What an honor to be interviewed for a podcast also featuring author Pat Mora and author-illustrator Don Tate by Professional Book Nerds.
Peek from my segment:
“It [writing for kids] was a heart decision, not a head decision and part of that heart decision wasn’t just about my work.
Continue Reading Podcast: Pat Mora, Cynthia Leitich Smith & Don Tate »
Have you ever wondered why the spacecraft that carried the first U.S. astronaut into space in 1961 was named the Freedom 7? Was George Lucas already planning six prequels, or what?
When my daughter Amy turned 21 years old in July 2014, she was doing summer research in astrophysics at Baylor University.
Joy’s first full day at Brazos Bookstore
By Joy Preble
Last month, I became the new Children’s Specialist at Brazos Bookstore in Houston. I hadn’t planned on it, but when you stumble into your dream job, well, you take it!
It’s a balancing act: Selling books and buying books and merchandising and creating store events,
Continue Reading Guest Post: Joy Preble on Life as an Author-Bookseller…or Bookseller-Author? »
By Jesse Gainer, Director
Tomás Rivera Children’s Book Award
The Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award, established in 1995, recognizes and honors authors and illustrators who create quality children’s literature that authentically depicts the Mexican American experience in the United States.
We recently celebrated our 20th anniversary and were written up in an article published by NBC Latino.
About The Texas Book Festival: “…celebrates authors and their contributions to the culture of literacy, ideas, and imagination.”
Author Michelle Knudsen and moderator Sean Petrie in the green room.
TBF committee member Carmen Oliver and moderator Anne Bustard in the green room. Continue Reading Event Report: Texas Book Festival »
By Carmen Oliver
of The Booking Biz
“I don’t believe in barriers…just fly your plane.”
—Captain Nicole Malachowski from Tanya Lee Stone’s Almost Astronauts (Candlewick, 2009)
Over the last eleven years, I encountered a lot of barriers.
A lot of uncertainty.
The Texas Library Association annual conference is one of my favorite youth literature events. This year, the setting was San Antonio, my hotel was the Westin Riverwalk, and my sponsoring publisher was Candlewick Press.
My husband, author Greg Leitich Smith, and I drove to San Antonio on Friday and attended the TLA Welcome Party at the San Antonio Musuem of Art.
Continue Reading Texas Library Association Annual Conference »
Young Adult (& Kids) Book Central is sponsoring a giveaway contest that features 20 available copies of Tantalize. The challenge is: “Make up a favorite recipe/dish for either a vampire or a werewolf. Be Creative! And remember, answers DO count!” See the entry form. The event is co-sponsored by YABC and Candlewick Press.
The Writers’ League of Texas calls for entries for its Teddy Book Awards in the “long works” and “short works” categories. The awards “were established to honor outstanding published books written by Writers’ League of Texas members.”
The entry fee is $25 per submission. Books published between Jan. 1, 2006 and Dec. 31, 2006 are eligible.
Continue Reading Writers’ League of Texas Calls for Teddy Award Entries »
Learn “How to Throw a Book Launch Party” via an article I’ve written that has been posted to Anastasia Suen’s blog, Create/Relate: News from the Children’s Book Biz.
Speaking of which, the lovely Elizabeth Garton Scanlon at Liz In Ink is the latest blogger to chime in about my Tantalize launch party.
