Throwback Thursday: Author Christina Soontornvat on the Downs (and Eventual Ups) of Making It Past that Debut Year

Congratulations to Christina Soontornvat on the publication of Legends of Lotus Island: The Guardian Test, illustrated by Kevin Hong (Scholastic, March 2023). From the promotional copy:

Young Plum is shocked to discover that she’s been accepted to the Guardian Academy on Lotus Island, an elite school where kids learn how to transform into Guardians,

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New Voices: Jacquetta Nammar Feldman & Sean Petrie: From Poetry to MG Novels

By Gayleen Rabakukk

I’m thrilled to welcome two Austin/VCFA authors with debut middle grade novels. I met Jacquetta Nammar Feldman at an intensive at The Writing Barn, and Sean Petrie and I were Vermont College of Fine Arts students at the same time. It’s very exciting when passages you’ve read in a workshop become a published book!

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Author Interview: Christina Soontornvat: When a Book is Worth the Wait

 

By Gayleen Rabakukk

Christina Soontornvat was recently recognized with two Newbery Honors – for All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team (Candlewick, 2020) and A Wish in the Dark (Candlewick, 2020). All Thirteen was also a 2021 Sibert Honor, a finalist for YALSA’s Excellence in Nonfiction,

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Children’s-YA Book Community Strategies for Sharing While Social Distancing

By Stephani Martinell Eaton

Closed. Canceled. Rescheduled. These are words we are hearing over and over.

As COVID-19 spreads, life is changing each day. With so many closures and cancellations, many within the children’s-YA book community are finding ways to use technology to bring people together, sharing their love of books without sharing the germs.

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Guest Post: Author Christina Soontornvat on the Downs (and Eventual Ups) of Making It Past that Debut Year

By Christina Soontornvat

“You’re on fire!”
“Rockstar!”
“You’re killing it!”

Those are the types of comments that came across my social media feed last fall as I posted screenshots of my most recent book deal announcements.

Due to publishing’s funky and unpredictable timing, I had back-to-back announcements two weeks in a row: one for my middle grade nonfiction about the Thai Cave Rescue and another for my new chapter book series,

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Giveaway & New Voices: Erin Petti & Christina Soontornvat on How to Be a Debut Author

Giveaway & New Voices: Erin Petti & Christina Soontornvat on How to Be a Debut Author

Christina & kiddos

By Erin Petti & Christina Soontornvat

Today Erin and Christina talk about
their new releases and lives as newly published authors.

Then
offer tips as to how to survive and thrive your literary debut experience.

Erin Petti is the first-time author of The Peculiar Haunting of Thelma Bee (Mighty Media,

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Cover Reveal & Author Snapshot: The Changelings by Christina Soontornvat

Cover Reveal & Author Snapshot: The Changelings by Christina Soontornvat

By Cynthia Leitich Smith

Check out the cover of The Changelings by Christina Soontornvat (Jabberwocky/Sourcebooks, 2016). From the promotional copy:

All Izzy wants is for something interesting to happen in her sleepy little town. But her wish becomes all too real when an enchanting song floats through the woods and lures her little sister Hen into the forest…where she vanishes. 

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