When I was a child in the eighties, there was almost nothing that made me happier than locking myself away in my bedroom or playroom,
Category: Inspiration
The Power of No Words at All: Henry Cole’s “One Little Bag”
In April of 2020 a remarkable picture book was released into the world. Inspired by the author’s childhood experience, the story follows the life cycle
Critiquing: A Superpower?
Critiquing the work of others brings an ultra-awareness to the all-encompassing task of writing picture books. With fresh eyes, you present considerations and questions for others that are important to think about in your own writing, too. But when it comes to critiquing your own stories, fresh eyes are harder to come by.
Hustle Culture, Overextension, and Writer Burnout
The year 2020 did such a bang-up job on so many writers that here were are, nearly halfway through 2021, and most of us are
Building a Child’s Bookshelf
I have started building a library of books for my new son. Even though he is brand new, we read to him all the time,
Mary Seacole Bound for the Battlefield by Susan Goldman Rubin
As someone who wrote a high school term paper on the Crimean War, I was thrilled when Candlewick offered the opportunity to review Mary Seacole
LET’S KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING part two…
On June 26th, 2020, I posted an article here titled, Let’s Keep The Conversation Going…, The daily news of the gruesome death of George Floyd
FLASHBACKS: A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE
Show them some love: flashbacks are powerful if used purposefully and introduced clearly.
Reviews: Two Books that Inspire Hope
One book shows the edge habitat between a brown author growing up and the natural world that inspires her. The other is about four friends,
NORTHBOUND: A Train Ride Out of Segregation
NORTHBOUND: A Train Ride Out of Segregation, written by Michael S. Bandy and Eric Stein and illustrated by Coretta Scott King Award Winner James E.
On Car Repair and Rewrites
Guest Post by Almitra Clay Especially for all you NaNoWri-mers with fresh drafts, here’s a reprise of a popular post. As I have rewritten the
LET THE 2020 WRITERS’ RUMPUS REVIEW BEGIN
Happy Holidays to one and all in what has been the most tumultuous year many of us have ever experienced. As 2020 draws to a close (phew!), at least one thing remains unchanged: it’s time once again for the annual Writers’ Rumpus Review!
new year, new genre
Well, we made it to December, everyone! Alleluia, 2020 is almost over! Normally, I’m trying to live in the moment, with all of the holiday
Reimagining a classic: The Great Gatsby as a graphic novel
To transform a preeminent and beloved literary work into a graphic novel for young adults is a challenge for the brave. K. Woodman-Maynard’s adaptation of
WRITERS' RUMPUS 