Skip to content
Cynthia Leitich Smith
  • Books for Kids
  • Books for Young Adults
  • Cynsations
  • Home
  • About
  • Events
  • Kids’ Books
  • YA Books
  • Heartdrum Imprint
  • Cynsations
  • Writer Resources
  • Book Resources
  • Contact
Cynsations

Tag: suspense

Guest Post: Helena Echlin on How to Write (& Rewrite) a Tale of Suspense

Guest Post: Helena Echlin on How to Write (& Rewrite) a Tale of Suspense

Posted on October 31, 2017January 4, 2019

By Helena Echlin

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 »

Guest Post: Gillian French on Hooking Readers: How to Build Suspense

Guest Post: Gillian French on Hooking Readers: How to Build Suspense

Posted on October 30, 2017January 4, 2019

By Gillian French

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 »

Guest Post: T.A. Maclagan on Spy Novel Covers & They Call Me Alexandra Gastone

Guest Post: T.A. Maclagan on Spy Novel Covers & They Call Me Alexandra Gastone

Posted on April 20, 2015January 4, 2019

By T.A. Maclagan

From the promotional copy of They Call Me Alexandra Gastone by T.A. Maclagan (Full Fathom Five Digital, 2015):

When your life is a lie, how do you know what’s real?


Alexandra Gastone has a simple plan: graduate high school,

Continue Reading Guest Post: T.A. Maclagan on Spy Novel Covers & They Call Me Alexandra Gastone »

About Cynsations.

cynsations
Cynthia Leitich Smith is a NSK Neustadt Laureate and a New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of books for young readers. Her latest titles are ANCESTOR APPROVED, which was an ALA Notable Children’s Book, SISTERS OF THENEVERSEA, which received six starred reviews, and HEARTS UNBROKEN, which won an American Indian Library Association’s Youth Literature Award.

Cynsations Staff: Publisher Cynthia Leitich Smith; Editor-in-Chief/Author’s Assistant Gayleen Rabakukk; Managing Editor Stephani Martinell Eaton; Intern Suma Subramaniam; Intern Bree Bender; Intern AJ Eversole; Industry News Reporter Gail Vannelli; and the Cynsational Reporters: Rebecca Kirshenbaum; Helen Kampion; Elisabeth Norton; Veeda Bybee; Clara Hammett; Michael Leali; Linda Joy Singleton.

Learn more about Cynsations here.

Subscribe to Cynsations

Get Cynsations by Email

Thank you for subscribing.

Something went wrong.

we respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously

© 1998–2022 Cynthia Leitich Smith
Author Consultant CLS, LCC

Privacy Policy