Another Austin SCBWI conference has come and gone and the inspiration and motivation are burning through my veins! As the ARA for the Austin SCBWI chapter, I saw the results of many months of hard work pay off and that in itself is one of the greatest rewards. Seeing the sheer joy on attendees’ faces […]
Tag: Cynthia Leitich Smith
Why We Write for Children
At this time in the season, I always find myself sitting back and reflecting about the many things I’m thankful for such as my family, air in my lungs, a roof over my head, words in my head and memories to fill my heart. I’m also thankful for the wonderful writing community I belong to […]
A Recap of the 2011 Texas Book Festival
Another Texas Book Festival (TBF) has come and gone and a heartfelt thank you goes out to all the organizers, staff, volunteers, authors and presenters who made this year’s festival a success. A special thanks to TBF committee members Clay Smith, Festival’s Literary Director, and Marika Flatt, Co-owner of PR by the Book, for asking […]
Author Interview: Jessica Lee Anderson
It’s exciting when I get to interview children’s authors whose work I admire and even more thrilling when that author is also a friend. I first met Jessica Lee Anderson when I attended a book signing party with several other Austin SCBWI authors at Barnes & Noble. At the time, she was signing her middle […]
Five on a Friday
It’s the last Friday of the summer before the kids go back to school. Hubby has taken the day off from work and we’re going to take the kids ice skating. I know ice skating in the summer sounds crazy, but it’s been soooo hot here in Austin that you need to find indoor activities […]
Author Interview Sarah Aronson & Giveaway
Sarah Aronson holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is also the co-founder and organizer of the Novel Retreat at Vermont College and a regular contributor to the craft blog Through the Tollbooth. In 2002, she published a retelling The Princess and the Pea: A […]
Contests
Contests are great for so many reasons! It forces you to put your work out there especially if you’re a beginner and shy. Make a little money. Possibly win a publishing contract. Build confidence. Get feedback. Work to a deadline. I’m thrilled today as my student entered her first writing contest and placed as a […]
Writing Advice
Some of the best writing advice I’ve ever heard or read came in today’s post at Cynsations. Award winning and New York Times Bestselling author Cynthia Leitich Smith interviewed Egmont USA Publisher Elizabeth Law and Author Allen Zadoff. Allen’s latest novel My Life, The Theatre, and Other Tragedies (Egmont, 2011) is now available but you may remember his novel Food, Girls, and Other Things I […]