I consider myself super-duper lucky, as a Writers’ Rumpus blogger, to be able to meet and interview so many talented kidlit authors. I learn new
Category: General
Exploring the Rain Forest, One Page at a Time
These books are B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L-L-Y crafted with colorful endpapers and full-bleed page spreads that will leave you and your little ones feeling like you just visited the rain forest every single time you open them.
Two Reviews and the Role of a Designer
Birds Everywhere, written by Camilla de la Bedoyere and illustrated by Britta Teckentrup, is a marvelous overview of what it means to be a bird. Filled with fascinating information about the similarities and differences between some of the 10,000 species of birds worldwide, this introduction will make appreciators of young readers.
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!
Interview with Author, Editor, and Poet Ryan Van Cleave…And a Double Giveaway!
Today is a very exciting day here on the blog. I have Ryan Van Cleave here with me, who, if you don’t know, is a bit of a writing and poetry rock star. And some of what he does, you may actually not know, because he has ghostwritten many books (in addition to those under his own name) and coaches and mentors many writers behind the scenes.
Flat Publishing Profits in 2022 Continue into 2023–What Does It Mean for Authors?
Last week, Publisher’s Weekly reported that the first quarter numbers were in for a number of major publishers, and those numbers were . . .
The Making of a Picture Book and the Convergence of Author and Illustrator Visions in A GOOD DEED CAN GROW by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman and Holly Hatam
I had the unique opportunity to interview author Jennifer Chambliss Bertman and illustrator Holly Hatam about their new picture book, A Good Deed Can Grow: a visually rich, engaging, and empowering picture book with separate stories in text and illustrations. It was such an honor to ask them about their process and journey together!
EVEN: JUST’S SNEAKY COUSIN
in literary terms, the four-letter word EVEN is primarily used to provide emphasis, and once invited into sentences, can infect multiple sentences without a writer’s conscious intention.
JUST: Let it Stay or Hit Delete?
The subject of this post is JUST, a four-letter word that sneaks into sentences without invitation. Learn when to let it stay…and when to hit DELETE!
Interview With Debut Picture Book Author Cathy Stefanec Ogren
As I type out the words ‘Debut Picture Book Author’ in front of Cathy’s name, I feel a surge of excitement and pride course through
Editorial: And Then They Came for Kidlit
Publishing has seen an explosion of diverse voices and titles over the past decade, but with this success has come an inevitable backlash.
Cybils Award Middle Grade Fiction Finalists
Those who know me even a little, know that I am positively NUTTY about good middle grade fiction. Nuttier than a squirrel stuffing her little cheeks full of acorns.
ATLAS of DOGS: Explore the PAW-SOME World of Pooches
The ATLAS OF DOGS introduces 150 paw-some pooches in the geographic region from which they hail with engaging, kid-friendly language and vibrant, personality-packed illustrations. Though the reading level is tagged at grades 1-3, this is an atlas an entire family of dog lovers can enjoy!
It Only Took a Mere Two Decades to Become an Overnight Success
Here we are on the Eve of Christmas Eve and the 6th night of Hanukkah. Our menorah candles are burning bright. The Christmas lights twinkle. Cookies are cooling. And latkes sizzle in the pan. I love it when both holidays overlap as they do in my book, Latkes for Santa Claus.
WRITERS' RUMPUS 