Fangirl Report: Catching Maggie Stiefvater on The Raven King Book Tour
Maggie Stiefvater. Photo by R.J. Allen. I am an unabashed fangirl of great writing, and have the photos to prove it here. So when I heard that Maggie Stiefvater would be nearby on her book signing tour for The Raven King, the fourth and last book in The Raven Cycle, the date immediately went on my calendar. Luckily, someone cheered on Twitter about getting off … Continue reading Fangirl Report: Catching Maggie Stiefvater on The Raven King Book Tour
Interview with Author — Kerry Kletter
Today, Winged Pen is thrilled to spend time with the (fabulous) debut author of the YA book, THE FIRST TIME SHE DROWNED. Kerry Kletter is in the house! I’m especially excited to get to know Kerry better, as we not only have the same agent, but also share a country and a coastline! Yay! Thanks for being here, Kerry. Kerry: Thanks for having me on Winged Pen! Gabby: Okay, … Continue reading Interview with Author — Kerry Kletter
Writing for Fun: Reflections on a Workshop with Jo Knowles
When was the last time you wrote just for fun? I have to admit I haven’t for a long time. It’s hard to squeeze writing time in around the rest of life, so when I get it, I feel pressure to be productive: write the next chapter, deepen a character arc, start on revisions. Something needs to get checked off the list. So when I saw that … Continue reading Writing for Fun: Reflections on a Workshop with Jo Knowles
On Writing by Stephen King
There are literally a million books on the craft of novel writing (tsk-tsk anyone who accuses me of exaggerating.) So what makes this one so special? The first, and most obvious, reason is because Stephen King wrote it. Second, not only do you get a craft book, but you are also treated to an autobiography. He gives us a matter-of-fact description of his writing journey, … Continue reading On Writing by Stephen King
Interview with Author Dori Kleber
Today I am thrilled to interview my friend and critique partner, Dori Kleber, who recently celebrated the release of her debut picture book with Candlewick Press. More-igami depicts a young boy’s quest to become an origami master. Dori, welcome to The Winged Pen! There are a million paths to publication, but yours was particularly unusual. Would you share how you connected with Candlewick? Thanks, Jessica! It’s nice … Continue reading Interview with Author Dori Kleber
Claire’s Day: A Celebration of Life, Authors, Illustrators, and Reading Excellence
“Claire’s Day was born out of a desire to honor my daughter in a positive way, that was true to her and who she was. How does one capture the essence of a lively, high-spirited, purple-loving little girl who was never far from a book?” Julie Rubini What started as a one-day event to honor Claire Lynsey Rubini who passed away from a heart condition … Continue reading Claire’s Day: A Celebration of Life, Authors, Illustrators, and Reading Excellence
FOWP Spotlight Interview! Featuring Gabrielle
Those of you who have been following the blog have probably clicked on our bio page to see who we are. But, come on, we all know we’re more than a posed photo and a blurb. We’ve all got families and lives, too. I’d like to get to know each of our blog contributors better and decided to start with Gabrielle because we’ve recently swapped … Continue reading FOWP Spotlight Interview! Featuring Gabrielle
Unlocking Our Creativity
As writers, we spend so much time developing our craft, but at the end of the day we still need something we can’t seem to control—our creativity. Or maybe we can. At least a little. Author Jarrett J. Krosoczka said in his keynote speech at the recent NESCBWI conference that you need to be bored to spark creativity. He’s right, but maybe it’s more than … Continue reading Unlocking Our Creativity
Interview with Author Julie Rubini
Julie Rubini’s love of books began with bike rides to the bookmobile for Nancy Drew mysteries. She began writing as a child, worked in sales as an adult, became a councilwoman, got married, and had a family. In addition to a freelance writing career, Julie wrote the children’s books Hidden Ohio (published by Mackinac Island Press) and Missing Millie Benson: The Secret Case of the … Continue reading Interview with Author Julie Rubini
Character Development: A Conversation with MG Author Jennifer Maschari
Character development has two distinct parts: the behind-the-scenes work the author does to get to know the characters and identify their emotional arcs, and how the characters are revealed to the reader on the actual pages. If the second part is done right, readers will fall in love with a character and buy into his or her journey. Done poorly, readers will find themselves slogging … Continue reading Character Development: A Conversation with MG Author Jennifer Maschari
Wisdom from the New England SCBWI Conference
Some fellow Pennies and I recently attended the New England SCBWI Conference. New England’s is the largest SCBWI regional conference; this year there were 699 attendees. Despite its size, the conference had the feel of a family reunion, punctuated with many shrieks of recognition and tackle hugs. When individual members were honored with awards, the collective joy and pride in the room was palpable. In … Continue reading Wisdom from the New England SCBWI Conference
8 on Eight Contest Feedback
Thank you to all the brave souls who entered this month’s 8 on Eight contest! Opening your work up to feedback takes courage, and we appreciate your enthusiasm. If your name wasn’t drawn from the Triwizard cup this time around, keep an eye out for our next contest window (on June 1st). Below, we’ve posted the first 8 lines from this month’s winner, along … Continue reading 8 on Eight Contest Feedback