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!
Today I’m excited to share my interview with debut author Ginger Reno (Cherokee) about her path to publication and her middle grade novel,
Continue Reading 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!
Today, I’m overjoyed to welcome children’s author Doan Phuong Nguyen, who has written two middle grade books related to her Vietnamese heritage.
Continue Reading Author Interview: Doan Phuong Nguyen on Immigration, Assimilation & Writing »
By N.H. Senzai
The reason I love writing for the middle grade audience is because at this age kids can still suspend belief and journey with you through a story as long as you create believable plots, authentic characters and dialogue that rings true.
However, you need to hook them in quickly,
By Kim Purcell
from Cynthia Leitich Smith‘s Cynsations
There are so many types of epistolary novels, and I love the ones that play with the form. In my second novel, I tried to shift the traditional epistolary novel format.
In This Is Not A Love Letter (Hyperion,
Continue Reading Guest Post: Kim Purcell on The Alternate Epistolary Novel »
Cynsations Note:
Happy Halloween!
Yesterday we heard from Gillian French about techniques for building suspense.
Today Helena Echlin shares her take on giving your readers goosebumps.
And if you looking for even more ways to scare your readers,
Continue Reading Guest Post: Helena Echlin on How to Write (& Rewrite) a Tale of Suspense »
Cynsations Note:
What scares you? Snakes? Spiders? Bigfoot? It’s different for everyone. Likewise, authors use different approaches for building suspense.
Our Halloween treat for you is a glimpse at techniques from two YA authors for upping the stakes.
Continue Reading Guest Post: Gillian French on Hooking Readers: How to Build Suspense »
By Liz Garton Scanlon and Audrey Vernick
Liz Garton Scanlon and Audrey Vernick
“Writing is a solitary occupation and one of its hazards is loneliness.” – Joyce Carol Oates
“The writing life is essentially one of solitary confinement.” – Will Self
“Writing is an antisocial act.” – Martha Grimes
Writing.
Continue Reading Guest Post: Liz Garton Scanlon and Audrey Vernick on Co-Writing Picture Books »
Jonah Lisa Dyer and Stephen Dyer are the first-time authors of The Season (Viking, 2016). From the promotional copy:
She can score a goal, do sixty box jumps in a row, bench press a hundred and fifty pounds…but can she learn to curtsy?
Continue Reading New Voices: Jonah Lisa Dyer and Stephen Dyer on The Season »
Sonya Mukherjee
is the first-time author of Gemini (Simon & Schuster, 2016). From the promotional copy:
In a powerful and daring debut novel, Sonya Mukherjee shares the story of sisters Clara and Hailey, conjoined twins who are learning what it means to be truly extraordinary.
Mary E. Cronin and Bonnie Jackman
Life is just different for kids of LGBTQ parents.
They navigate awkward questions, tricky social situations, and hetero-normative language on a daily basis.
My wife Bonnie Jackman and I shared sparks for inspiration as well as seeds of conflict for writers in “Re-imagining Families: Writing about Characters with LGBTQ Parents”
Continue Reading Guest Post: Mary E. Cronin on Writing Children & Teens with LGBTQ Parents »
