Beth Anderson, Children's Writer

Reader, Writer, Miner of Moments

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Behind the Scenes: “Creating a Distinct Cast of Characters” by Julie Rowan-Zoch

July 31, 2026

What a treat to share the work of another one of my critique partners, author/illustrator Julie Rowan-Zoch! I am endlessly fascinated by the illustration process and always enjoy learning how it plays out. Julie is SO skilled at characterization, and the extra nods to other illustrators and books adds a secret layer for observant children’s … More Behind the Scenes: “Creating a Distinct Cast of Characters” by Julie Rowan-Zoch

Mining for Heart: “Tune + Topic = the Heartbeat of Story” by Lynn Becker

July 24, 2026

As one of author Lynn Becker’s critique partners, I have to tell you that her tuneful stories can keep you humming and tapping long after the meeting! But it’s not all fun and songs, she tweaks and fine-tunes until every word is just right and the story sings! Congratulations on this fabulous book, Lynn! And … More Mining for Heart: “Tune + Topic = the Heartbeat of Story” by Lynn Becker

Behind the Scenes: “The Power of Place to Find Story” by Darcy Pattison

July 17, 2026

This post from author Darcy Pattison is a perfect sequel to Colleen Paeff’s post last week. Both authors experienced the power of place as they approached a story. A trip to Poland helped Darcy visualize the life of Copernicus so very long ago to create NIGHT: HOW COPERNICUS MADE THE SUN STAND STILL AND THE … More Behind the Scenes: “The Power of Place to Find Story” by Darcy Pattison