INTRODUCTION When you write "recent" historical fiction, sometimes you are fortunate enough to interview people who were alive during your story's period. I am one of those authors. HALF-TRUTHS takes place in Charlotte in 1950, and when I started researching the book twenty years ago, I searched for people who were alive in the 1950s.… Continue reading Learn to Read, Read to Learn
Come on a Story Safarai with Joyce Hostetter! If you've followed my blog for awhile, then you are not new to my friend and mentor, Joyce Hostetter. I have learned so much from Joyce over the twenty years that I've known her, that I'm happy she will be leading the next Write2Ignite virtual Master Class.… Continue reading Unlock Your Writing Potential with Joyce Hostetter
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
Last week I introduced you to Claudia Friddell's book, Grace Banker and Her Hello Girls. Today you're going behind the scenes on the story as well as learn interesting tidbits about the illustration process from the illustrator, Elizabeth Baddeley. There is one thing that all of the nonfiction authors I have interviewed have in common: curiosity. Claudia's… Continue reading GRACE BANKER AND HER HELLO GIRLS ANSWER THE CALL- Part II. Author & Illustrator Interviews + Giveaway
Have you ever wondered what the difference was between toads and frogs? Or, maybe as a child you were curious about how frogs ate. Or, maybe your kid wants to know the different sounds that frogs make.Whatever your question is about frogs, Annette Whipple's new "Truth About" book from Reycraft Books will answer it. With… Continue reading RIBBIT! THE TRUTH ABOUT FROGS: A Nonfiction Picture Book Review and Mini- Author Interview
The title of this picture book says it all. The text by Michelle Cusolito and the magnificent illustrations by Nicole Wong provide readers of all ages with an intimate glimpse of ocean. Diving Deep is to be released in June, 2022 from Charlesbridge, but go ahead and pre-order it now! REVIEWThis book will make you and your child or students say "WOW!"Far away from… Continue reading DIVING DEEP: Using Machines to Explore the Ocean: A NonFiction Picture Book Review and Giveaway
I'm delighted to introduce you to a new author friend of mine, Nancy I. Sanders. Nancy has published scads of books and her blog is full of information for writers, teachers, and readers. Take your time to look around her site and you'll be impressed as I am with her experience and generosity! If you want to… Continue reading THE VERY OLDEST PEAR TREE: A Picture Book Review, Mini-Author Interview, and Giveaway
Thanks for returning to my blog for this second post featuring JACKIE AND THE MONA LISA. (Click here if you missed Part I). Deborah Robin Murphy graciously agreed to answering a few questions about her debut picture book, and I'm happy to also have illustrator Jen Bricking join the conversation. Deborah Rovin Murphy, AuthorCarol: How did you… Continue reading JACKIE AND THE MONA LISA- PART II: An Interview with the Author and Illustrator
When author Suzanne Slade read about June Almeida in National Geographic in April, 2020, many of us were still figuring out how the coronavirus pandemic would impact our lives. Suzanne put aside the book she was working on and spent two intense weeks (after serious research and interviewing June's daughter Dr. Joyce Almeida), to complete a decent first draft.… Continue reading June Almeida, Virus Detective: A Nonfiction Picture Book Review and Giveaway
Two former posts in this mini-series include my review of Saving Lady Liberty: Joseph Pulitzer's Fight for the Statue of Liberty and Part I of this author interview. RESEARCH CAROL: When you were researching Saving Lady Liberty, how did you know what information would fit into your story and what you should leave out? Similarly, how did you know what to… Continue reading SAVING LADY LIBERTY: An Author Interview with Claudia Friddell–Part II