Cynthia Leitich Smith's Blog, page 73

Guest Post: Carmela A. Martino on Pulling a Novel From the Drawer & Playing By Heart

By Carmela A. Martino
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations

If I’d known how long and difficult the path to publication would be for my new young adult novel, Playing by Heart (Vinspire Publishing, 2017), I might never have started down this road. The journey began when I set out to write a picture book biography of a little-known 18th-century female mathematician.

Long before entering the Vermont College MFA program, I’d been a computer programmer, and my undergraduate degree is in Mathematics...

Survivors: Margaret Peterson Haddix on Thriving as a Long-Time, Actively Publishing Children's-YA Author

Learn more about Margaret Peterson Haddix.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, what bumps did you encounter and how have you managed to defy the odds to achieve continued success?

Oh, I did so many things wrong!

A lot of my struggles in the beginning were just about having the confidence to think that it was possible to be pu...

Cynsational News

By Cynthia Leitich Smith & Gayleen Rabakukk
for Cynsations

Author & Illustrator Interviews

YA Authors Nic Stone and Jared Reck Chat About Crafting Characters, Their Paths to Publication, and More by Shelley Diaz from School Library Journal. Peek from Nic Stone: "For me, the best thing about being a debut author is also the worst thing: having no idea what’s going to happen. On the one hand, it’s this exciting adventure...seeing our books pop up on these '10 YA Must-Reads T...

Cover Reveal: Donna Janell Bowman on Abraham Lincoln's Dueling Words

By Gayleen Rabakukk
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations

Check out the cover of Abraham Lincoln's Dueling Words, a nonfiction picture book by Donna Janell Bowman, illustrated by S.D. Schindler (Peachtree, April 2018). From the promotional copy:

Long before he was our beloved president, Abraham Lincoln was known for his smarts and his knee-slapping humor. 

In 1842, that got him into a heap of trouble. When he clashed with James Shields, a political rival, Lincoln came up with a rascally pla...

Guest Post: Cate Berry on VCFA at Bath Spa University

By Cate Berry
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations

Looking back on your undergraduate years, do you have remorse? What got away?

Mine is easy. I regret spending a semester abroad.

Enter my grad school: Vermont College of Fine Arts. I graduated this July with an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults, but not without savoring a wonderful and rich residency in Bath Spa, England the previous summer. It was the opportunity of a lifetime.

Corsham CourtSummer Residency in England is now in it’s...

Author Interview: Shenaaz Nanji on Child Slavery & Ghost Boys

By Gayleen Rabakukk
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations

Shenaaz Nanji is the author of Ghost Boys (Mawenzi House Publishers, September 2017). From the promotional copy:

Fifteen-year-old Munna lives with his Ma and sisters in a small town in India. 

Determined to end his family’s misfortunes, he is lured into a dream job in the Middle East, only to be sold. He must work at the Sheikh’s camel farm in the desert and train young boys as jockeys in camel races. 

The boys, smuggled from poo...

Cover Reveal & Author Snapshot: Jazz Owls, a Novel of the Zoot Suit Riots by Margarita Engle

By Cynthia Leitich Smith
for Cynsations

Check out the cover of Jazz Owls, a Novel of the Zoot Suit Riots by Margarita Engle, illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez (Atheneum, June 2018). Note: a young adult novel-in-verse about the Zoot Suit Riots in 1943.

Margarita says:

"During World War II, my hometown of Los Angeles, California became the scene of riots so strange that they don't seem real, unless viewed through the lens of modern trends toward increasing racial violence.  

"Sailors on their...

Book Trailer: Tumble & Blue by Cassie Beasley

By Cynthia Leitich Smith
for Cynsations

Check out the book trailer for Tumble & Blue by Cassie Beasley (Dial, 2017). From the promotional copy:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Circus Mirandus comes the magic-infused story of a golden gator, two cursed kids, and how they take their destinies into their own hands.

When the red moon rises over the heart of the Okefenokee swamp, legend says that the mysterious golden gator Munch will grant good luck to the poor soul fool...

Book Video: An Evening of Ectoplasm

By Cynthia Leitich Smith
for Cynsations



From the acknowledgements: "Icky paranormal history with award-winning authors William Alexander, M.T. Anderson, and Kekla Magoon. Special thanks to Alice Dodge for her spirit photography, Kelly Murphy for the gorgeous illustrations, and The Parlour Trick for graciously granting us permission to use 'The Yellow Wallpaper' and 'Pandora' from their album 'A Blessed Unrest.'"

About A Properly Unhaunted Place (Margaret K. McElderry, 2017)

From Nation...

Book Trailer: Spirit Hunters by Ellen Oh

By Cynthia Leitich Smith
for Cynsations

Check out the book trailer for Spirit Hunters by Ellen Oh (HarperChildren's, 2017). From the promotional copy:

We Need Diverse Books founder Ellen Oh returns with Spirit Hunters, a high-stakes middle grade mystery series about Harper Raine, the new seventh grader in town who must face down the dangerous ghosts haunting her younger brother. 

A riveting ghost story and captivating adventure, this tale will have you guessing at every turn! ...