As many of you know, I love sharing my fellow writers' good news. Here is an interview with Kathleen Burkinshaw, author of the debut middle grade historical novel, The Last Cherry Blossom. Next week I will post my review. I hope this will get your interest aroused and you'll leave a comment to win my ARC! *********… Continue reading Meet Kathleen Burkinshaw–Debut Middle Grade Author
Image-driven poetry. A serious mental health issue. Deep point of view. Madeline Kuderick's debut novel, Kiss of Broken Glass, reminds me of another beautifully written novel-in-verse, Linda Phillips' book, CRAZY. Or to put it simply, if you liked CRAZY, you'll like Kiss of Broken Glass. When a "friend" finds fifteen-year-old Kenna cutting in the school bathroom… Continue reading Kiss of Broken Glass: A Review and a Giveaway
Congratulations to Monica O' Quinn who won A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord. Thanks to so many of you for entering; this was a popular giveaway. And here's another! Last week you heard how Ohio author Kathy Wiechman, the self-proclaimed "poster child for perseverance" attended workshops and critique groups for years before stepping into the… Continue reading You Heard it Here First: Kathy Wiechman's Path to the Grateful American Book Prize- Part II
Hands (or I should say paws) down, Constance Lombardo’s love for all things feline shine through her fun illustrations and text in Mr. Puffball: Stunt Cat to the Stars, an entertaining graphic novel for readers from grades 3-7. Constance admits that Mr. Puffball is a mix of all the cats she’s ever loved. “Cats have funny,… Continue reading Mr. Puffball: Stunt Cat to the Stars — A Review and ARC GIveaway
Congratulations to Peggy Rothschild, a new blog reader, who won Susan Moger's book, Teaching the Diary of Anne Frank. ******* I love introducing new authors and illustrators and sharing news of upcoming publications. This time, Constance Lombardo, a writer/illustrator in the SCBWI-Carolinas region, takes center stage with her debut graphic novel. This week you'll hear… Continue reading You Heard it Here First: Introducing Constance Lombardo and Mr. Puffball
In some ways books are like babies: conceiving them and bringing them into the world requires a lot of effort. The mother (writer) does most of the work, but there’s usually a team that assists with the delivery. As the critique coordinator for the SCBWI Carolinas Charlotte group for over twenty years, I had the… Continue reading Extraordinary: A Review and an ARC Giveaway!
Congratulations to Gretchen Griffith who won the audio CD of The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill on last week's blog. After twenty-eight years, next week my husband Creighton and I will be loading a truck and moving to the eastern part of North Carolina to be closer to children and grandchildren. This post is full of nostalgia,… Continue reading Book Metaphors, Life Changes, and of course, a Giveaway!
Congratulations to Deanna Klingel who won Christy Allen's book, Samantha Green and the Case of the Haunted Pumpkin. ************** As my faithful blog followers know, I enjoy giving away books, recommending well-written books, and sharing updates on my own WIP Half-Truths. But my favorite post is when I announce an author landing an agent or a… Continue reading You Heard it Here First- Introducing Miriam Franklin
Last week Linda Phillips shared the backstory behind her debut novel, Crazy. As Linda's close friend, one thing I have witnessed is how much she has learned and how she has not taken any part of this journey for granted. In this second post, she shares more of her insights. After the initial excitement of signing with… Continue reading Introducing CRAZY by Linda Phillips- Part II
Congratulations to Lisa Kline, a frequent guest on this blog, who won the autographed copy of Veronica Rossi's book Under the Never Sky. She has donated so many books as giveaways--I'm happy she won one too! ******** If you've been following this blog for several years than you may have already met Linda Phillips, one of my closest writing… Continue reading Introducing CRAZY by Linda Phillips- Part I