Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Sonja K. Solter. Sonja graduated from Stanford University and earned an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University, with a critical thesis on writing trauma in middle grade and young adult realistic fiction. She is currently a creative writing mentor… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Brandy Colbert, the critically acclaimed author of several YA and Middle Grade novels. Her books include Pointe, Stonewall Award winner Little & Lion, Finding Yvonne, The Revolution of Birdie Randolph, and her 2020 releases, The Only Black Girls in Town, and The Voting Booth…. Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing H.R. Hobbs. H.R. Hobbs (or Heather Hobbs, as I know her) is the Amazon-bestselling author of a series of compassionate and empowering stories for middle-grade readers. Set in a typical middle school, her books address the topics of belonging, friendship, and bullying. A lifelong… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Janae Marks! Janae is an award-winning children’s book author living in Connecticut. She has an MFA in Creative Writing with a concentration in Writing for Children and Young Adults from The New School, and is an active member of the Society of Children’s Books Writers… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Nicole Valentine. Nicole Valentine earned her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts and teaches the Brain Trust Workshop at the Highlights Foundation in Honesdale, PA. Before shifting to writing, she used to work at CNN.com in… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today I am delighted to have Dylan Meconis on the show. Dylan is a cartoonist, writer, and illustrator. While she has pursued visual art since she could hold a crayon steady, her formal education has been concentrated in the liberal arts. She studied Western history, literature, philosophy, and French in the… Read more »
What’s the difference between writing for kids and writing for adults? You may assume it’s something like using simpler words for kids, or ‘dumbing down’ the story, but that’s not the case. Kids can handle challenging words and concepts. Kids do have different needs and expectations, though. There’s a great DIY MFA post here with… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have Rebecca Behrens on the show! Rebecca is not only a fabulous middle grade author but also a dear friend. In fact, we live directly across the street from each other here in New York City, and we were part of the same “Write Nite… Read more »
Writing for kids, of any age, is a big responsibility. Kids across age groups range in experience and the ability to think critically about what they read. Very young children are especially prone to thinking that a book, any book, must be an authority. After all, books are like, official, right? Even teens and adults… Read more »
Today I am thrilled to have Tami Charles on the show! Tami is a former teacher and current full-time author of picture books, middle grade and young adult novels, as well as nonfiction. As a teacher, she made it her mission to introduce her students to all types of literature, but especially diverse books. While… Read more »
