Writing Emotions: Our Favorite Tips
Those of you who have read this blog for any length of time know how enthusiastic we are about critique partners. While polishing my work-in-progress recently, I was reminded of how much wisdom my own CPs have to share. I was finishing the revisions on my manuscript when I realized that my main character spends a lot of time being afraid in the story. A … Continue reading Writing Emotions: Our Favorite Tips
Recommended: AURORA RISING by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
I loved Illuminae, also written by this dynamic author duo, as well as LIFEL1K3, which Jay Kristoff wrote on his own, and Unearthed, which Amie Kaufman wrote with Meagan Spooner. So when I saw Aurora Rising, I was interested…more so when I read the book description. After reading the book, I’d say Aurora Rising is… Continue reading Recommended: AURORA RISING by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the 2019 New England SCBWI Conference with Loretta Jo Kapinos
The New England SCBWI conference is fast approaching, and Loretta Jo Kapinos, one of the conference co-directors took a few minutes out of her busy prep-work to give us the behind-the-scenes scoop on the conference. Welcome, Loretta! Continue reading A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the 2019 New England SCBWI Conference with Loretta Jo Kapinos
THE LIBRARY OF EVER: Author Interview with Zeno Alexander
Today we are thanking our lucky stars to have landed an interview with the elusive Zeno Alexander, author of a new middle-grade fantasy adventure that will speak to the hearts of librarians and all who love books and information. THE LIBRARY OF EVER Eleven-year-old Lenora escapes from her inattentive nanny through a secret portal at an arch in her local library and lands in the … Continue reading THE LIBRARY OF EVER: Author Interview with Zeno Alexander
April Four on 400 Feedback!
Thank you to all the brave souls who entered this month’s Four on 400 contest! Sharing your writing takes courage, and we appreciate your enthusiasm for our contest. Below, we’ve posted the first 400 words from this month’s winner, along with feedback from at least four of our members. We also encourage our readers to share their (constructive) suggestions and encouragement in the comments section below. Middle Grade: … Continue reading April Four on 400 Feedback!
Interview with Bea Birdsong, author of I WILL BE FIERCE!
I recently had the pleasure of hanging out with author Bea Birdsong at the Whirlikids Festival at McIntyre’s Books and was thrilled to get a sneak peek of her debut picture book, I WILL BE FIERCE!, releasing on 4/23/19. Here’s the publisher’s description: It’s a brand-new day, and a young girl decides to take on the world like a brave explorer heading off on an epic fairytale quest. … Continue reading Interview with Bea Birdsong, author of I WILL BE FIERCE!
April Four on 400 Contest
Q: What is Four on 400? A monthly contest that provides ONE LUCKY MG or YA WRITER with feedback on their opening 400 WORDS! As part of our ongoing mission to support writers, we’ll give a MG or YA writer feedback from four of The Winged Pen’s contributors. Q: Sounds exciting! How do I enter? To enter, simply click the link the at the bottom of this post and submit … Continue reading April Four on 400 Contest
AUGUST ISLE by Ali Standish
I’ve longed to read AUGUST ISLE since the second I heard about it. It is the second middle grade book from THE ETHAN I WAS BEFORE author Ali Standish. Miranda longs to visit August Isle, the town where her mom spent summers as a girl. In part, she thinks it might help her bond with her busy and aloof mother better. But then, Mom takes … Continue reading AUGUST ISLE by Ali Standish
Recommended: IN THE KEY OF NIRA GHANI
Nira’s voice pulled me right into her story. Her character is fully three-dimensional and it’s easy to empathize with both her struggles be the good daughter her parents and her aspirations to fight her own dreams. Highly recommended. Continue reading Recommended: IN THE KEY OF NIRA GHANI
Interview with Gillian McDunn, author of Caterpillar Summer
We’re reviewing an upcoming middle-grade release today, CATERPILLAR SUMMER by debut author Gillian McDunn, perfect for fans of THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH and FISH IN A TREE. With an overworked widowed mom and a rambunctious special-needs brother, twelve-year-old Cat barely has any time to be a kid. Ever since their dad died of cancer, Cat has been dedicated to helping her brother, Chicken, navigate perils and find … Continue reading Interview with Gillian McDunn, author of Caterpillar Summer
7 Simple Trustworthy Tricks for to Keep Your Draft Moving Smoothly
It’s March and some of us are working hard to get words on the page before summer comes (or school gets out.) I asked my fellow Winged Pen writers to describe a favorite writing technique or a trusty stand-by that they use regularly. Sketch. Use a “marker” for the parts you don’t know. Get whatever you’ve got onto the page and use [add tech here] … Continue reading 7 Simple Trustworthy Tricks for to Keep Your Draft Moving Smoothly
Featured: Graphic Novel MANUELITO, a refugee story
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 MANUELITO, written by Elisa Amado and illustrated by Abraham Urias. Kids hear adults talking all the time about the refugee crisis, families seeking asylum, ICE, deportation, and problems at our borders. It must be confusing … Continue reading Featured: Graphic Novel MANUELITO, a refugee story