WHERE THE WOODS END (An Interview with Author Charlotte Salter)

Creepers and crawlers and things that go bump in the night? Yes, please! Since my latest literary obsession is dark middle grade fantasy, I’m especially thrilled to welcome middle grade author Charlotte Salter to The Winged Pen. Charlotte’s second novel, WHERE THE WOODS END, comes out on August 14th. The story follows Kestrel, a fierce huntress, as she strives to protect her village from Grabbers––shadowy … Continue reading WHERE THE WOODS END (An Interview with Author Charlotte Salter)

Let’s Meet the Pitch Wars Mentors!

Pitch Wars is here! The excitement is spreading through social media as hopeful mentees ignore their laundry, home-cooked meals, and the clock as they get their manuscripts ready. Mentors are also getting ready by putting on their reading glasses, grabbing their red pens, and stocking up on coffee and tea. The lucky mentor-mentee pairs will work together to get the full manuscript ready for the … Continue reading Let’s Meet the Pitch Wars Mentors!

Linda Vigen Phillips talks about BEHIND THESE HANDS

In Behind These Hands, a teenage piano prodigy’s life is upended when her two younger brothers are diagnosed with Batten, a rare neurodegenerative disease. In its *starred* review, Kirkus says, “Free verse evokes the myriad emotions brought up by the story’s numerous well-balanced themes. The result is a richly woven, unforgettable symphony of feelings and words.” Kirkus perfectly sums up the effect this book has had on me. Weeks … Continue reading Linda Vigen Phillips talks about BEHIND THESE HANDS

THE FRAME-UP with Wendy McLeod MacKnight

You might remember Wendy from an interview last year when her debut IT’S A MYSTERY PIGFACE! hit the shelves.   Well, she’s at it again with book two, THE FRAME-UP. How did you know that the idea for THE FRAME-UP was your next book and how did it all come about?  I struggled a bit to decide what I would write next, and one night, … Continue reading THE FRAME-UP with Wendy McLeod MacKnight

Stacy McAnulty Interview: The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl

I’ve been a fan of Stacy McAnulty’s picture books and chapter books for years now. Last September, I got the opportunity to read the manuscript for her latest book, The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl. I set aside the other books I was reading and devoured it in exactly 1.0000 sittings. Lucy, a.k.a. Lightning Girl, is a once-struck-by-lightning middle-school math savant with a serious case of OCD. … Continue reading Stacy McAnulty Interview: The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl

Happy US Book Birthday – Too Close to Breathe

Today I’m happy to interview my fellow Winged Penner and critique partner, Olivia Kiernan, to celebrate the US release of her adult thriller, Too Close to Breathe. Driven. Polished. Perfect. Dead. Eleanor Costello is found hanged in her home. There is no note. And her husband is missing. The suicide turned murder investigation soon spirals outwards leading Detective Frankie Sheehan and her team onto a … Continue reading Happy US Book Birthday – Too Close to Breathe

Path To Publication: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Launch of a Debut Novel with Jennifer Park, author of THE SHADOWS WE KNOW BY HEART

The Shadows We Know By Heart: Leah Roberts’s life hasn’t been the same since her brother died ten years ago. Her mother won’t stop drinking, her father can’t let go of his bitter anger, and Leah herself has a secret she’s told no one: Sasquatches are real, and she’s been watching a trio of them in the woods behind her house for years. Everything changes … Continue reading Path To Publication: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Launch of a Debut Novel with Jennifer Park, author of THE SHADOWS WE KNOW BY HEART

Daughter 4254: A New Dystopian Series about fighting for the arts #D4254

The soon-to-be-released futuristic dystopian young adult novel Daughter 4254 started out as an ebook on Wattpad that received over         ******1 million******   views. Impressed by the attention it had received, the publishers at Owl Hollow Press invited Leigh Statham to publish Daughter 4254 as a series of novels. The original story has been revised and enhanced, and the first novel in the trilogy … Continue reading Daughter 4254: A New Dystopian Series about fighting for the arts #D4254

Q&A with Middle Grade Author Julie Leung

Julie, congratulations on the release of your latest book, Mice of the Round Table (Voyage to Avalon) and welcome to The Winged Pen! Your cover is gorgeous––tell us about the story. Julie: Young mouse Calib Christopher has nearly completed his training to become a squire to the Knights of Camelot when news of a deadly plague reaches the castle. Soon all of Camelot is showing … Continue reading Q&A with Middle Grade Author Julie Leung

Nic Stone Interview: Dear Martin

Black Yale-bound graduating senior Justyce McAllister’s good life at his prestigious, mostly-white prep school takes on a new harsh reality after he’s falsely accused of crimes and roughed up by a policeman while innocently helping a friend. Meanwhile, daily news accounts of young black men being shot or arrested flood the airwaves, stirring up strong opinions among his classmates. As Justyce searches for answers to … Continue reading Nic Stone Interview: Dear Martin

Meet Jada Jones! New chapter books by Kelly Starling Lyons

Happy Birthday to Jada Jones! She’s a “rock” star and a good citizen in two new chapter books released September 19th by Kelly Starling Lyons and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton.                   Goodreads: Rock Star                                              … Continue reading Meet Jada Jones! New chapter books by Kelly Starling Lyons

BRAVE NEW GIRLS #STEM Anthology: Inspiration for Future Female Engineers/Scientists

Releasing Today, August 1st, 2017!!! Brave New Girls: Stories of Girls Who Science and Scheme is a collection of 22 stories about brainy young heroines who use their smarts to save the day. Edited by author Mary Fan, the anthology’s goal is to inspire girls (ages 12+) to study science and engineering. Even better, proceeds from the anthology fund scholarships for women through the Society … Continue reading BRAVE NEW GIRLS #STEM Anthology: Inspiration for Future Female Engineers/Scientists