February 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 February Four on 400 Contest
Featured: THE BRIDGE HOME by Padma Venkatraman
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 THE BRIDGE HOME by Padma Venkatraman. Eleven-year-old Viji and her younger sister Rukku quickly discover how vulnerable they are when they run away from their abusive father and try to make a home for themselves … Continue reading Featured: THE BRIDGE HOME by Padma Venkatraman
Should You Get an MFA in Creative Writing?
I’ve asked myself this question AT LEAST thirty times. I’ve listened to my friends recount their incredible MFA experiences. I’ve dreamily reviewed the MFA program websites and calculated the expenses. I even started an application for an MFA program at least once or twice. But then I revert to my lingering question: Instead of investing all that time and money, should I spend my time … Continue reading Should You Get an MFA in Creative Writing?
Celebrate Multicultural Children’s Book Day- Featuring TWO Wonderful Biographies: VIRGINIA HAMILTON-AMERICA’s STORYTELLER by Julie K. Rubini and DELORES HUERTA STANDS STRONG by Marlene Targ Bill
It’s my honor to participate in Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2019 to celebrate the gift of story and diversity in children’s books. To celebrate, I’m featuring two recent biographies about important women trailblazers. First up, Virginia Hamilton: America’s Storyteller by Julie K. Rubini. Virginia Hamilton was a shy, quirky, and extraordinary author that I knew very little about before reading VIRGINIA HAMILTON: AMERICA’S STORYTELLER. In this biography, … Continue reading Celebrate Multicultural Children’s Book Day- Featuring TWO Wonderful Biographies: VIRGINIA HAMILTON-AMERICA’s STORYTELLER by Julie K. Rubini and DELORES HUERTA STANDS STRONG by Marlene Targ Bill
Vote in the Winged Pen’s Mock Newbery 2019
We are waiting on the edge of our seats! January 28th is sure to be one of the most exciting days of the year. We will finally find out which books will win the coveted ALA Youth Media Awards for 2019. There are so many great contenders this year, and we decided to invite you to join in the fun with us. Here are our … Continue reading Vote in the Winged Pen’s Mock Newbery 2019
Recommendation: Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas
Kids have so much going on in their lives today with school, grades, friends, and family, it’s hard to get through it all, especially for kids who keep their struggles to themselves. What I love about books is that they are friends, the kind who show kids they’re not alone. Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas, by Andrea Pyros, does that by tackling issues such as … Continue reading Recommendation: Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas
Big News: New Thesaurus Revealed!
Have you ever held onto a secret you’ve been dying to share, and then finally…you can? For the last few weeks I’ve been helping Angela and Becca at Writers Helping Writers keep a BIG secret…what the next book in their thesaurus series will be. It might seem strange to not tell one’s readers what book you’re planning to release…unless you happen to write books on Show, … Continue reading Big News: New Thesaurus Revealed!
Featured: THE LOVE & LIES OF RUKHSANA ALI by Sabina Khan
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 THE LOVE & LIES OF RUKHSANA ALI by Sabina Khan. Seventeen-year-old Rukhsana Ali’s life is nearly perfect. She has great friends, good grades, and she and her very cool girlfriend are headed to Caltech in the … Continue reading Featured: THE LOVE & LIES OF RUKHSANA ALI by Sabina Khan
On Creating Magic Rules & Researching the Streets of Paris in 1789: An Interview with Gita Trelease, Author of Enchantée
Enchantée reaches from a humble 6th-floor apartment in the Paris slums to the
glimmering Palace of Versailles. It’s clear from the story that you love both of these settings. What was the most fun aspect of writing about Paris? Versailles?
The thing that drew
me into both the settings was the element of danger. In Paris, there was the danger of starvation, the possibility that Camille (Enchantée’s main character) would be forced to become a
prostitute, and that every dark corner hid physical danger. The danger at Versailles was really different—gambling, the chance that Camille could lose all the money she’d gathered to keep a roof over her and her younger sister’s heads, and the danger of her disguise being seen through by multiple people. That was fun to write.
The contrast between the two settings was really interesting to play with. The darkness of Paris and the glittering brightness of Versailles. Continue reading On Creating Magic Rules & Researching the Streets of Paris in 1789: An Interview with Gita Trelease, Author of Enchantée
Recommended: THE GILDED WOLVES by Roshani Chokshi
A heist, a unique magic system and a found family comprised of diverse characters. I had to read this book! Continue reading Recommended: THE GILDED WOLVES by Roshani Chokshi
Four on 400 Winner 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 Four on 400 Winner Feedback!
Featured: THE MUSIC OF WHAT HAPPENS by Bill Konigsberg
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 THE MUSIC OF WHAT HAPPENS by Bill Konigsberg! Max and Jordan couldn’t be more different on the outside. Max is an athletic, half white/half Latino dude bro who is in the closet about his sexuality with his … Continue reading Featured: THE MUSIC OF WHAT HAPPENS by Bill Konigsberg