Cynthia Leitich Smith's Blog, page 52

Guest Post: Suzanne Crowley on Finding Inspiration Close to Home

Young Suzanne with her Grandfather Tio
in Uvalde, TexasBy Suzanne Crowley
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations

As writers, we are frequently asked where we draw inspiration from. I think it’s true that everything we write is somewhat autobiographical.

I know I scatter a bit of myself in everything I write – that’s what gives it a soul and makes my stories “sing,” if you will.

In Finding Esme (Greenwillow, 2018) twelve-year-old Esme McCauley is reeling from the death of her grandfather, Paps, who...

Guest Post: Yona Zeldis McDonough on Staying True to Yourself

Yona Zeldis McDonoughby Yona Zeldis McDonough
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations

I hate weapons, especially firearms. Always have, and always will. Even the sight of a legally sanctioned gun—police office, hunter—makes me recoil and I literally take a step back.

Along with hating weapons, I hate war and though I concede that some wars have been necessary, I fail to see warfare as heroic or noble.

So when Scholastic tapped me to write a book about the evacuation at Dunkirk [of World War II.],...

Guest Post: Shutta Crum on A New Life for an Out-of-Print Book

Learn more about Shutta CrumBy Shutta Crum
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations

So you’re zipping along—doing your thing—and below the radar one, or more, of your books goes silently out of print.

When a book goes out of print, it always hurts—it’s a death in the family. You’ve spent a significant portion of your life living with it, writing it, and cheering it on. Now, it’s no longer available. For most books, that’s simply the end of the line.

I did not want that to happen to my first novel,...

New Voice: Tara Luebbe on Crafting a Double Debut & Writing With the Stars

Author Tara Luebbe, photo by Carl KerridgeBy Traci Sorell
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations

Tara Luebbe is on a roll!

She has been doing double duty promoting two debut picture books published earlier this year.

Luckily, her sister Becky Cattie co-authors the books with her, so they can share this journey together.

But today I’m featuring Tara because she got them started on their children’s publishing path.

Tell me about your pre-publication craft apprenticeship. How did you take your writing...

Cynsational News

By Cynthia Leitich Smith,
Robin Galbraith, Gayleen Rabukukk, and Stephani Eaton
for Cynsations

Cover Reveal: The Hero Next Door, edited by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich (Random House, 2019)(Ages 8-up). Peek:

Not all heroes wear capes. Some heroes teach martial arts. Others talk to ghosts. A few are inventors or soccer players. They’re also sisters, neighbors, and friends. 

Because heroes come in many shapes and sizes. But they all have one thing in common: they make the wo...

Native Voice: Art Coulson on Unstoppable: How Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team Defeated Army

Learn more about Art CoulsonBy Traci Sorell 
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations

I’m delighted to feature author and former journalist Art Coulson today on Cynsations.

Fellow Cherokee Nation citizen and newcomer to the field of children’s literature like myself, Art has been busy writing and getting books published. Unstoppable: How Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team Defeated Army, illustrated by Nick Hardcastle (Capstone, 2018) is his first picture book.

What was you...

New Voices: Samantha M. Clark & Melanie Sumrow on Writing Communities

Samantha M. Clark and Melanie SumrowBy Gayleen Rabakukk
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations

Today I'm excited to share the publishing journeys of two Texas middle grade authors, Samantha M. Clark and Melanie Sumrow.

Both are members of the Electric Eighteen debut author group and both are passionate about community involvement as a component of publishing success.

Samantha M. Clark

Please describe your pre-publication craft apprenticeship. How did you take your writing from a beginner level to...

Survivors: Alan Cumyn on Thriving as a Long-Time Actively Publishing Author for All Ages

Learn more about Alan Cumyn.By Cynthia Leitich Smith
for Cynsations

In children’s-YA writing, maintaining an active publishing career is arguably an even bigger challenge than breaking into the field.

Reflecting on your personal journey (creatively, career-wise, and your writer’s heart), what bumps did you encounter and how have you managed to defy the odds to achieve continued success?

I first submitted a book manuscript to a publisher when I was a teenager, and have saved the editor's quietly...

Book Trailer: We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga

By Cynthia Leitich Smith
for Cynsations

Cynsations is on hiatus for the rest of the week. We'll be back on Nov. 27.

Happy feasting to those who do so at this time of year!

Check out the book trailer for We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Frané Lessac (Charlesbridge, 2018).

Cynsational News

By Cynthia Leitich Smith,
Robin Galbraith, Gayleen Rabukukk, and Stephani Eaton
for Cynsations

Author/Illustrator Insights

Q & A With Natasha Ngan by Katrina Nildas Holm from Publishers Weekly. Peek:

 "We can censor what we expose teens to through books, but we can't be protecting them from everything in the real world, so I think it's important that there are books that tackle deeper, darker issues."

Robin Talley, Author of Pulp, on Not Getting Too Far Inside Her Own H...