You know what’s better than winning an award for a picture book? Winning three of them! Thank you again to the Florida Authors and Publishers Association (@myfapa) for this honor, and of course to the dream team of Lauren Eldrige (@eldridgestudio) and Little Brown Books for Young Readers.
#bookaward #sohapysohappysohappy #picturebookaward #hustlebustlebug #picturebook #pb #bugbook #alldressddup
A little bit of this. A little bit of that. And there you have it - what I do when I host a workshop for writers. Thank you so much for having me #flscbwi . . .
Want to know more about how (and *why*) I wrote DINOS DON'T MEDITATE? Check out this interview I did with the fabulous Lynne Marie. Because books don't just happen people.
Author visits can be tricky to organize - but this fabulous article provides step by step instructions for schools' to follow. And it's pretty helpful for us authors too! Thank you Donna (https://www.donnajanellbowman.com/) for putting this together.
Several of my books fall under the category of nonfiction, which is just SO me! I used to be a Research Attorney, and still love deep-diving into new and exciting topics. For a wonderful article on how to format your NF work, check out this article:
http://celebratescience.blogspot.com/
Is it tacky to celebrate my own (book) birthday so loudly and and proudly? Don't care. I am SO excited for Rex and Sam's latest adventure. Thank you to Sounds True Kids, ALBLA, and a host of critique partners for making this ferocious follow up happen!
This is SUCH a common question - from both kids and adults alike - when I visit schools, libraries and stores. The honest answer is... it depends. My income varies a lot year to year. Have I sold a book recently? Am I doing author events (answer to both BTW is YES!)? Any books going out of print? All of this impacts a writer's income. For a wonderful article on the issue, check out:
https://laurasalas.com/writing-for-children/how-much-money-does-a-childrens-writer-make/
It's almost time for Vivian Kirkfield's #50preciouswords writing contest - and you don't want to miss out! Click on over to learn more about this fun event and the AH-mazing prizes:
https://viviankirkfield.com/2023/02/04/heads-up-50preciouswords-2023-is-coming-soon/
Learning about Tone is a key element to creating a great picture book - and this article on teaching readers about tone - is a fabulous resource. So light some candles, turn on some smooth tunes, and set that mood (but ... you know... for kids...)
https://sherrymlee.com/2018/09/introducing-tone-and-mood-to-young-readers/
Writing an all-dialogue picture book is on my to do list. Well, you know, writing and *selling* a dialogue-only picture book in on my to do list. Which led me to this article chock full of tips and tricks:
https://picturebookden.blogspot.com/2020/03/dialogue-only-picture-books-challenges.html
Superb article on the DON'Ts of writing in rhyme.
https://picturebookden.blogspot.com/2023/01/how-not-to-write-rhyming-picture-book.html
Want to learn more about writing quiet picture books? Check out this great article by Nakisa Nooraee:
From newbies to pros, I think every writer can get inspired by checking out this website. Elizabeth is a teacher and mother who puts together awesome book lists for little ones. Learn more here:
https://www.thekidlitmama.com/
Ah, the sweet, crisp hope of a fresh New Year! Happy 2023 to each of you!
This year I'm adding "writer-specific" goals to my list of resolutions, and I hope you will too. Here are three awesome resolutions to get you started. (I mean, c'mon. it's only three. And none of them involve salads. So, easy peasy!) Click here for more information:
https://writingcooperative.com/3-new-years-resolutions-every-writer-should-make-in-2023-7321751b87ec
