Saturday, August 5, 2023

FAPA Awards

 



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 (@eldridgestudioand Little Brown Books for Young Readers.



#bookaward #sohapysohappysohappy #picturebookaward #hustlebustlebug #picturebook #pb #bugbook #alldressddup

Saturday, May 6, 2023

B&N Book Signing







Excited to share my books during storytime at our local Barnes and Noble in Jensen Beach this Saturday at noon! @barnesandnoble @bnjensenbeach

 

Saturday, April 29, 2023

FLSCBWI Workshop for Word Wizards

 






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 . . .

Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Central Elementary School

 



I found a new happy place ❤️🤗🎉 Thank you so much for hosting me this past week Central Elementary! It’s been a while since I’ve been out to Okeechobee, and your students (all 550+ of them!) made every minute of it so fun and fabulous! #authorvisit #centralelementaryschool #pb

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

The Story Behind the Story




 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.

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

Awesome Awesome AWESOME School Visit Article

 


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.


https://www.donnajanellbowman.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Booking-an-Author-Visit-Where-to-Start.pdf


Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Nonfiction Awesomeness



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/



Tuesday, March 14, 2023

Happy Book Birthday to MEEEEEEEEE!!!


 

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!






Tuesday, March 7, 2023

So, How Much Money Do I Make?



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/

Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Sharpen Your Pencils!


 

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/

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Pre-Order These Prehistoric Pals

 


IT'S (almost) HERE! 

And ​​I have a​​ special favor to ask. ​As you may know, my latest picture book, DINOS DON’T MEDITATE, debuts on March 14, 2023. Releasing it into the world takes a village, and I’m grateful to have such a wonderful village to reach out to! 

DINOS DON’T MEDITATE is a follow up to the Kirkus and SLJ reviewed, DINOS DON’T DO YOGA. It features romping stomping Rex, and his serene pal Sam, and their attempts to balance peaceful rest with prehistoric playtime. Needless to say, chaos ensues!

I am so stinkin' proud of this book, and eager to get it into as many little hands as possible. 

Therefore, I hope you will consider pre-ordering DINOS DON’T MEDITATE. This makes a tremendous difference to an author, and helps ensure that the book shows up in retail stores nationwide. You can do this with a few clicks online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books A Million, and independent bookstores via Bookshop.

I’d also be very (very!) grateful if you would consider mentioning DINOS DON’T MEDITATE on social media. Whether it’s just a quick shout out, sharing the cover, or posting a picture of your favorite page – every post helps spread the word!  

Most importantly, thank you for your dino-mite support. I can’t wait to hear what you think about this book – and neither can Rex and Sam!  

 


Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Giving Me All The Vibes

 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/

Wednesday, February 8, 2023

You don't say...

 



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

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Ssssshhhhh - Time to Be Quiet

 



Want to learn more about writing quiet picture books? Check out this great article by Nakisa Nooraee: 

https://nakisanooraee.com/pb-quiet/ 

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

KIDLIT MAMA - Awesome Resource


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/



Wednesday, January 11, 2023

Bushel & Peck

 



Run by a self-described "small but mighty" team, this wonderful kidlit publisher produces beautiful, meaningful books. According to their website, :"If you believe in the power of books, we want to hear from you! We are currently accepting both solicited and unsolicited manuscripts from authors, illustrators, and agents. Please use our submission tool below, and we'll be in touch in a few weeks. Thank you!"

Click here to learn more: 

Wednesday, January 4, 2023

3 Resolutions for Writers

 



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