Wordplay: Tapping into Our Creative Brains
I slid
down a sentence and bumped into a period. I paused, before entering a new sentence, which turned this way and that…
Tag: poetry
Alice Faye Duncan- A Song for Gwendolyn Brooks
Welcome to Windows & Mirrors, where we feature books that provide us windows to lives outside our own and mirrors to our shared common human experiences. Today we are featuring TWO new books by author and librarian Alice Faye Duncan! First up, A Song for Gwendolyn Brooks. Through free verse, Alice Faye Duncan celebrates the life and times of Gwendolyn Brooks, an African-American poet whose gifts … Continue reading Alice Faye Duncan- A Song for Gwendolyn Brooks
The Two Pieces of Advice that Made Writing A Verse Novel Seem Possible
I find myself, to my surprise, writing a novel in verse. Though I have written poetry in the past, novels in verse always seemed mysterious to me, almost as much so as the work of those sorcerer illustrators. How does one write a story, with narrative, out of a poem? How do you even begin a novel in verse? Eking out one poem feels like … Continue reading The Two Pieces of Advice that Made Writing A Verse Novel Seem Possible
Windows & Mirrors: One Last Word
We are coming to the end of another Poetry Month, and we would be remiss to let it go without highlighting a staggering new work by Nikki Grimes. ONE LAST WORD is an ode to the Harlem Renaissance, but also thoroughly modern. It utilizes the Golden Shovel form, in which a line from a previous poem, or the entire text of a short poem, is … Continue reading Windows & Mirrors: One Last Word
My Month of Poetry
I recently found myself in a writing rut. A hectic home life, a stressful and stressed-out world, and somehow writing became both trivial and inaccessible. I could not connect with my creativity, and it felt self-indulgent even to try. Over dinner, a wise friend suggested a poetry challenge. Write a poem a day for thirty days, to clean out the spiders of doubt and despair, … Continue reading My Month of Poetry
Behind the Scenes: My Experience as a Cybils Judge
This winter, I was able to serve as a judge for the Cybils, an award for children’s and young adult authors and illustrators. Established by bloggers, the Cybils recognize work that combines literary merit with popular appeal. I’d been following the Cybils for a few years, and knew that it was a well-respected award. I’m a book blogger, too, at Kid Book List, and when … Continue reading Behind the Scenes: My Experience as a Cybils Judge
Star in MG / YA Magazines
Although often not lucrative, magazine publications can offer you many benefits. They help your name get out there and stand out from the crowd of writers; they can give you a unique insight into the publication world; they can help you be more productive and serve as experimental pieces; they can help you connect with other authors; you might attract the attention of an editor … Continue reading Star in MG / YA Magazines
