It’s happened. I’m finally cool enough to sit at the cheerleader table. That is, if the “cheerleaders” are Ellen Hopkins, Tom Angleberger, Tera Lynn Childs, Ilsa Bick, Sara Zarr, and Kersten Hamilton, to name a VERY few. And, of course, … Continue reading →

A few weeks back, I went to ALA Midwinter and picked up (as one does) a bunch of Advance Reader Copies for books that are coming out in the next few months. Some of them I delivered, unread, to the … Continue reading →

I’m been trying to host a giveaway of an AWESOME ARC, but my kid’s friends keep stealing it to read and taking it to school. Argh! What is it with these authors and their amazing writing that kids cannot resist??? … Continue reading →

Howdy, Friends! Allow me to re-direct your attention to another blog this week — one you might already follow. And if you don’t, and you’re a kid lit writer — what are you waiting for? This is one of the … Continue reading →

When I was a brand-new writer, I went to writing conferences hoping to gain knowledge (both craft and industry-related), rub elbows with editors and agents, and — possibly last on the list — meet other writers. These days? It is … Continue reading →

One of the things non-writers ask writers (after the inevitable “where do your ideas come from?” to which I invariably answer “my brain, I think, but it could be the devil since I write deeply disturbing stories for small children.”), … Continue reading →

Oh, friends, I’ve been waiting a LONG time to share this one with you! There aren’t enough words for how much I love this cover. It’s… just look at it. It’s by the amazing artist, Alexander Jansson. You should check … Continue reading →

So last week was hard, and my last post was sad. Let’s brighten the blog up! Check this out, my favorite thing on the Internet last week – and an Academy Award-nominated short animated film! The Fantastic Flying Books of … Continue reading →

It’s been a long week, friends, and I’ve been cooking. But not the “writing like crazy” kind of cooking. The “dirty dishes and grocery shopping” kind. A few days ago, one of my friends had her daughter — two months … Continue reading →

Oh my goodness. I just had the Most Fun Weekend Ever at the ALA Midwinter conference. I met the Entire Writing World there, and took home a bunch of ARCs I’d been longing for. (Okay, I’m not planning on keeping … Continue reading →