It's time for another double review and giveaway courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press!LUNA'S Green PetThis is a delightful debut picture book by Kirsten Pendreigh and illustrated by Carmen Mok about a girl who feels left out because no pets are allowed in her apartment.Her friends make suggestions but none of them felt right. Until one day Luna… Continue reading TWO FRIENDSHIP PICTURE BOOKS BOOKS + TWO GIVEAWAYS + ONE AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Sometimes authors stumble upon their stories. And even though that story takes time to write, that initial connection remains strong when the book is brought into the world. As you'll read in the book journey below, that was the case for Carolyn Fraiser's debut STEM picture book, MOON TREE: The Story of One Extraordinary Tree (Reycraft Books,… Continue reading MOON TREE: The Story of One Extraordinary Tree– A Review, Book Journey, and Giveaway
Today, I have the honor and delight to introduce a fellow Matthews, North Carolina writer, Michelle Nott. Michelle is celebrating the publication of her debut picture book, Teddy, Let's Go (Enchanted Lion Books: December 2022). After the review, make sure you read my interviews with Michelle and Nahid Kazemi, the illustrator. It'll make you want to… Continue reading Teddy, Let's Go! A Debut Picture Book Review, Author & Illustrator Interviews, and a Giveaway!
I enjoy sharing my author and illustrator friends' good news. This post is particularly special because Rebecca Wheeler, the author of When Daddy Shows Me The Sky (Belle Isle Books, 2021), was my student in 2008 when Joyce Hostetter and I taught Writing for Children at NCCAT. It is my delight to share Rebecca's book that is coming out… Continue reading YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST: WHEN DADDY SHOWS ME THE SKY- Review of a Debut Picture Book and a Giveaway!
The text and illustrations for Saving Granddaddy's Stories (Reycraft Books, 2020) complement one another beautifully and I'm excited to share both with you. This is author, Shanon Hitchcock's debut picture book. (You will find my review of one of her novels, The Ballad of Jessie Pearl, here.) She wrote about Ray Hicks because she grew up… Continue reading Saving Granddaddy's Stories: Ray Hicks, the Voice of Appalachia –An ARC Giveaway
For over ten years Jean Matthew Hall and I have encouraged each other as writers. I was delighted when she received her first publishing contract for Bountiful Blessings Series with Little Lamb Books. I hope you take a minute to read my review of her first book in the series, The Blessings of Fall. Jean's words are… Continue reading Life as a Published Author: A Guest Post by Jean Hall
Seriously, if you had a giraffe, wouldn't you want to teach her to ski? That's the story that author, Viviane Elbee, brought to life in her lively, imaginative debut picture book, TEACH YOUR GIRAFFE TO SKI (Albert Whitman and Co, 2018). Why didn't I think of a clever idea like that? Maybe because unlike Viviane,… Continue reading Teach Your Giraffe To Ski- A Review and Giveaway
Today I'm delighted to introduce you to Viviane Elbee and her debut picture book, TEACH YOUR GIRAFFE TO SKI (Albert Whitman, November 2018). I met Viviane in 2010 when she attended the Charlotte, NC critique group which I led. She came to our group brimming with ideas but without the writing or publishing experience to bring… Continue reading You Heard it Here First: Viviane Elbee's Cover Reveal!
When I read in the SCBWI-Carolinas Facebook Pal Group that Tara Cattie Luebbe's debut picture book was coming out in March, I asked if she wanted to share her path to publication. She not only agreed, but offered to give away a copy of each book! Details on how to enter the giveaways are below.… Continue reading Two Sisters + Two Debut Picture Books = Two Great Giveaways!
To celebrate the International Day of Human Space Flight, I am pleased to give you a peak into a new book by retired astronaut, Clayton Anderson (Sleeping Bear Press, May 2018). A is for Astronaut: Blasting Through the Alphabet, will appeal to readers of many ages. Like other books in Sleeping Bear's ABC list, each letter of the alphabet is anchored by a short poem for readers… Continue reading A is for Astronaut: A Picture Book Review and Author Interview