This morning, I posted a review on Goodreads about Laini Taylor’s latest book, Strange the Dreamer. I love the book (read it!), but the review led to a really funny moment, thanks to my ex-boss and primo editor-in-chief of Highlights, Christine French Cully. “Kim,” she wrote, “In your most recent post, I think you meant to…
Hooray! Big Eclipse on the Way
By now most people have heard that there’s a rare event happening across a swath of North America on August 21. It’s a big big deal and my friend writer/illustrator Nancy Coffelt has created a fantastic kids’ guide to the big event called The Big Eclipse. From Amazon, here’s the scoop: “Readers will learn what causes eclipses,…
My Writing Lair
I love seeing pics of the surroundings in which the writers whose work I love create their works. It’s energizing for some reason. So I thought, hmmm…why not take a snapshot of my own writing space? I did, and the pic you see is the result. When I step back and look at it, my…
Media Blues
Do you ever feel like your mind has become a wasteland filled with countless identical grains of sand? These days, mine often does. I know why: it’s the morning news. Since last November I have let the crazoids featured in the day’s news dominate my mornings. I used to read books. Now I read whatever…
Happy Birthday!
Today is my granddaughter, Lola Mae’s, third birthday. I’m jazzed to have her in the world and in my life. See that look in her eyes? That’s the look I always want to see when a kid listens to me read one of my books…heck…any book. Those inquisitive young minds need stories that will transport…
Sketching for Writers
Originally posted on Bespectacled & Bookish:
Fresh back from teaching Mastering Setting with Kelly Going (K.L. Going), I am excited about a concept that arose and wanted to share it with my writing peeps. On Friday evening, we were fortunate to have Melanie Hall as a a guest. Melanie is an illustrator whose work I…
Deep Peace
Sometimes when I sit down to write my mind is still. Totally at peace. My life right now is virtually stress-free, filled with leisurely moments (and long hours) of contentment. I have all I need–a home, plenty to eat, and the love of my life finally showed up to joined me. I live in the…
The Problem with Series
I love series…and I hate series. A great series has characters and settings to fall in love with and get to know. There’s edge-of-your-seat anxiety as the plot heats up and unfolds, and you can’t wait for that oh-so-satisfying conclusion. Here’s what sets my teeth on edge: a great series has a completely satisfying conclusion…
Why Sketching Matters
One of my wonderful writers shared with me something picture book author Candy Fleming told her: to keep in mind that most of what we write will be crap. Natalie Goldberg and Julia Cameron also remind us to feel free to write the worst garbage in the world, especially first thing every day. What I…
Sketching for Writers
Fresh back from teaching Mastering Setting with Kelly Going (K.L. Going), I am excited about a concept that arose and wanted to share it with my writing peeps. On Friday evening, we were fortunate to have Melanie Hall as a a guest. Melanie is an illustrator whose work I would characterize as musical and flowing….
Bespectacled & Bookish 