We are pleased to welcome the author-illustrator team of Dancing in Thatha’s Footsteps (Yali Books, June 2021) to Cynsations!
Written by Srividhya Venkat and illustrated by Kavita Ramchandran, Dancing in Thatha’s Footsteps (Yali Books, June 2021) is a story about staying true to yourself and following your heart.
I am excited to welcome author Julie Berry to Cynsations today. Some of Julie’s titles include the Printz Honor Award book, The Passion of Dolssa (Viking, 2016), Lovely War (Viking, 2019), and The Emperor’s Ostrich (Roaring Brook Press, 2017).
Continue Reading Interview: Author Julie Berry Talks About Opening a Hometown Bookstore »
What an honor it’s been to revisit my first few books and to re-envision them for today’s young readers:
I’m thrilled to introduce two debut authors to the Cynsations audience today. I met both at Vermont College of Fine Arts several years ago while we were all working on MFAs in Writing for Children and Young Adults. Both write middle grade, but their books are very different, illustrating the depth and diversity that exists in children’s literature.
Continue Reading New Voices: Meredith Davis & Nicole Valentine On Being An Author »
By Traci Sorell
Today I’m excited to feature an inspiring Choctaw duo–author Sherri Maret and illustrator Merisha Sequoia Clark–who crafted The Cloud Artist, a bilingual Choctaw-English fiction picture book (RoadRunner Press, 2017).
The story centers on a young Choctaw girl who creates art using clouds, and it has been well received since publication.
Continue Reading Native Voices & Visions: Sherri Maret & Merisha Sequoia Clark on The Cloud Artist »
In today’s world of author branding how do you market yourself if you’re interested for writing for more than one age level? What are the joys and challenges of working across age levels? Are agents still willing to work with someone who doesn’t commit to just one age level?
These are the questions I asked five currently publishing authors: Hena Khan,
Continue Reading Author Interview: Writing & Marketing for Multiple Age-Levels »
Putting together a fabulous book launch is tricky for any author. But what if the author has a family tragedy just a few weeks before their book comes out?
At the beginning of the year, Lenore Appelhans, author of the delightfully clever YA novel The Manic Pixie Dream Boy Improvement Project (Carolrhoda Lab),
The Choice Between Fiction or Nonfiction
Choosing is what writers do. We choose our subjects, our characters, our point of views. If you write fiction, you are literally responsible for every horrible event which befalls your characters because they’re all your choices.
But there are choices in nonfiction,
Brian Yansky on Brian Yansky: “It’s an old story. I was born and I was very small and then I got larger and then one day I stopped growing and, with minor adjustments, I’ve stayed about the same size ever since. All of this growing happened in Iowa where, I once read, there are eight pigs for every person.
Continue Reading Author Interview: Brian Yansky on Wonders of the World »
Deborah Davis on Deborah Davis: “I write contemporary, realistic fiction about teens who think seriously about themselves and the world, who take risks, make mistakes, figure out what they love, and learn to laugh at themselves. My books contain a lot of ‘issues,’ but they contain humor as well.
“When I teach writing workshops,
Continue Reading Author Interview: Deborah Davis on Not Like You »
