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!
Congratulations to Monique Gray Smith on the recent publication of Circle of Love, illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt (Heartdrum/HarperKids, 2024). From the publisher’s description:
Everyone is welcome in the circle.
Continue Reading Throwback Thursday: Monique Gray Smith Shares Advice for Beginning Writers »
By AJ Eversole
Hello there! It’s AJ here to ecstatically introduce the next anthology out from Heartdrum!
Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books, offers a wide range of innovative, unexpected, and heartfelt stories by Native creators, informed and inspired by lived experience, with an emphasis on the present and future of Indian Country and on the strength of young Native heroes.
Continue Reading Announcing Davy June’s Legendary Fry Bread Drive-In Anthology »
Congratulations to Patricia Morris Buckley (Mohawk) on the publication of The First Woman Cherokee Chief: Wilma Pearl Mankiller, illustrated by Aphelandra Messer (Oneida)(Random House Books for Young Readers, Feb 07, 2023). From the promotional copy:
In 1985, Wilma Pearl Mankiller became the first woman Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.
Not too far off the beaten track in Austin, visitors are welcomed to The Writing Barn retreat center, a place where deer wander the meadows, the buildings are air conditioned and rooms are filled with bookshelves. There, thirteen Native participants gathered the weekend of Aug. 4 to Aug.
Continue Reading Guest Post: Patricia Morris Buckley on the We Need Diverse Books Native Intensive »
A writing community can make all the difference in navigating the long and often frustrating journey of becoming a published author. Whether it’s sharing craft tips or submission opportunities, writing buddies provide the encouragement and support needed for going the distance. But connecting can be a challenge, especially if a given community represents a small percentage of the population.
Continue Reading WNDB Native Children’s – YA Writing Intensive Applications Open »
By Kim Rogers
Today, we’re chatting with Monique Gray Smith (of Cree, Lakota, and Scottish decent), author of When We are Kind (Orca Book Publishers, 2020) and Nicole Neidhardt (Navajo) who is the book’s illustrator.
From promotional copy:
When We Are Kind celebrates simple acts of everyday kindness and encourages children to explore how they feel when they initiate and receive acts of kindness in their lives.
Today I’m honored to feature Monique Gray Smith, “a mixed heritage woman of Cree, Lakota, and Scottish descent” and the author one of my favorite new titles–my official go-to gift book for 2016.
What put you on the path to writing for young readers?
I never set out to write for young readers and to be honest,
