I wonder if we all have a childhood passion sleeping inside of us just waiting to be awakened. For Jill Esbaum, this was her personal connection, her way into a story about Gene Stratton-Porter. With this post and this gorgeous new book, Jill will have all of us thinking about revisiting long ago joys. We … More Mining for Heart: “Discovering a Kindred Spirit” by Jill Esbaum
Many of the books coming out now were products of the pandemic, a time when all of us experienced anxiety and many kid lit authors found it difficult to write. When faced with an exciting opportunity, Karen Jameson dug in to find her way past that block. In this post, she shares how she did … More Behind the Scenes: “Waking the Muse for WAKE UP, WOODLANDS” by Karen Jameson
Today we get a peek into the world of work-for-hire early readers with Melissa H. Mwai. Along with essential info for people interested in breaking into writing for children via work-for-hire, she also shares links to resources and more specifics to explore. GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment below to be entered to win a copy of … More Behind the Scenes: “The Mysterious World of Work-for-Hire Early Readers” by Melissa H. Mwai
Vivian Kirkfield, one of the kid lit community’s most energetic encouragers, has a new book hitting bookstores—and wow! it’s a powerful story beautifully told! PEDAL, BALANCE, STEER: ANNIE LONDONDERRY, THE FIRST WOMAN TO CYCLE AROUND THE WORLD will inspire and bring history alive for all ages. Like Vivian, I’m a former teacher who’s a firm … More Especially for Educators: “Using Picture Books Across Curriculum Subjects in Every Grade Level” by Vivian Kirkfield
So glad to see another book about writing nonfiction for kids! My copy has arrived, and I’m diving in! Thanks, Kirsten Larson, for sharing your knowledge in the book, and also for this post about taking on this endeavor. Kirsten is also doing a GIVEAWAY! Leave a comment after the post to be in the … More Behind the Scenes: “Branching Out Into Longer Form Nonfiction” with Kirsten W. Larson
Back matter in a book serves a multitude of purposes—it’s like a bonus book that can extend the journey, spark curiosity, and answer questions! If you’re a person who tends to skip over back matter or a writer who’s looking for ideas, here’s a great article from Kelly Rice Schmitt about all that back matter … More Behind the Scenes: “Expanding Your Book with Back Matter” by Kelly Rice Schmitt
Reading and books are near and dear to the hearts of so many of us. Here librarian Ronni Diamondstein shares her path to the heart of her new book JACKIE AND THE BOOKS SHE LOVED, finding connection in a love of reading and writing. Giveaway! Ronni is offering a signed copy of her book to … More Mining for Heart: “A Love of Reading that Guided the Life of Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis” by Ronni Diamondstein
WHY? That’s always my driving question as an author bringing stories from the past to life. And it was where author Nancy Churnin started, too, for her latest book, VALENTINES FOR ALL. Here she shares her process of putting her heart and the heart of the story on the page. GIVEAWAY! Nancy’s giveaway comes with … More Mining for Heart: “You’ve Gotta Have Heart” by Nancy Churnin
Oh, so many challenges with the writing of A RIVER OF DUST: THE LIVE-GIVING LINK BETWEEN NORTH AFRICA AND THE AMAZON. I’d never heard of the “river of dust” and was fascinated to learn about this amazing process of nature. In this post, author Jilanne Hoffmann takes us through the process of finding the heart … More Mining for Heart: “Separation and Connection” by Jilanne Hoffmann
One look at my bookcase will tell you I’m a fan of Benjamin Franklin. That man was into everything! For a writer, no matter what you want to share about him, there’s the challenge of focus, scope, and finding the best way to tell the story. In this post, author Gretchen Woelfle shares how she … More Behind the Scenes: “‘Twas a Long Time Coming: A New Look for Benjamin Franklin” by Gretchen Woelfle
Beth Anderson, Children's Writer 