Suzanne Collins’ fifth Hunger Games novel – a must read, even if you haven’t read any of the other books in the series. Like the
Author: Marti Johnson
Marti Johnson writes for both Middle Grade and Young Adults. Loves animals, outdoor activities, and books!
SPECIAL MOMENTS
Around the globe people are celebrating. Why December in particular? I can only speculate. AI suggests that as darkness comes earlier each day, we all need a reason to seek joy.
THE CURSE OF WILLOW COVE by Josh Roberts
Owl Hollow Press, 2024 THE WITCHES OF WILLOW COVE is a wonderful MG debut released in 2020 and I am delighted that the girls and
NEED SOME CRAFT-FOCUSED MOTIVATION?
I know I do! I am fretting over the fact that I haven’t written creatively in several months. While I haven’t abandoned my writing career,
Fiction isn’t Fact, right?
A fiction writer makes things up. The characters, places, thoughts, plot elements, it’s all fake, right? Well, sometimes, yes, and sometimes, no. Creativity plays a
INVISIBLE SON by Kim Johnson
Probably the best YA I read in 2023, INVISIBLE SON, may sound familiar. It was highly recommended by fellow blogger, Laura Fineberg Cooper, in her Writers Rumpus post of November 21, 2023, and appropriately so.
Man O’ War by Cory McCarthy
A Portuguese Man O’ War is not a jellyfish. “Not only is it not a jellyfish, it’s not even an “it,” but a “they” …
THE STRANDED, a debut YA novel by Sarah Daniels
Does a dystopia set in the near-future and full of action and adventure capture your attention? If so, I strongly recommend you read The STRANDED. Sarah Daniel’s debut novel hooked me with the seventh line on the first page:
How Difficult Can A Comp Be?
VERY! That’s my conclusion. I have been reading and writing in both YA and MG for nearly twenty years (where has the time gone). My querying nightmare continues to be comps!
I have a suggestion…regarding Character Arcs.
A friend of mine, who also happens to be a writer, gave me a book called CREATING CHARACTER ARCS, The Masterful Author’s Guide to Uniting Story Structure, Plot, and Character Development, by K.M. Weiland, PenForASword Publishing, 2016. (Thank you Tina Oppici). Tina has been suggesting I read it for over two years. She finally handed me a copy and I’m glad she did.
SPELLS for LOST THINGS
An unlikely storyline in dual POVs that only gets wilder and more fun but is completely grounded by interesting, realistic characters you can’t turn away from.
Social Media and the KidLit Community
Fifteen years ago, probably at a NESCBWI conference, I learned that Agents and Editors preferred writers to maintain a social media presence. Ten years ago,
THE PEAR AFFAIR
A crafty, light-hearted Middle-Grade caper! Walker Books, a division of Candlewick Press, released the first US edition of this international adventure in April 2022. I
REDUNDANCY and the Saggy Middle
We’re all aware of the saggy middle The story that can’t get out of its own way. Common techniques to eliminate this conundrum include increasing
WRITERS' RUMPUS 