As promised on last week's blog, A.J.Mayhew, author of Tomorrow's Bread answers more questions on the art of writing fiction, being a White author writing from a Black POV, and dealing with doubt. Secondary Characters CAROL How did you pick Eben and Persy as your secondary characters? A.J. It may sound weird, but I feel like they… Continue reading Author Interview with Anna Jean Mayhew- Part II
Congratulations to Janet Davis-Castro who won HER FEARLESS RUN on last week's blog. No giveaway this week, but I hope you'll check out one of Alan Gratz's wonderful books. From the Author's Note: Project 1065 is a work of fiction set against the very real backdrop of Nazi Germany in World War II. Kristallnacht, the… Continue reading Projekt 1065: A Review And TALKING STORY Giveaways
When I read in the Tantor Audio new release list that The Road To Bittersweet was set in North Carolina in the forties, I knew this was a book for me. This was my first book by Donna Everhart, but I suspect it won't be my last. Today's post is a review of the book that… Continue reading The Road to Bittersweet: An Audio Book Review and Giveaway
Congratulations to Joyce Hostetter who won LOVING vs. VIRGINIA from last week's blog. This week's blog post comes courtesy of Recorded Books (who provided FUZZY) and Elizabeth Sims, contributing editor to Writer's Digest, whose article, "Stepping Up Your Sidekicks" in the February, 2017 issue, prompted the template for this review. Tom Angleberger, best known as the author of… Continue reading Fuzzy: A Review, A Mini-Lesson on Sidekicks, and an Audio CD Giveaway!
Congratulations to Linda Phillips who won an autographed copy of BE LIGHT LIKE A BIRD on last week's blog. Several years ago I bought Karen Harrington's book, SURE SIGNS OF CRAZY (Little Brown Books, 2013) at a SCBWI conference. As my bookshelves fill up with newer books, sometimes older ones take a back seat. Deciding it was… Continue reading Sure Signs of Crazy: A Review and Autographed Giveaway!
I first met Jan Cheripko, author of Rat; Sun, Moon, Stars, Rain; and Imitate The Tiger, when we both presented at a South Carolina Reading Association conference several years ago. I admire his tight prose in which young men face peer pressure and/or tough choices. His workshop at camp was on secondary characters and transitions. Since I'd… Continue reading Gems from Jan: Summer Camp at Highlights Part III
I would like to think that I would have enjoyed Frances O'Roark Dowell's book, Chicken Boy, even if it wasn't set in North Carolina. But it sure helped to be able to picture the rural farm areas around the triangle region of North Carolina that are slowly being gobbled up by suburban development. Fifteen years ago I… Continue reading Chicken Boy and a Giveaway!