By Traci Sorell
Today we welcome two of my fellow Epic Eighteen creators, Elizabeth Lilly, author-illustrator of Geraldine (Roaring Brook, 2018) and Shanda McCloskey, author-illustrator of Doll-E 1.0 (Little, Brown, May 2018).
Both Shanda and Elizabeth devoted time and effort to developing their skills before landing their first book contracts.
Learn more about Erin Cashman
By Erin Cashman
Recently, someone commented to me that writing fantasy must be easy, since I can just make up what I need to fit my plot.
I wish! As Lloyd Alexander said,
“Once committed to his imaginary kingdom, the writer is not a monarch but a subject.”
Continue Reading Guest Post: Erin Cashman on The Role of Research in Writing Fantasy »
In children’s-YA writing, maintaining an active publishing career is arguably an even bigger challenge than breaking into the field.
Reflecting on your personal journey (creatively, career-wise, and your writer’s heart), what bumps did you encounter and how have you managed to defy the odds to achieve continued success?
By Cynthia Leitich Smith,
Robin Galbraith, Gayleen Rabukukk, and Stephani Eaton
Author/Illustrator Insights
Nicole Griffin Releases Just Wreck It All from Wild Things. Peek:
“…my process…Procrastination and cookies. Whining and foot-dragging. Then, finally,
By Traci Sorell
for Cynthia Leitich Smith‘s Cynsations
Today we welcome Diné (Navajo) artist Jonathan Nelson to discuss his journey as an illustrator and his recently published debut picture book.
Johnny, your Wool of Jonesy (Native Realities, 2016), a wordless graphic novel won the American Indian Library’s Association Middle Grade Honor Book Award earlier this year.
Continue Reading Native Author-Illustrator Interview: Jonathan Nelson »
Learn more about Lindsay Leslie
Submitting queries can sometimes feel like tossing a bottled message into the ocean: you’re not sure when or if you’ll get a reply.
Through social media authors now have additional avenues for connecting with publishing gatekeepers.
I recently interviewed upcoming debut
Learn more about Jennifer Ziegler.
Image by Sam Bond Photography.
In children’s-YA writing, maintaining an active publishing career is arguably an even bigger challenge than breaking into the field.
Reflecting on your personal journey (creatively, career-wise, and your writer’s heart), what bumps did you encounter and how have you managed to defy the odds to achieve continued success?
Michelle Cusolito and Casey W. Robinson, debut picture book authors.
By Traci Sorell
Today we welcome two of my fellow Epic Eighteen creators, Michelle Cusolito, author of Flying Deep (illustrated by Nicole Wong, (Charlesbridge, 2018)) and Casey W.
By Cynthia Leitich Smith,
Robin Galbraith, Gayleen Rabukukk, and Stephani Eaton
Author/Illustrator Insights
YA Novelist Inspired By Teenage Years of Lucy Maud Montgomery by Nancy Wigston from The Canadian Jewish News. Peek:
“Part of writing YA is considering your audience and how they can relate to your character and their experience.
Deborah Halverson
We work hard to get to know our characters.
Creating bios, interviewing them, giving them personality tests. One discovery tool often overlooked in this great pursuit are the small actions tucked into the narrative beats.
Narrative beats are those little breathers in dialogue, sometimes filled simply with speaking tags like he said,
