Do you remember back in July when I reviewed Joy Keller's book Frankenslime that is illustrated by my SCBWI-Carolinas friend, Ashley Belote?I had announced that the next book in this series, Valenslime (Feiwel and Friends, 2021), would be ready in time for Valentine's Day. I am here today with a review and the perfect present for your little sweetheart!REVIEWHere is… Continue reading VALENSLIME: A Picture Book Review and an Autographed Giveaway
I am thrilled to share with you my friend Monica Roe's, upcoming novel, Air (Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, March 15, 2022). Today you are going to hear about a book that her publisher describes as,"a smart, energetic middle grade debut about thinking big, working hard, and taking flight."On Thursday you'll get a glimpse behind… Continue reading AIR: A MIDDLE GRADE REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY– PART I
Congratulations to Linda Phillips for winning THE HEART CHANGER from last week's blog. ****** This week I have something different for you. The first time I went out in public with my Covid mask and saw other people in their masks, I thought about how as a writer, I try to capture nonverbal expressions to… Continue reading What Do Your Eyes Communicate?
Congratulations to Vijaya Bodach who won ONE WEEK OF YOU from last week's blog and to Gretchen Griffith who won A SONG FOR GWENDOLYN BROOKS. In Daddy Can You See the Moon? (Spork, 2019) a well-written and beautifully illustrated picture book, author, Gayle Krause, sensitively portrays one of war’s harsh realities: a soldier’s devastating injury. Krause's rhymes… Continue reading Daddy, Can You See the Moon? A Review and Picture Book Giveaway
Last week I pressed send. Not to an agent or an editor. But to 10 beta readers. I finally have a draft of Half-Truths, which is ready to be critiqued! Eight years ago Joyce Hostetter challenged me to join her in NaNoWriMo. I'd been thinking about writing a novel and had a rough idea what… Continue reading Marking a Milestone
· In this week's blog, Carin Siegfried, an independent editor in Charlotte, discusses the disadvantages of including too much description in your narrative. Take it away, Carin! I have found that sometimes writers use too much description– it bogs down the narrative if it isn’t germane to the story. It… Continue reading Insights into Editing: A Conversation with Carin Siegfried Part V
Did you ever think there were this many common editing problems? In this ongoing series, Carin Siegfried continues to outline other problems she encounters as an independent editor. Show vs. Tell There are 3 different aspects to this phrase. 1. Do not use too many metaphors and overly flowery writing. A novel is not about showing off your… Continue reading Insights into Editing: A Conversation with Carin Siegfried Part IV