INTRODUCTION Some picture books make you laugh, others pull at your heart strings. Although there are aspects of Jeanine DeHoney's debut picture book, This Sunday My Daddy Came to Church, that are playful, the overwhelming message is a young child's joy when his father joins him and his mother in church. Published by Sleeping Bear… Continue reading Picture Book Insights: ‘This Sunday My Daddy Came to Church’
HOME AGAIN Hello friends and faithful blog followers, I arrived back home from a two week trip to Europe over a week ago, but my head is still filled with the people I was with and the places I visited. I hope to share some of my experiences and how they impact my two WIPs;… Continue reading Exploring Pirate Shenanigans in Ella Shine’s Latest Story
Introduction It was a pleasure to meet Patrice Gopo at the North Carolina Young People's Literature Award ceremony in December. I received the award for Young Adult Literature for Half-Truths, and Patrice won the Children's Literature award for Ripening Time. It wasn't until we started talking did we realize that we live less than ten… Continue reading RIPENING TIME: A Picture Book Review
Introduction Havelah McLat pens a story of defeating the odds, courage, and the American immigrant dream in The Silent Journey. In 1932, Anika, a Ukrainian deaf youth, lives in a silent world. She can read lips and communicate via speech, but her deafness makes her speech awkward, and she feels lonely and misunderstood. Her Papa,… Continue reading The Silent Journey: A Deaf Immigrant’s Tale
Introduction Author Jenny Mattern writes a touching middle grade novel about adoption and the value of family. In her author’s note at the end of Where the Light Shines In, Mattern explains the title of her debut novel. “I wrote this story to help [adoptees] feel seen, and to hopefully start conversations within adoptive families.… Continue reading Exploring Adoption: A Review of ‘Where the Light Shines In’
Introduction I'm the last author in the world who knows how to incorporate humor into her stories. (Hey, my readers tell me that Josie, the goat in Half-Truths, provides comic relief and I didn't even know I was doing that!). Thankfully, there are writers who know how to write clever, funny stories that kids of… Continue reading Unlock Humor: Writing for Kids and Teens
INTRODUCTION It's not too often that I run a book review twice. And to be honest, my TBR shelf is long and so I rarely reread a book. But I was re-researching the Jim Crow period for a presentation at the North Carolina Social Studies conference and rememberedThe Color of Love by Gene Cheek. I… Continue reading Revisiting ‘The Color of Love’: A Jim Crow Memoir Review
Front Paige Media Book Fair, Raleigh, NC Not every week was as exciting as this past week, but I thought I'd give you a glimpse of what happens after you publish a book. (Hint: It's called doing your best to share your book with the world). On Saturday, March 2, a room at the Raleigh… Continue reading An Extraordinary Week in the Life of a YA Author
INTRODUCTION Many of you appreciated the last middle grade book that Kate Lundeen reviewed on my blog, LOON COVE. Today she is back with her analysis of an historical novel, ONE FINE VOICE by Rebecca Langston-George. REVIEW Historium Press proudly presents the middle-grade novel One Fine Voice by Rebecca Langston- George. As the new preacher’s kid in… Continue reading ‘One Fine Voice’: A Story of Courage and Compassion
Introduction Since I signed with Monarch Educational Services in November 2023, I've been blessed to be a part of a publishing house that is dedicated to clean-reads for children and young adults. Led by the indefatigable Jennifer Lowry, this independent North Carolina press is growing! As Jen says, "At Monarch, we believe books can be… Continue reading Monarch Educational Services: Promoting Clean Literature