Photo courtesy of Jeff Sayre.
April Pulley Sayre, award-winning author and photo-illustrator died Nov. 6 in South Bend, Indiana after a battle with advanced metastatic breast cancer. She was 55.
Much of April’s work focused on natural history, and because of her passion for conservation,
By Alex Sanchez
I’ve actually been writing longer than twenty years, but to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of my first novel, Rainbow Boys (Simon & Schuster, 2001)(Woo-hoo!), here are a few life lessons I’ve picked up along the way.
1. Surround yourself with people who believe in you. They don’t need to be other writers,
Continue Reading Guest Post: Author Alex Sanchez Celebrates the 20th Anniversary of Rainbow Boys »
By Stephani Martinell Eaton and Gayleen Rabakukk
Azadeh Westergaard
We are delighted to welcome author and illustrator Azadeh Westergaard to Cynsations today. Azadeh’s debut picture book, A Life Electric, illustrated by Júlia Sardà (Viking, 2021), focuses on the life of Nikola Tesla.
By Holly Green and Emma Kress
Cynsational Note: Today we are honored to welcome two YA debut authors, Holly Green and Emma Kress, who talk about their debut year and the importance of writing strong, fierce female characters.
Emma: Hi, Holly! I’m so excited we get to chat about our books together for Cynsations!
By Elisa Zied
I recently read Liara Tamani’s All the Things We Never Knew (Greenwillow, 2020)—a 2020 Kirkus Reviews Best YA Book of the Year that’s now out in paperback—and I couldn’t put it down. I laughed, cried, and swooned over the romantic, immersive, and layered story—a perfect YA novel.
Today, I am excited to welcome Clara Hammett to the Cynsations Team! Clara joins us as a reporter-at-large covering the many facets of the children’s-YA community. I know that Clara’s enthusiasm for books and their creators will surely endear her to Cynsations readers.
Welcome to Cynsations! Could you tell us about your vision for your coverage here at the blog?
I am excited to welcome Rita Williams-Garcia back to Cynsations. Rita is the celebrated author of One Crazy Summer (HarperCollins, 2010), Clayton Byrd Goes Underground (HarperCollins, 2017), and Jumped (HarperCollins, 2009). Welcome, Rita.
Tell us a little bit about your newest release,
Continue Reading Rita Williams-Garcia Weaves Truth with Imagination in A Sitting in St. James »
Above image: downtown Austin from Lady Bird Lake, photo by Ron Rabakukk
Today I’m chatting with two debut Austin authors with very different books, but both feature strong female protagonists who were envisioned by creators dedicated to letting readers see themselves in stories.
Evan Griffith‘s picture book biography Secrets of the Sea: The Story of Jeanne Power,
Continue Reading New Voices: Evan Griffith & Sajni Patel on Reflecting Strength in Stories »
I am excited to welcome Deborah Noyes to Cynsations to share with our readers her thoughts on the creative life, both about her own work and that which has influenced her.
Welcome, Deborah! Could you tell us about your new release?
A Hopeful Heart (Random House,
Continue Reading Author Interview: Deborah Noyes on the Creative Life & A Hopeful Heart »
By Tirzah Price
The biggest question I’ve received from readers when they hear that I’ve written a murder mystery retelling of Pride and Prejudice is why? I don’t know if they ask this because they think that Austen is somehow sacred, or if the mash up seems so incongruous, but I always think,
Continue Reading Guest Post: Tirzah Price on Retelling Jane Austen with Murderous Intent »