If you live in North Carolina then you know that twin jewels bedeck its geographic crown: the mountains and the sea. What you might now know is that each coast also hosts a unique educational treasure: The North Carolina for the Advancement of Teaching. Begun in 1985 by the state legislature, NCCAT is a leader in providing professional development for… Continue reading There is No Place Like It In the World
If you have recently signed up to follow my blog and you're between 12-16 years old, please email me at: cbaldwin6@carolina.rr.com. Technically my contest for an autographed copy of Joyce Hostetter's book BLUE is up tomorrow, but I know some of you have signed up and haven't sent me an email. So, I am extending the… Continue reading A Note To My New Teen Followers (and to Parents as well)
It never fails. When I teach teens I feel as if I receive as much as I give. That was my experience teaching twelve teens at the recent Write2Ignite conference. Picture courtesy Sean Earnhardt We came together as a group of strangers- some more tentative than others- but we all had the same passion: a love for… Continue reading Write2Ignite Teens Ignite Me and Inspire a Giveaway!
Many of you know that ever since the Lord brought Joyce Hostetter and I together four years ago at Mid-South Reading and Writing Institute, we've collaborated together in several different ways. We've co-taught at NWRESA and NCAIS; we've co-presented "Is there a Children's Book in You?" three times at NCCAT and are about to teach there once again as well… Continue reading Meet my First Guest Blogger: Joyce Hostetter
As readers of this blog know, historical fiction is not only the genre for my first novel, but it is also one of my favorite genres to read. (Search this blog under "historical fiction" and you'll see how many hits you get!) I was delighted to read on Joyce Hostetter and Becky Levine's blogs about the Young… Continue reading Looking Forward in 2011 by Looking Back into History
Last February I had the privilege of reading a rough draft of Committed! (working title) by Joyce Hostetter, my fellow Talking Story partner and my inspiration for writing historical fiction. Although Joyce hadn’t signed a contract for it, she had already spent two years writing it. I finished reading it with tears in my eyes… Continue reading A Committed Writer
For years my children and I enjoyed attending Novello, the book festival that the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library held in downtown Charlotte. After they were too old to attend, I often worked the SCBWI booth which provided "word play" activities for children and information about writing for their parents. When my children were young Novello had been a one-day event; gradually it… Continue reading Keeping Novello Alive
Recently, historical novelist and my good friend, Joyce Hostetter, posed these questions on her blog: “What makes research exciting for you? What unexpected or particularly interesting forms has research taken for you recently?” I took up your challenge, Joyce. Here are some answers from my research excursions: Last year I interviewed Charles Jones, a light brown-skinned African American… Continue reading Why I Love Researching Historical Fiction….Let Me Count the Ways
If you are like me, you try to plan a mixture of summertime events which your children will enjoy as well as profit from. In our latest issue of Talking Story, Joyce Hostetter and I suggested several summer activities which families can enjoy. Today, an editor from Charlotte Parent wrote and asked me to tell you… Continue reading Summer Reading & Writing in Charlotte, NC
In our last issue of Talking Story for this academic year, Joyce Hostetter and I offer some fun family and classroom activities, four cool giveaways, and several book reviews. If you haven’t already subscribed, you can still do so by clicking here. In addition, we announce two book developments. Joyce’s book Blue has just been… Continue reading Bragging On My Buddies