Career Achievers: Don Tate on Thriving as a Long-Time, Actively Publishing Children’s-YA Author, Illustrator & Author-Illustrator

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!

By Gayleen Rabakukk

Don Tate is a successful children’s-YA creator with a long, distinguished career.

In children’s-YA writing, maintaining an active publishing career is arguably an even bigger challenge than breaking into the field.

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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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Throwback Thursday: Charlotte Sullivan Wild on Creating Love (When Work Isn’t Enough)

Congratulations to author Charlotte Sullivan Wild and illustrator Charlene Chua on Love, Violet (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2022) winning the Stonewall Book Award – Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award.

It is given annually to English-language works of exceptional merit for children or teens relating to the gay,

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Wearing Two Hats: Editors & Agents Who Write: Editor Arthur Levine & Agent Joan Paquette

By Helen Kampion

Featured image: Arthur Levine and Levine Querido crew celebrate 100 starred reviews.

Most of us think that agents and editors just do agenting or editing. But what if they are also writers? Does this make a difference how our work is viewed? Evaluated? This three-part series asks agents and editors to share their thoughts and experiences on wearing two hats.

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Wearing Two Hats: Editors & Agents Who Write: Editor Irene Vázquez & Agent James McGowan

By Helen Kampion

Spotlight image: Irene Vázquez & Levine Querido Marketing Director Antonio Gonzalez Cerna

Most of us think that agents and editors just do agenting or editing. But what if they are also writers? Does this make a difference how our work is viewed? Evaluated? This three-part series asks agents and editors to share their thoughts and experiences on wearing two hats.

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Wearing Two Hats: Editors & Agents Who Write: Editor Frances Gilbert & Agent John Cusick

By Helen Kampion

Spotlight image: agent John Cusick signing a contract

Most of us think that agents and editors just do agenting or editing. But what if they are also writers? Does this make a difference how our work is viewed? Evaluated? This three-part series asks agents and editors to share their thoughts and experiences on wearing two hats.

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Guest Post: Charlotte Sullivan Wild on Creating Love (When Work Isn’t Enough)

By Charlotte Sullivan Wild

Hard work, persistence.
I’ve always believed in them.

It’s there in my first picture book The Amazing Idea of You, illustrated by Mary Lundquist (Bloomsbury, 2019), which celebrates the journey from potential to fruition, be it for seed, tadpole, child or idea:

Hidden in this apple
is the idea of a tree
wrapped tight
in this shiny seed.

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Guest Post: Debbie Gonzales on Kidlit Promotion, Pinterest Analytics & You

 

By Debbie Gonzales

Book people love a good story. One that is filled with twists and turns. Interpreting Pinterest analytics is much like watching a drama unfold. Ups and downs. Peaks and valleys.

With a little bit of training, Pinterest users can read the receptibility of their content within a few days of posting.

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Guest Post: Debbie Gonzales on Kidlit Promotion & Personal versus Business Pinterest Accounts

By Debbie Gonzales

The typical Pinterest user searches the platform for one-off ideas to enhance their projects. Such pinners typically establish Personal Accounts on which to save and classify pins they find to be educational, inspirational, or edifying.

Oftentimes, book creators build what are known as “mood boards” by selecting and categorizing pins that visually represent themes,

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