Pay it Forward Fridays

I Love Picture Books – Peek Week #10 – February 14th!

 It’s a Valentine’s Day Picture Book Peek WeekFree critique of a selected picture book manuscript It begins February 14th! Here’s how it works: Sign up for a critique by entering your picture book WORKING TITLE in the comment section of this blog post anytime (midnight to midnight Mountain Time) on February 14th. Titles submitted before… Read more »

Picture Book Peek: Critique and Copies for a Cause!!!

Bridget Zinn’s family and friends are stepping up again with another auction to help Bridget in her battle with cancer. My Thanksgiving Picture Book Peek Week will be a part of this auction. I’ll be donating one fiction picture book (up to 1000 words) manuscript critique as well as signed copies of TOO PURPLEY! and… Read more »

Pay it Forward Friday: Getting Over Your Perspective

I got a chance to share one of my favorite writing exercises on My Word Playground. If you haven’t visited Lynne Marie’s blog yet, check it out. It’s full of thoughtful prompts, exercises and general advice for children’s writers. While our lives and experiences provide inspiration for a playground full of stories, our perspective can… Read more »

My Writing Space

A listserv question prompted me to talk about my writing space today. I have plenty of possible “offices” in my house, but I’ve always been a kitchen table kind of girl. I remember doing high school geometry across my family’s kitchen table from my “Nonna” who lived with us. She would ask me, in Italian…. Read more »

Title of My Next “Too” Book Contest has a WINNER!

I have to run title contests more often. There were loads of entries – and a little snark on the side. Among the incorrect – but very entertaining – titles were: TOO CASTLEY! (great guess)TOO PURRY!TOO PRICKLY!TOO PASTY!TOO PHONY! (about politicians – see what I mean about snark)TOO WAVY!TOO CURLY!TOO GIRLY!TOO WORDY!TOO BARKY!TOO SCARY!TOO QUEENIE!… Read more »

Pay It Forward Friday: Do the “Write” Thing for Nashville

Three generous and talented Nashville authors – Victoria Schwab, Amanda Morgan and Myra McEntire – have joined forces to help flood ravaged Nashville, Tennessee. In Victoria Schwab’s own words: So if you haven’t heard, Nashville, TN is in a MAJOR crisis. On May 1st and 2nd, Nashville, Tennessee received a record amount of rain—nearly 13.5… Read more »

Pay it Forward Friday – Shannon Caster

When my boys were young, they were experts in the non-fiction section of the library.“Tornadoes are over here!”“Dinosaurs are over here!”“I found MONSTERS OF THE DEEP!” That’s why my shout out this week goes to my good friend and critique buddy, Shannon Caster. Shannon writes the articles and books that make curious kids race to… Read more »