Cynthia Leitich Smith's Blog, page 116
March 10, 2015
In Memory: Mal Peet
By Cynthia Leitich Smithfor Cynsations
British Young Adult Author Mal Peet Dies at 67 from the Associated Press. Peek:
Peet wrote young-adult novels, as well as educational children's books co-authored with his wife Elspeth Graham. He won the 2005 Carnegie Medal for Tamar, a historical novel set during World War II.Mal Peet, Writer, Dies Aged 67 by Martin Chilton from The Telegraph. Peek:
Peet grew up in a council estate in North Walsham, Norfolk, in a family that he describes as "emotionally i...
March 9, 2015
2015 SCBWI Europolitan Con: Author & Diversity Advocate Marieke Nijkamp
By Mina Wittemanfor Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations
Marieke Nijkamp is a storyteller, dreamer, globe-trotter, and diversity advocate.
She holds degrees in philosophy, history, and medieval studies, and wants to grow up to be a queer time traveler.
In the midnight hours of the day, Marieke writes stories full of hope and heartbreak.
She is proud to be the founder of DiversifYA and VP for We Need Diverse Books™. (But all views are her own.)
Find her on Twitter @mariekeyn.
She was interviewed by M...
March 6, 2015
Cynsational News & Giveaways
By Cynthia Leitich Smithfor Cynsations
Congratulations to Laura Ruby on the release of Bone Gap (Balzer + Bray, 2015). From the promotional copy:
Everyone knows Bone Gap is full of gaps—gaps to trip you up, gaps to slide through so you can disappear forever. So when young, beautiful Roza went missing, the people of Bone Gap weren't surprised. After all, it wasn't the first time that someone had slipped away and left Finn and Sean O'Sullivan on their own. Just a few years before, their mother ha...
March 5, 2015
Austin SCBWI Mentor Award Winner Laney Nielson Signs with Greenburger Associates
Follow @LaneyNielsonBy Cynthia Leitich Smithfor Cynsations
Hooray! Laney Nielson, recipient of the 2014 Austin SCBWI Cynthia Leitich Smith Mentor Award, has signed with literary agent Bethany Buck of Greenburger Associates.
Laney Nielson is a writer who lives in Plano, Texas.
A former upper elementary school teacher, Laney has taught in both suburban Virginia and inner city Boston. She has her Masters in Education.
Laney is a member of a critique group formed through the North Texas Chapter of SC...
March 4, 2015
2015 SCBWI Europolitan Con: Agent Brooks Sherman
By Elisabeth Nortonfor Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations
Brooks Sherman is an agent with The Bent Agency.
He represents picture books, fiction for young adult and middle-grade-readers, select literary and commercial adult fiction, and nonfiction in the areas of humor, pop culture, and narrative nonfiction.
He was interviewed by Elisabeth Norton for the SCBWI Europolitan Conference.
You'll be presenting in Amsterdam about using social media effectively. This is a topic most creators wrestl...
March 3, 2015
2015 SCBWI Europolitan Con: Agent Marietta Zacker
By Elisabeth Nortonfor Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations
Marietta Zacker is an agent at Nancy Galt Literary Agency.
Marietta has experienced children’s books from every angle – teaching, marketing, publishing and bookselling.
She thrives on working with authors who make readers feel their characters’ emotions and illustrators who add a different dimension to the story.
Some of the books she is championing in 2015 include The Lost Track of Time by Paige Britt (Scholastic), Something Extrao...
March 2, 2015
Guest Post: Cecilia Galante on Where to Start Your Story?
Cecilia GalanteBy Cecilia Galantefor Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations
One of the things I’ve noticed my graduate creative writing students struggling with is where exactly to start in a book.
I’ve had two students fill up the first 40 pages of their novels with excruciating back-story details involving family history, blood-lines, place of birth, and so on.
Another one began her book with a five-year-old protagonist relaying her ideas on life, which might have worked if any of her musings had...
February 27, 2015
Cynsational News & Giveaways
Discussion GuideBy Cynthia Leitich Smithfor Cynsations
Congratulations to Nikki Loftin on the release of Wish Girl (Razorbill, 2015). From the promotional copy:
Annie Blythe is dying, but she can give Peter Stone the strength to live.
Peter Stone’s parents and siblings are extroverts, musicians, and yellers—and the louder they get, the less Peter talks, or even moves, until he practically fits his last name.
When his family moves to the Texas Hill Country, though, Peter finds a tranquil,...
February 26, 2015
2015 SCBWI Europolitan Con: Publisher Greet Pauwelijn of Book Island
Greet PauwelijnBy Mina Wittemanfor Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations
Greet Pauwelijn is publisher with Book Island, as well as a translator.
True to Book Island's bold dream of enriching children's and adults' lives in the English- and Dutch-language market, she publishes children's books in English and Dutch.
She does this by bringing unique stories from Europe to the shores of New Zealand, then using only the best talent to translate, design and print beautiful high-quality books.
Book...
Hollins Launches Margaret Wise Brown Prize in Children’s Literature
The annual award will showcase the best picture book manuscript as selected by a panel of judges and will be among the few children’s book honors with a cash prize.Roanoke, Va. – Hollins University is paying tribute to one of its best-known alumnae and one of America’s most beloved children’s authors by establishing a literary award in her name.
Presented annually beginning in 2016, the Margaret Wise Brown Prize in Children’s Literature will recognize the author of the best text for a picture...
