Beth Anderson's Blog, page 19

Carter Reads the Newspaper

It’s been a while since I shared a favorite picture book for Perfect Picture Book Friday due to all the fantastic new books coming out with creators willing to share part of their process on the blog. And so many terrific giveaways! Which reminds me…

The winner of LOUIS from illustrator Julie Rowan Zoch is…Tina Cho!

Today I want to slip in a recommendation of a book I saw a week ago and had to investigate. Anything from Deborah Hopkinson gets my attention. And Carter Reads the Newspaper is worth...

Behind the Scenes: “Easy as Working with an AD” by Julie Rowan-Zoch

What a special treat to feature one of my local critique partners, Julie Rowan-Zoch! She’s guided me from the start! Here she shares her process of creating illustrations for Tom Lichtenheld’s text for Louis. Such a perfect match of text and art has resulted in an irresistible book!

AND…Julie’s offering a giveaway! A copy of Louis to one lucky perso n who leaves a comment below. 

[Kirsti Call’s signed ARC (Advance Release Copy) of Mootilda goes to…Nita!]

“Easy as Working with an AD” by Julie Row...

Mining for Heart: “We are all Mootilda.” by Kirsti Call

Just take a look at that book cover…who hasn’t felt like that a time or two recently? And that just might be the key to the heart of this new picture book. Welcome, Kirsti Call, co-author of Mootilda’s Bad Mood. Thank you for sharing your process of adding the heart to the humor in your new picture book! 

Giveaway! Kirsti is giving away a signed ARC (Advance Release Copy)! Just add your comment below to be entered.

Last week’s blog giveaway winner of Lindsey McDivitt’s Truth & Honor: The Presid...

Behind the Scenes: “Working with an Editor from Start to Finish” by Lindsey McDivitt

Though working with an editor from start to finish sounds like a dream come true for most of us, the process exposes an author’s first attempts and the very rough beginnings of a manuscript. Here Lindsey McDivitt takes us through her experience of how her new picture book, Truth & Honor: The President Ford Story, came to be.

AND… Lindsey is offering a GIVEAWAY for a copy of the book! Leave a comment below the post to enter. 

   Naturally I said yes when my editor asked—would I be interested in w...

Behind the Scenes: “He had me at ‘Rats’.”

 Today, with release just ONE MONTH away, I share one of my own “behind the scenes” experiences with “SMELLY” KELLY AND HIS SUPER SENSES.

Once I had gotten a whiff of the life of James Kelly, the first subway leak detective who had an extraordinary nose, I had to know more. I found only three sources: a New York Times article, a New Yorker magazine article, and a chapter in The World Beneath the City by Robert Daley. 

As soon as I read the opening of that chapter, I was all in on attempting a...

Behind the Scenes: “Why Have Faith in a Story” by Laurel Neme

We all need a reason to work through the hard parts. Laurel Neme found her reason in those who let her into their story, into what would become The Elephant’s New Shoe. 

Laurel is doing a GIVEAWAY of a copy of the book as soon as it’s released October 6. To enter, just leave a comment on the blog. Winner will be announced 9/12, continental US addresses only, please.

And congratulations to last week’s winner of Rosie the Dragon and Charlie Say Goodnight by Lauren Kerstein….Jilanne Hoffman! 

“Why ...

Behind the Scenes: “The Voices in My Head” by Lauren Kerstein

Do you have a voice in your head that continually gets shut down? Do characters talk to you? Do you have a snarky editor on your shoulder that criticizes your work? Voices in your head? This all sounds normal to me! Here, Lauren Kerstein shares what happened when she let that voice out onto the page.  

Lauren has generously offered a giveaway of a copy of ROSIE THE DRAGON AND CHARLIE SAY GOODNIGHT with swag! Just comment below and you’ll be entered to win. 

The winner of last week’s Giveaway of ...

Behind the Scenes: “Making the Cover of SOAKED!” by Abi Cushman

I loved the cover of SOAKED! from the moment I saw it! And now we get to hear the story behind it. It’s fascinating to see the effects of changes in expression, composition, and color. Thank you, Abi Cushman, for sharing the process of creating this fabulous cover!

AND….ABI IS OFFERING A GIVEAWAY! JUST LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW THE POST TO BE ENTERED TO WIN A COPY OF SOAKED! 

The winner of last week’s giveaway of Wild Style is …Nora Nickum!

In traditional publishing, a book cover has to be app...

Behind the Scenes: “What’s in a Name?” by Jenna Grodzicki

Welcome, Jenna Grodzicki, author of WILD STYLE: AMAZING ANIMAL ADORNMENTS! When I first saw the book, my first thought was, great title! And that doesn’t come easy. It’s often the source of much agony for me. Here Jenna gives you a behind the scenes peek at how that title came to be. 

AND Jenna is also offering a GIVEAWAY! Just leave a comment below for a chance to win a copy of the book. 

Last week’s Giveaway winner of THE OCEAN CALLS is Traci Van Wagoner!

What’s in a Name?

By Jenna Grodzicki

B...

Mining for Heart through Bonding & Back Matter by Tina Cho

Welcome, and congratulations to Tina Cho on 4 starred reviews for The Ocean Calls! Bravo! That’s not an easy feat! Today Tina shares her process of “mining for heart” in the writing of this fabulous new picture book about a Korean tradition, grandmothers who dive deep into the sea to harvest its treasures.

Tina has generously offered a GIVEAWAY for a copy of The Ocean Calls! Please leave a comment below to be in the drawing. 

Grandmothers have been important in my life. I had a special relations...