Cynthia Leitich Smith's Blog, page 31
May 10, 2022
In Memory: Patricia MacLachlan
Photo Credit: John MacLachlan
Patricia MacLachlan, award-winning and prolific author, died at home on March 31 in Williamsburg, Massachusetts. She was 84.
Obituary: Patricia MacLachlan by Shannon Maughan from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “Award-winning children’s book author Patricia MacLachlan, widely lauded for her spare, realistic stories about everyday family life, died on March 31 at her home in Williamsburg, Mass.”
May 9, 2022
Guest Post: Danica Davidson on Writing a Holocaust Survivor’s Memoir
I met twin Auschwitz survivor Eva Mozes Kor in 2018, when she gave a speech at Western Michigan University. I was there after experiencing increased antisemitism in both my work and personal life. I felt a need to do something about it, but I wasn’t sure what, and I figured the first thing was to better educate myself. I’d hoped to interview Eva for a magazine, but as soon as I mentioned to her that I wrote kids’ books, a new door opened: Eva wanted to do a kid’s book. This...
May 6, 2022
Cynsational News
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Stephani Eaton, Suma Subramaniam, Bree Bender, AJ Eversole and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: Uncle John’s City Garden by Bernette Ford, illustrated by Frank Morrison (Holiday House, 2022).
Author/Illustrator Insights
HarperTeenJoanna Ho: Storytelling Is an Act of Love and Bravery by Lisa Bullard from Macklin Community. Peek: “It is a tremendous privilege to be able to write for young people; to connect with others through the words I ...
May 5, 2022
Nonfiction for Older Readers: Kekla Magoon on How Discovery is in the Details
Photo of Kekla Visiting an Oakland Museum of California exhibit on the Black Panther Party. The wall images are spreads from The Black Panther, the Party’s weekly newspaper.
Today I am thrilled to welcome Kekla Magoon to talk about the process of researching and writing her multi-award winning book Revolution in Our Time: The Black Panther Party’s Promise to the People (Candlewick, 2021). Kekla’s passion, curiosity, and dedication to diligence are energizing and insp...
May 4, 2022
Nonfiction for Older Readers: Maureen Charles & Ashley Walker Talk About Collaborating on a Nonfiction Project
Today I am excited to introduce our Cynsations readers to Maureen Charles and Ashley Walker who recently collaborated on a nonfiction project for older readers. Their book Music Mavens from Chicago Review Press comes out this fall as part of their Women of Power series. Ashley and Maureen are enthusiastic and diligent writers for young people, I know because I am fortunate enough to be in a writing group with them. I can’t wait for you to learn about their process, e...
May 3, 2022
Nonfiction for Older Readers: Martha Brockenbrough on the Joys of Writing Nonfiction
By Bree Bender
Award-winning author Martha Brockenbrough has written more than a dozen books for children and teens. Her work covers a wide range of topics from biographies to masterful fairytale retellings, nonfiction to fiction. Her work is insightful, thought-provoking, and industry changing. I had the incredible opportunity to chat with her about books, writing, and the life of being an author. Welcome, Martha!
What is your favorite part about writing nonfiction? What’s the most challenging...
May 2, 2022
Nonfiction For Older Readers: Gail Jarrow on Digging Deep into Research
Today we kick off a series of posts about writing nonfiction for older readers. In her book Nonfiction Matters (Stenhouse, 1998), Stephanie Harvey explores nonfiction reading and writing in the classroom with an emphasis on the process of discovery. She writes:
“As we studied, we saw the best nonfiction writing emerges from topics the writer knows, cares, and wonders about and wants to pursue.”
This week, you’ll find that care and wonder reflected by the writers we’l...
April 29, 2022
Cynsational News
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Stephani Eaton, Suma Subramaniam, Bree Bender, AJ Eversole and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: You Are the Loveliest by Hans and Monique Hagen, illustrated by Marit Tornqvist, translated by David Colmer (Levine Querido, 2022).
Author/Illustrator InsightsQ&A With Jeni Chen, Emet’s Box by Edie Ching from We Need Diverse Books. Peek: “I am a big fan of Joseph Campbell. He said something like we are not looking for the meaning of life but t...
April 28, 2022
Author Interview: Nelly Buchet on Mindfulness & Humor
Journaling has been part of my daily routine for many years, a way of giving myself space to reflect on the page. I fully embraced how it bolstered my creativity and nourished my writer brain. Then in 2020 I found myself coping with stress on multiple fronts: global pandemic, navigating the virtual world, and becoming a full-time caregiver for an elderly family member. Suddenly, just journaling wasn’t enough.
That summer, I discovered meditation and the transformation that s...
April 27, 2022
Author Interview: Diana Renn Reveals Her Mystery Writing Process
Diana Renn has written mysteries for adults and young adults about everything from cycling and spies to art and antiquities, set in locations around the world. But her newest book Trouble at Turtle Pond (Fitzroy Books, 2022) is aimed at younger readers, and is set much closer to home.
Diana, thank you for joining me!
It’s a pleasure to be here. Thank you for having me!
Your previous books have been for older readers (young adults and adults). What led you to write a mystery...
