to a quarterly publishing schedule, featuring in-depth interviews and articles. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm!

Congratulations to Margaret Peterson Haddix on the publication of The Stolen Key, the third book in the Mysteries of Trash and Treasure series (Quill Tree,

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Author Interview: Sher Lee on Recreating Classics with a Queer Twist

Cynsations is celebrating its 20th anniversary by switching to a quarterly publishing schedule, featuring in-depth interviews and articles. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm!

By: AJ Eversole

Excited to speak to Sher Lee today about her YA fantasy debut! A queer retelling of a classic Chinese folktale, Legend of the White Snake (Quill Tree,

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In Memory: Author-Agent Dilys Evans & Author- Illustrator James Proimos

Cynsations is celebrating its 20th anniversary by switching to a quarterly publishing schedule, featuring in-depth interviews and articles. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm!

By Gayleen Rabakukk

Dilys Evans

“Dilys Evans, a trailblazing representative of children’s book illustrators, and a fierce champion for recognition of their contributions to the fine arts world,

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Author & Editor Interview: Author Debbie Zapata & Editor Kristine Enderle on Addressing Tough Topics in Picture Books

By Gayleen Rabakukk

Today we welcome author Debbie Zapata and her editor, Kristine Enderle of Magination Press to discuss writing about tough topics, bilingual books, and Debbie’s latest book, Abuela’s Letter, illustrated by Alejandra Ruiz (Magination Press, October 2024).

Debbie Zapata, author and Licensed Clinical Social Worker

When considering picture book topics,

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Thowback Thursday: Author Jen Ferguson on What She Has Learned As A Writer

Cynsations is celebrating its 20th anniversary by switching to a quarterly publishing schedule, featuring in-depth interviews and articles. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm!

Congratulations to author Jen Ferguson on the publication of A Constellation of Minor Bears (Heartdrum, September 2024)! From the publisher’s website:

Before that awful Saturday,

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Author & Illustrator Interview: Creative Team Mary Tony & Pyrce Raphael Share Their Alaska Native Heritage in Windswept

By Gayleen Rabakukk

During the pandemic some baked sourdough bread, others learned to knit or gardened. Author Mary Tony reflected on life deeply and compiled the stories of her childhood adventures of growing up near Chitina, Alaska into a memoir, Windswept: Chitina Alaska Childhood, illustrated by Pyrce Raphael (Fathom Publishing Company,

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