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 – Picture Books
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.
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!
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
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.
MY DOG IS NOT A SCIENTIST – Review & Interview with author Betsy Ellor
Today on Writers’ Rumpus we’re talking with Betsy Ellor, author of MY DOG IS NOT A SCIENTIST, illustrated by Luisa Vera, available April 18 from
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!
Q: What do you get when you cross a tennis ball with some prairie dogs? A: An award-winning picture book recipe. (Obviously!)
I don’t know about you, but I see a regular, old, green tennis ball in that dog’s mouth. Author/Illustrator Janet Stevens, on the other hand, saw a mysterious green, fuzzy object from the POV of a prairie dog. And when this mysterious object rolled down a prairie dog tunnel, it caused mayhem amongst prairie dogs far and wide.
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
Following the Tracks of a Story Idea
Finding a tale or a topic that intrigues me is only the first step. Sometimes it takes years from my original inspiration to the final product.
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