WRITERS' RUMPUS

Interview with debut picture book author Laura De La Cruz … and a giveaway of LOWRIDER FOR SALE!

September 8, 2026 Laura Fineberg Cooper

Happy Book Birthday to LOWRIDER FOR SALE, the heartwarming picture book debut by talented and gracious author Laura De La Cruz. Laura has impressed me with her positive and supportive comments on our blog, so when she inquired about an interview, it was my honor and pleasure to enthusiastically say yes!

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Cool off on Winter Solstice Hill with Cathy Stefanec Ogren!

September 4, 2026 Marcia Strykowski

I’m excited to have talented author Cathy Stefanec Ogren here on the blog today! Her latest picture book releases on October 20, 2026, and I

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Cats, Chess, and Finding Your People: An Interview with CAT TAKES QUEEN Author Ilona Bray (and a Giveway!!)

September 1, 2026 Hilary Elizabeth Margitich

I first connected with Ilona Bray through social media and its vibrant online kidlit community. Right away, I was drawn to her warmth, thoughfulness, and

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#Kidlit Interview with the Effervescent Children’s Author Kelly Swemba

August 26, 2026 Monica Acker

Friendship is a special, wondrous thing. Great thinkers and creatives throughout time have shared their thoughts about how special friendship is: Kelly Swemba and illustrator

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Meet #kidlit Debut Author Evgenia Mantikas

August 18, 2026 Carol Gordon Ekster

CAROL GORDON EKSTER: I met Evgenia at the Kindling Words East retreat in 2026. What sweet and contagious energy she has! I am so excited

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Researching and Writing Nonfiction

August 11, 2026 Alumni & Guests

Guest Post by Lauren H. Kerstein I am beyond thrilled to be here. I’ve long enjoyed reading Writers’ Rumpus posts and am excited to share

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Revise and Resubmit: Making a Stellar Second Impression

June 24, 2025 Monica Acker

Not to boast, but I was a great high school student. My key to success was discovering what the teacher wanted and giving them just

I’m over the moon for OVER the MOON by the immensely talented Natalie Lloyd

June 17, 2025 Laura Fineberg Cooper

OVER the MOON is Natalie Lloyd’s third sparkling middle grade novel, published in 2019 by Scholastic Press. How I missed it until now, I seriously don’t know. But now that I’ve discovered this wonderful book, I want to shout from the moon just how much I adore it.

Challenging a Dystopian World: An Enlightening Interview with Gregory Maguire

June 10, 2025 Joyce Audy Zarins

The sense of hope in Gregory Maguire’s I Feel Like the Morning Star radiates despite the dire circumstances the characters have been thrust into. At

Welcome to an Introduction to Writing Chapter Books!

June 6, 2025 Alumni & Guests

Guest Post by Vicky Fang Hello! I’m excited to be talking about chapter books today. I’m the author of Layla and the Bots and the

Meet the talented Michelle Lin, #kidlit author/illustrator.

June 3, 2025 Carol Gordon Ekster

CAROL GORDON EKSTER: I met Michelle Lin at Kindling Words East this past February. She was one of those kind lovely humans who stands out.

New 2025 Picture Books!

May 27, 2025 Marcia Strykowski

There have been so many wonderful new books lately! This post will focus mostly on picture books from three successful publishers who generously shared new