Tag: featured

Author, Interviews, Middle Grade

Interview with KA Reynolds, author of The Land of Yesterday

There’s nothing I love more than announcing a gorgeous new voice in middle grade fantasy. So it’s with great pleasure that I introduce you to K. A. Reynolds, debut author of the magical, glorious The Land of Yesterday. Welcome to The Winged Pen, K. A.! JA: More and more often, we’re seeing middle grade authors tackle tough subjects like grief, mental illness, and trauma for … Continue reading Interview with KA Reynolds, author of The Land of Yesterday

Julie Artz1 Comment
Book Recommendations, Picture Books

THE DRESS AND THE GIRL by Camille Andros and Julie Morstad

Sometimes you CAN judge a book by its cover. Yes, THE DRESS AND THE GIRL is gorgeously detailed from the lovely cover art to the lyrical text to extraordinary illustrations. It’s a beautiful tale of immigration, the value of simple joys, and the power of memory, written by Camille Andros and illustrated by Julie Morstad. In the story, we follow a girl and her favorite dress … Continue reading THE DRESS AND THE GIRL by Camille Andros and Julie Morstad

Michelle Leonard1 Comment
Contests, Interviews, News, Writer's Life

Let’s Meet the Pitch Wars Mentors!

Pitch Wars is here! The excitement is spreading through social media as hopeful mentees ignore their laundry, home-cooked meals, and the clock as they get their manuscripts ready. Mentors are also getting ready by putting on their reading glasses, grabbing their red pens, and stocking up on coffee and tea. The lucky mentor-mentee pairs will work together to get the full manuscript ready for the … Continue reading Let’s Meet the Pitch Wars Mentors!

Halli GomezLeave a comment
Book Recommendations, Windows & Mirrors, Young Adult

Windows & Mirrors: CHILDREN OF BLOOD & BONE

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 Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi! The book has been described as Black Panther plus magic or an African Last Airbender. It’s received enormous press due to its reported seven-figure advance and movie deal … Continue reading Windows & Mirrors: CHILDREN OF BLOOD & BONE

Michelle Leonard1 Comment
Book Recommendations, Young Adult

I AM STILL ALIVE by Kate Alice Marshall

Jess’ plan: build shelter, find water, make fire, seek revenge. It all sounds so simple…unless you’re stuck in the middle-of-nowhere Canada, your dad (that you just became reacquainted with a few days ago) was murdered while you watched unbeknownst to his murderers, his remote only-reachable-by-plane cabin was burned to the ground with all your possible life provisions, AND you have few survival skills. Oh, I … Continue reading I AM STILL ALIVE by Kate Alice Marshall

Michelle Leonard1 Comment
Book Recommendations, Middle Grade, Windows & Mirrors, Young Adult

Windows & Mirrors: THE NIGHT DIARY

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 Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani. Nisha receives a blank journal from her family’s cook on her twelfth birthday. It’s a place where she can record her thoughts, the things she thinks about but seems to … Continue reading Windows & Mirrors: THE NIGHT DIARY

Michelle Leonard1 Comment
Author, Book Recommendations, Interviews, Young Adult

Linda Vigen Phillips talks about BEHIND THESE HANDS

In Behind These Hands, a teenage piano prodigy’s life is upended when her two younger brothers are diagnosed with Batten, a rare neurodegenerative disease. In its *starred* review, Kirkus says, “Free verse evokes the myriad emotions brought up by the story’s numerous well-balanced themes. The result is a richly woven, unforgettable symphony of feelings and words.” Kirkus perfectly sums up the effect this book has had on me. Weeks … Continue reading Linda Vigen Phillips talks about BEHIND THESE HANDS

Michelle Leonard2 Comments
Book Recommendations, Middle Grade

Recommended: TAKEDOWN by Laura Shovan

Publisher’s Description “You’re only as good as your partner.” Mikayla is a wrestler; when you grow up in a house full of brothers who are die-hard mat heads, it’s in your DNA. She even has a wrestling name: Mickey. Some people don’t want a girl on the team. But that won’t stop her. She’s determined to work hard, and win. Lev is determined too–he’s going … Continue reading Recommended: TAKEDOWN by Laura Shovan

Rebecca Petruck1 Comment
Writer's Life

Help! There are Teens in My House!

As a writer and parent, I’ve faced down a few challenges. Furiously typing words during nap time, relying on the Wild Kratts to keep kids occupied while I write, and running off to the coffee shop while someone else feeds them lunch have all been tools in my toolbox. But I’ve recently come up against a new parenting wall: teenagers! Even though I write and … Continue reading Help! There are Teens in My House!

Richelle MorganLeave a comment
Book Recommendations, Middle Grade, Windows & Mirrors

Windows & Mirrors: AMAL UNBOUND

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 Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed. Amal lives in a quiet, ordinary Pakistani village. An excellent student who dreams of being a teacher one day, she loves school and hanging out with her family and friends. But … Continue reading Windows & Mirrors: AMAL UNBOUND

Michelle Leonard1 Comment
Author, Book Recommendations, Interviews, Young Adult

Launch of BRAVE NEW GIRLS: TALES OF HEROINES WHO HACK and Interview with Contributor, Halli Gomez

We Pennies are very excited about the Brave New Girls anthology because one of our own, Halli Gomez, contributed a short story to this year’s edition. Halli’s here to talk about the anthology and her story today! Publisher’s Description Welcome to the sci-fi worlds of brainy teen heroines who hack not just computers, but whatever puzzles come their way. A scrappy mechanic on an oppressed … Continue reading Launch of BRAVE NEW GIRLS: TALES OF HEROINES WHO HACK and Interview with Contributor, Halli Gomez

Rebecca J. AllenLeave a comment
Author, Book Recommendations, Interviews, Publishing & Promotion, Windows & Mirrors

Interview with Kate Hillyer: Raised by Unicorns: Stories from People with LGBTQ+ Parents

I’m thrilled to announce a new anthology available today: RAISED BY UNICORNS: STORIES FROM PEOPLE WITH LBGTQ+ PARENTS. And even more excited that our own Kate Hillyer has an essay featured inside. In recent years, the world has been saturated by endless blogs, articles, and books devoted to the subject of LGBTQ+ parenting. On the flip side, finding stories written by the children of LGBTQ+ … Continue reading Interview with Kate Hillyer: Raised by Unicorns: Stories from People with LGBTQ+ Parents

Halli GomezLeave a comment