REVIEW The Little Red Chair written by Cathy Stefanec Ogren and illustrated by Alexandra Thompson (Sleeping Bear Press: 2024) revolves around a worn-out chair yearning for love. Displayed in a vintage store window, the chair longs for a home where it will be cherished and loved by a family. At home, Mia and her mother work together to breathe new… Continue reading The Little Red Chair: A Picture Book Review by Lori Keating and a Giveaway
Today I have two books that are perfect for the very youngest readers who you hold in your arms and cuddle on your lap. Both books are courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.HELLO, BABY! I'm Your MomThis simple but beautiful rhyming book written by Eve Bunting with vivid illustrations by Jui Ishida, will be a family bedtime… Continue reading HELLO, BABY! I'm Your Mom and BEVAN, A Well-Loved Bear: 2 PICTURE BOOKS, 1 Giveaway
Congratulations to Connie Saunders who won THE WOLF'S BOY. Please note that since this is a review of an audio CD, the following quotes might not be exactly correct; I did my best to capture the words. ********* REVIEW What do you do if you find out that your father had an affair eight years… Continue reading Just Fly Away: An Audio CD Review and Giveaway
Congratulations to my fellow blogger, Clara Gillow Clark, who won a copy of TWICE BETRAYED on last week's blog. Stay tuned friends, I have lots more giveaways coming up! ******** One of the writing blogs I follow is Writer Unboxed. When I find an article by one of their contributors in Writer's Digest, I pay… Continue reading Making Friends with Billy Wong by Augusta Scattergood: A Review with Help from David Corbett
The Backstory What do you do if you write a book based on a story in "your own backyard" because of an editor's advice (BLUE, Boyds Mills Press, 2006. The polio epidemic in Hickory, NC) and then the main character keeps talking to you and you want to know what happens next? (COMFORT Calkins Creek, 2009. Anne Fay deals… Continue reading AIM: A Review, an ARC Giveaway, and The Hero's Journey
I recently submitted the fourth draft of Half-Truths to Rebecca Petruck for her critique. In a future blog I'll clue you in on my marching orders for Draft #5, but today I'm sharing a specific part of her feedback about writing scenes. This is a longer blog than normal, so grab your favorite beverage and… Continue reading Mississippi Trial, 1955: A Book Review and a Writing Exercise