Sorry I haven't blogged in 10 days--but it's been a whirlwind since April 2. Here are a few highlights of the last two weeks. Book Launch Plus! First, there was the National Reconciliation Day event "Reconciliation Through Story" sponsored by the Levine Museum of the New South. I was joined by my fellow Charlotte authors,… Continue reading Catch My Latest Book News!
Little did I know when I started posting about my publication journey that it would be 18 years before I could announce my book is up for preorder! In two weeks I'm launching HALF-TRUTHS at Park Road Books and I am super busy! Here's a peek into what's been happening in my neck of the… Continue reading Discover ‘Half-Truths’: My 18-Year Journey to Publication
Teen reviewer, Pearl Burningham, reviews Katy Hammel's MG book, Meg Goes to America.
Excellent multi-pov WWII story. For teens and adults.
Last week my friend and fellow NC blogger, Joan Edwards, interviewed me on her blog. She asked questions about writing Half-Truths including how my blog has helped me develop my writing skills. This is what told her:My blog has helped me in two ways. I read and reviewed lots of mentor texts. Each review has taught… Continue reading A Benefit to Blogging and How a Book is Born
Sylvia Patience, the author of The Double Crossing (Paper Angel Press, 2023), reached out to me with a request to review her historical middle-grade book. She suspected that it was a book that would interest me and she was right.REVIEWI first learned about the ocean liner, the St. Louis in Barbara Krasner's picture book, Liesl's Ocean Rescue.… Continue reading THE DOUBLE CROSSING by Sylvia Patience: A Middle Grade Historical Fiction Review, Author Interview, & Giveaway
I don't know how I missed Zora & Me: The Cursed Ground by T.R. Simon when I was reading books in order to inform Half-Truths, but I did. Fortunately, it's never too late to find a great read! Anyone who is familiar with Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960) will know that she was a renowned storyteller who portrayed racial… Continue reading ZORA & ME: THE CURSED GROUND by T.R.Simon: A Middle Grade Book Review
REVIEWMy cousin, Mara, and I read A Sky Full of Song, by Susan Lynn Meyer, and we both found numerous flaws with both the story and the main character, Shoshanna, a young Jewish pioneer. We didn’t find her to be relatable or likable. The book drowned its own message with too many woke topics like… Continue reading A SKY FULL OF SONG: A Guest Review by Mara and Sophia Scudder PLUS a Giveaway
Six weeks ago, I shared my excitement that HALF-TRUTHS was finally on submission. At that point, the answer to the question, "What's Next?" was to query agents and editors. For those of you who are writers, you know that process can take a long time. Agents and editors are backed up and although I've sent the full manuscript in response… Continue reading What's Next?
I Escaped the California Camp Fire, by Scott Peters and S.D. Brown, is historical fiction, part of the I Escaped Series that is aimed towards 8–13 year-old readers. However, with its clever descriptions, relatable characters, and pop culture references, it can easily appeal to all ages. For instance, on page 8, the book mentions a character “doing… Continue reading I ESCAPED THE CALIFORNIA CAMP FIRE: A Middle Grade Review by Guest Blogger, Blake Kurta