Today I’m thrilled to introduce a longtime friend of mine and fellow nonfiction writer, Loralee Leavitt. I first met Loralee many years ago through an online critique group put together by SCBWI Western Washington. We were an assorted mix of beginning writers, writing everything from picture books to novels, both fiction and nonfiction. The group eventually dissolved, but Loralee and
My fellow judges and I are still hard at work trying to finalize our round one shortlist for the Cybils nonfiction picture book category. It’s a difficult task because there are so many great books this year! Here are some reviews of some of my personal favorites (Note: I had many, MANY favorites this year). I enjoyed and would recommend all
Today I’m over at Emu’s Debuts spilling the beans on my revision experiences for my first picture book, to be published by Schwartz & Wade/Random House, Spring 2015. Head on over and check it out!
Phew! Now that I got my revision done and sent in, I can get back to reading Cybils nominees in the nonfiction picture book category that I am judging. Last year I wrote up longer reviews of only a few of the Cybils nominees. This year I’m going to try to write many more, but shorter, reviews. Rather than offer
I’ve been working like crazy lately on a revision for the editor of my first book. I’m simultaneously blown by away by how much work she’s asking me to do AND by how much better it’s going to make the book. Most of her comments feel so utterly, obviously right–AFTER I’ve read them–that I’m left wondering why I didn’t think
In case you missed it, I made my debut post over on the Emu’s Debuts blog earlier this week! Emu’s Debuts is a group blog maintained by debut authors represented by the Erin Murphy Literary Agency (get it? E. Mu.?) We blog about that nebulous, murky area between an author’s first book offer to the publication of that debut book:
Every book launch party I’ve ever been to has been a ton of fun. If that’s not enough reason to go to as many as you can, how about just just supporting our local authors and illustrators? You want them to come out and support you on your big day, don’t you? If you didn’t make it to Kim Baker’s
A few days ago I signed (with my super-fancy pen–thanks Joni Sensel!) the official contract for my first book, to be published by Schwartz & Wade at Random House, and dropped it in the mailbox. Woohoo! What a fantastic feeling. Armed with the Authors Guild’s Model Trade Book Contract & Guide, I sat down to pick my way through the legalese if only to
My lovely and talented friend Tina Hoggatt recently put out a call for participants for an art projects she is working on called Story Chairs. Basically, there are these super cool-looking chairs that she helped design that have speakers in the wings and automatically play stories when you sit in them. I submitted one of my own stories, Invasive Species,
I’ve been singing the praises of my new treadmill desk setup on Twitter recently. My first full week in action, I noticed: I logged 23 miles, without even thinking about it. Wow! I noticed greatly improved focus and concentration. I felt much more energetic, both while on the treadmill and off. No more afternoon energy slump! My aching shoulder and numb left