Cynthia Leitich Smith's Blog, page 9
September 17, 2024
Authors Interview: Texas Authors Against Book Bans Champions Freedom to Read
Cynsations is celebrating its 20th anniversary by switching to a quarterly publishing schedule, featuring in-depth interviews and articles. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm!
Samantha Clark, David Bowles, Evan Griffith, Cory Putman Oakes and Liz Garton Scanlon are on the leadership team for the Texas Chapter of Authors Against Book Bans, helping to ignite and organize authors’ voices around the freedom to read. I recently reached out to them to learn more abo...
September 16, 2024
In Memory: Author-Illustrators Derek Anderson & Nonny Hogrogian
Cynsations is celebrating its 20th anniversary by switching to a quarterly publishing schedule, featuring in-depth interviews and articles. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm!
These author-illustrators died earlier this year and were not included in Cynsations spring/summer issue. We hope you find inspiration in their dedication to craft and lifelong commitment to create books for young readers.
CYN NOTE: We honor the memories and contributions of our friends ...
September 13, 2024
Success Strategies Guest Post: Candice Ransom Writes Across Age Categories & Genres
Cynsations is celebrating its 20th anniversary by switching to a quarterly publishing schedule, featuring in-depth interviews and articles. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm!
Spotlight image: Author Candice Ransom with a few of her 180 published books at a library event.
There was no doubt I was going to be a writer of children’s books. Never mind I couldn’t go to college. Never mind I was the only reader in my house (my folks must have thought I’d fallen from ...
September 12, 2024
Throwback Thursday: Sally J. Pla Discusses the Importance of Honest Depictions of Autism & Mental Health
Cynsations is celebrating its 20th anniversary by switching to a quarterly publishing schedule, featuring in-depth interviews and articles. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm!
Congratulations to Sally J. Pla on the publication of Invisible Isabel, illustrated by Tania de Regil (Quill Tree, 2024)! From the publisher’s website:
…an illustrated middle grade novel about introverted Isabel Beane, who learns to speak up to quiet her worries.
Isabel Beane is a shy girl who lives in a ho...
September 11, 2024
Author & Editor Interview: Cynthia Leitich Smith & Rosemary Brosnan on Heartdrum & Successful Author-Editor Relationships
Cynsations is celebrating its 20th anniversary by switching to a quarterly publishing schedule, featuring in-depth interviews and articles. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm!
Spotlight Image: HarperCollins Publisher and Vice President Rosemary Brosnan with Heartdrum Author-Curator Cynthia Leitich Smith
On a Wing And A Tear, cover by Natasha Donovan (Heartdrum, Sept. 17, 2024) is described as “a modern folklore story about friendship, embracing the unexpected,...
September 10, 2024
Author Interview: Uma Krishnaswami on Writing Sequels, The Use of Italics & When It’s Time to Listen to Your Inner Critic
Cynsations is celebrating its 20th anniversary by switching to a quarterly publishing schedule, featuring in-depth interviews and articles. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm!
Spotlight image: Author Uma Krishnaswami, photo by S. Shrikhande
Today we are excited to welcome Uma Krishnaswami to Cynsations. Uma was one of my semester-long mentors during my MFA journey at the Vermont College of Fine Arts. We first connected over our shared Indian heritage and immigran...
May 24, 2024
Cynsational News
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Suma Subramaniam, A.J. Eversole, Mitu Malhotra and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: The Heart Never Forgets by Ana Ot, illustrated by Hayden Goodman (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2024).
Author/Illustrator Insights
Behind the Mic With Cynthia Leitich Smith and Shaun Taylor-Corbett with Jo Reed from AudioFile. Peek: [Cynthia Leitich Smith:] “I’m very aware of how deeply young readers take in story….[W]hat I’...
May 23, 2024
In Memory: Author-Illustrators Faith Ringgold & Étienne Delessert
Cynsations is celebrating its 20th anniversary by switching to a quarterly publishing schedule, featuring in-depth interviews and articles. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm!
Author-Illustrator Faith Ringgold
From Publishers Weekly, “Award-winning visual artist, children’s book author-illustrator, and teacher Faith Ringgold, widely acclaimed for her works depicting African American heroines and themes, and for her unique “story quilt” medium, died on April 13...
Career Achievers: Don Tate on Thriving as a Long-Time, Actively Publishing Children’s-YA Author, Illustrator & Author-Illustrator
Cynsations is celebrating its 20th anniversary by switching to a quarterly publishing schedule, featuring in-depth interviews and articles. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm!
Don Tate is a successful children’s-YA creator with a long, distinguished career.
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 wr...
May 22, 2024
Illustrator Interview: Kavita Ramchandran Discusses Her Illustration Process
Cynsations is celebrating its 20th anniversary by switching to a quarterly publishing schedule, featuring in-depth interviews and articles. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm!
I’m thrilled to welcome Kavita Ramchandran to Cynsations today. Kavita talks about her illustration process for her most recent book, When I Visited Grandma, written by Saumiya Balasubramaniam (Groundwood Books, April 2024).
Kavita, in your own words, please tell us about your most recen...
