Kelly at Mt. Nebo Primitive Baptist Church in Eden, N.C.

By Kelly Starling Lyons

Sometimes you need help realizing that a moment or experience holds the seed of a story. That’s just what happened to me at The Writers Workshop at Chautauqua.

When I told my mentor Clay Winters about researching family history and coming across a cohabitation register – a document that registered the marriages of formerly enslaved people – he said I had a picture book in there.

Continue Reading Guest Post & Giveaway: Kelly Starling Lyons on Ellen’s Broom »

By Cynthia Leitich Smith

Click to enlarge!

Enter to win a Diabolical giveaway! The grand prize includes:

In honor of the character Kieren.

• (were)wolf hand puppet
• (were)otter finger puppet
• (vampire) bat finger puppet
• Tantalize series tie-in buttons
• Greetings from Vermont postcard (not pictured;

Continue Reading Release Day & Giveaway: Diabolical by Cynthia Leitich Smith »

By Cynthia Leitich Smith

Grand Prize! Enter for a chance to win:

• signed copy of Love? Maybe. by Heather Hepler (Dial, 2012)
• signed copy of The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler (Dutton, 2009, 2010)
• sweet treats to share with friends,

Continue Reading Sweet Giveaway: Signed Copies of Love? Maybe. and The Cupcake Queen »

By Cynthia Leitich Smith

art by Ming Doyle

Enter to win an author-signed Tantalize: Kieren’s Story postcard, Tantalize: Kieren’s Story bookmark or Diabolical bookmark! Up to 20 total!

Plus, the occasional Tantalize series button or bat stickers or nifty surprise!

Continue Reading Giveaway: Tantalize Series Signed Bling & iTunes Gift Cards »

By Cynthia Leitich Smith
  

Enter to win one of ten signed copies of Bittersweet by Sarah Ocker (Simon Pulse)(excerpt)!

From the promotional copy:

From the author of Twenty Boy Summer, a teen pushes the limits to follow her dreams—and learns there’s a fine line between bitter and sweet…

Continue Reading Giveaway: Ten Signed Copies of Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler »

By Joy Preble

Was out with a friend the other night: sushi, sake, good conversation. Somewhere near the end of the evening, she observed, “I’m glad I traveled widely when I was in my early twenties. Because now that I’m older and a mom and aware of my mortality, I don’t know if I’d go on that safari with someone I didn’t really know all that well.”

Which explains why I’ve decided that I’m probably never going to sky dive.

Continue Reading Guest Post: Joy Preble on Embracing Risk & Two-Book Giveaway »

“Haunted Love,” a short story by Cynthia Leitich Smith is now available for free download from Barnes & Noble (U.S.), Books on Board, Amazon.com (U.S.) and Amazon.com (U.K.). It will be available from additional e-retailers soon. From the promotional copy:

Spirit,

Continue Reading “Haunted Love” E-Short Story By Cynthia Leitich Smith Now Available for Free Download »

Enter to win an author-signed copy of The Princess of Borscht by Leda Schubert, illustrated by Bonnie Christensen (Neal Porter/Roaring Brook, 2011).

From the promotional copy:

Ruthie’s grandma is in the hospital, not surprisingly complaining about the food. All she wants is a nice bowl of borscht. 

Continue Reading Giveaway: The Princess of Borscht by Leda Schubert, illustrated by Bonnie Christensen »

Enter to win one of two copies of Jingle Bells: How the Holiday Classic Came to Be by John Harris, illustrated by Adam Gustavson (Peachtree, 2011).

The unexpected story of the creation of a holiday classic – in the most unlikely of places.

It is November 1857 in Savannah,

Continue Reading Giveaway: Jingle Bells: How the Holiday Classic Came to Be »

By Peggy Thomas

As a nonfiction writer I am, by profession, a nosy person. I root around scrutinizing other people’s lives and work.

But when Margery Facklam, my mother and award-winning children’s author, suggested that we collaborate on a how-to guide for writing nonfiction, I wasn’t sure I wanted to be scrutinized.

Continue Reading Guest Post: Peggy Thomas on Baring All – Anatomy of Nonfiction & Critique-Book Giveaway »