Carol Gordon Ekster: Phaea, more than two years ago Writers’ Rumpus interviewed you about being a debut author when JET THE CAT first came out. Now that you are an established author, what has changed for you?
Category: Writing
When to Use THAT (Which and Who, too!)
When I ask writers which word confuses them the most, the most common answer is THAT! There are some complicated grammar rules, but rest assured, I waded through them and strove to make my explanations as clear and understandable as possible. I promise we’ll ease into this slowly, starting in the shallow end and moving progressively deeper.
Hook Your Readers from Page One with Three Ingredients
Whether it’s an agent, editor, or reader, the first page is your first, and sometimes your only, chance to make an impression and convince them to continue with your story.
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.
GETTING SERIOUS ABOUT WRITING A PICTURE BOOK SERIES OR SEQUEL
It had been about a year since my debut picture book, Counting to Bananas (Flamingo Books, April 2022, illustrated by Estrela Lourenço) had been acquired. My editor, Cheryl Eissing, emailed to say her team was exploring the idea of Banana possibly carrying a picture book series. Was I interested? I had never thought about writing a sequel and, as a debut author, never imagined I would be asked to. But was I interested? Seriously? Of course I was bananas about it!
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.
HONORING JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH!
Jewish American Heritage Month is a time to celebrate Jewish contributions across American society, and there are many to choose from!
INTERVIEW WITH DEBUT PICTURE BOOK AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR MARIE BOYD
Picture book illustrations are almost limitless when it comes to the materials and techniques used to make them. It’s part of what makes them so
MG Book Talk with Jessica Brody, talented (and prolific!!!) author of AMELIA GRAY IS ALMOST OKAY
Jessica Brody is a superstar in the kidlit world! With her incredibly busy schedule, I’m thrilled she’s here to talk with us about her new middle grade novel, Amelia Gray is Almost Okay. And trust me, her replies are every bit as clever and entertaining as the main character in her amazing book.
Meet Your Writing Goals – Join a Writing Community!
Ask any successful kidlit writer how they succeeded, and chances are they’ll tell you about their writing communities. In this reblog, Carol Gordon Ekster shares the many ways she benefits from the yearly 12 x 12 Picture Book Challenge, one of the most well-respected and supportive online writing communities in the kidlit world.
Celebrate the Book Birthday of FINLEY: A MOOSE ON THE CABOOSE with author Candace Spizzirri!
It’s my great pleasure to interview author Candace Spizzirri on the book birthday of her second picture book, FINLEY: A MOOSE ON THE CABOOSE. This book is a sheer delight, and so is Candace!
Interview with Debut Picture Book Author Jennifer Raudenbush…and a Giveaway!
I am so pleased to have Jennifer Raudenbush here with me today so we can talk about a very magical picture book she has written called In the Palm of My Hand. The words and illustrations (by Isabella Conti) are just gorgeous, and they meld together to create a mindful, meditative, and quite existential experience for the young reader.
MEET THE TALENTED #KIDLIT AUTHOR, ERIN DEALEY
I met Erin Dealey on a Zoom Nerdcamp panel and was impressed with her professionalism, books, and interest in reaching out to others for her blog. I knew I wanted to interview her on Writers’ Rumpus and introduce you all to this talented #kidlit author.
World of Books: A Profile of Shaun Tan
Shaun Tan was not always an author-illustrator. As a boy, he wanted to be an astronaut. By his teens, his goal was to be a genetic engineer. Since he is of small stature, he was often the target of bullies, but he would disarm them with stories.
WRITERS' RUMPUS 