We are thrilled to have on the blog today Julie Leung, a debut author whose middle grade novel releases on October 4th. MICE OF THE ROUNDTABLE: A TAIL OF CAMELOT is an epic new middle grade series in the tradition of Redwall and Poppy, based on Arthurian legend and told from the perspective of Camelot’s most humble creatures: mice. Young mouse Calib Christopher dreams of becoming … Continue reading Author Interview–Julie Leung
If you suffer from writer’s block, you’re not alone. Most writers I know have faced that wall many times and surmounted it. Some people find themselves at that wall over and over again. Sometimes this happens because you’re not sure how to move your story forward. Sometimes this happens because you’re terrified of failing. If it’s the latter, you may be a perfectionist. One understanding … Continue reading Perfectionism and Pomodori
In a previous Killer KidLit First Lines post (click here to read), I revealed my obsession with revising first lines. I’m almost equally obsessed with writing a banned book (I’m a rogue at heart), or winning the Newbery. Either way, I’m happy. The idea for this quiz came to me after the January American Library Association award announcements. I wondered, “Can you identify books … Continue reading Award Winning KidLit: First Lines Quiz
Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey is a Gothic YA novel published in 2011. Glass Heart follows in the series. ♥♥♥ What I find particularly well done in Cold Kiss is the backstory. The story follows the tragic misadventures of Wren, a teenaged girl who brought back her dead boyfriend Danny from the grave. Using the backstory as an important element in a novel is always … Continue reading Backstory as Character: COLD KISS
It’s summer road trip season, and in our family, that means I’m on the lookout for great books for reading out loud. That’s our favorite way to while away the hours speeding down the highways and back roads. Not all books are great for reading aloud. To me, the key is that the plot has to be relatively straightforward (in case someone zones out for … Continue reading Summer Road Trip Read Alouds
I’ve always been intrigued by a book’s title. I mean, how awesome is AND THEN THERE WERE NONE by Agatha Christie. For most of my life, that’s how I chose books. Or so I thought. One day I stopped drooling over the shelves and shelves of books at my local bookstore and paid attention to my surroundings. I was smack dab in the middle of … Continue reading The Confusing World of Genres
Ahhhh, the dog days of summer. Heat like syrup. Thunder rolls. Falling into the soft, ink-scented comforts of a good story, told well. If you’re anything like me though, summer rolls through your life with the speed of a locomotive, and your only chance to slow it down is to throw a beach towel across the tracks and derail that sucker. Still. Every year, I … Continue reading How We Read & What’s On My Nightstand
Last week, author Kate Messner wrote about being disinvited to a school talk in Vermont because the content of her book THE SEVENTH WISH — a story dealing with the impacts of drug addiction on a family — was deemed too difficult to discuss with the students. In an update on her blog, Messner reports getting an email from a school librarian who canceled the school’s … Continue reading Kids Talk Back: The Book Police
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
Today I’ve teamed up with my eldest daughter, Sylvia , because it’s her 11th birthday. And anyone who knows me knows if it’s your birthday (or any holiday) you’re getting a book from me. In her earlier days, Sylvia was an easy girl to buy books for. She loved whatever I picked out. Now…. Well, it’s much more difficult. I seriously think it’s easier to … Continue reading Book Buying Advice from the Kiddos
An Ember in the Ashes is a young adult fantasy written by Sabaa Tahir and published in April, 2015. The novel is one of the best novels of 2015: NSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTELLER AMAZON’S BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF 2015 PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD WINNER – FAVORITE FANTASY BUSTLE’S BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF 2015 This novel is a double narrative, but what really works … Continue reading Contrasting Parallel Plots: AN EMBER IN THE ASHES
Releasing Today! March 15th! OUT OF ABATON, Book 1: THE WOODEN PRINCE by John Claude Bemis We at The Winged Pen have read several of John Claude Bemis’ books, so we are very excited about THE WOODEN PRINCE. Let’s get started with the blurb! The automa Pinocchio has always been duty-bound to serve in the floating palace of Venice’s emperor. So when Pinocchio finds himself locked in … Continue reading We’re celebrating the release day for THE WOODEN PRINCE with a GIVEAWAY!
