By Cynsations Readers
Over the past couple of weeks, children’s-YA author Cynthia Leitich Smith put out a call for questions from readers on Cynsations and Twitter. Here are those she elected to tackle and her responses. A few questions were condensed for space and/or clarity.
See also a previous Cynsations reader-interview post from November 2010.
Continue Reading Cynsations Readers Interview Cynthia Leitich Smith »
After judging nearly a thousand entries for recent writing contests, I’m reminded once again of the importance and power of effective opening hooks.
Start out swinging, and readers can’t wait to read more. Meander around and readers will quickly lose interest.
The truth is, authors have mere seconds to capture an editor’s heart.
Continue Reading Guest Post: Lori Mortensen on Hooking Readers »
By Janet S. Fox
Some of my favorite books ever are the books of C.S. Lewis’s Narnia series. The fantasy of leaving home and entering a land where a child can experience talking animals, mythological creatures, desperate (and deadly) battles – where a child can be perceived as making real, respected choices –
Continue Reading Guest Post: Janet S. Fox on Blending History With Fantasy »
Lately I’ve been dancing between two publishing worlds.
I just finished the editing process on my first book with a trade publisher, Mountain Chef: How One Man Lost His Groceries, Changed His Plans, and Helped Cook Up the National Park Service, illustrated by Rich Lo (Charlesbridge,
Continue Reading Guest Post: Annette Bay Pimentel on Educational vs. Trade Presses »
When I sold my first middle grade novel, I was super excited when my publisher asked me if I would also write a sequel.
A sequel! Squee!
Because two books were obviously twice as awesome as one book and now I’d get to spend more time writing in the world I had painstakingly constructed for Book #1.
Continue Reading Guest Post: Cory Putnam Oakes on The Seven Deadly Sins of Sequels »
My third picture book Dress Me! (Sky Pony, 2015) is a companion book to last year’s release Paint Me! (Sky Pony, 2014).
When I was thinking about what my next submission to Sky Pony would be,
Continue Reading Guest Post & Giveaway: Sarah Frances Hardy on Writing a Companion Picture Book »
One of the great things about writing science fiction is that you get to make up a lot of stuff.
You can create new worlds, new languages, and even new life forms. From the androids in Philip K. Dick‘s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Continue Reading Guest Post: Kristi Helvig on Incorporating Science Into Science Fiction »
By Anne Bustard
Every writer wants her work to sing.
Writing that sings is exquisitely crafted. It lifts its voice in praise of language. Its story is pitch perfect. It invites readers to sing along and has the power to linger in a reader’s consciousness long after the last note.
Like a composer creating a musical score,
Continue Reading Guest Post & Giveaway: Anne Bustard on Musicality: Composing with Repetitions »
Kathy Dawson Books/Penguin, 2015
So good to be back visiting the multi-talented Cynthia Leitich Smith here on Cynsations with my third book in the Wilde Island trilogy. Cynthia hosted an interview for the first Wilde Island book, Dragon’s Keep (Harcourt, 2007) so this visit brings it full circle.
Continue Reading Guest Post: Janet Lee Carey on Tips for Writing Fantasy »
Jean’s children, John and Jane
By Jean Reagan
Many years ago in a writing class, Kathi Appelt said, “Write from the hole in your heart.”
At the time, I had just received sketches for my first picture book, Always My Brother, illustrated by Phyllis Pollema-Cahill (Tilbury House 2009).
Continue Reading Guest Post & Giveaway: Jean Reagan on Writing from the Hole in Your Heart »
