Tonya Duncan Ellis's Blog, page 5
July 23, 2022
Texas Book Festival Writing Contest for Youth
The Texas Book Festival is offering a fiction writing contest for Texas-based 6th through 12th graders! Enter for a chance to win a special invitation to participate at the Texas Book Festival November 5-6, 2022 and a literary themed prize.
Eligibility Requirements
– Writer must live in Texas
– Writer must be enrolled in grades 6-12th
– Writer must submit an original work of fiction that
includes no more than 2,000 words
– Submission must be written by a single author; no
co-authors
Deadline: Wednesday, September 14, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. CT
Winners will be announced on October 12, 2022.
Entries will be judged by Texas Book Festival authors, educators, and leaders in the publishing industry. Judges will look for excellence in dialogue, imagery, character development, setting, plot, conflict, and resolution.
Entry must be the author’s original work and creation – no plagiarism or fan fiction.
Still have a question about the contest? Email Michelle: michelle@texasbookfestival.org
Tonya Duncan EllisTonya Duncan Ellis is author of the bestselling, award winning Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Authors Guild, Black Creators in KidLit and the Brown Bookshelf’s Highlights Foundation Sponsored Amplify Black Stories storyteller cohort.
www.tonyaduncanellis.com
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @tonyaDEllis
Follow Us on Instagram: @tonyaellisbooks
Join Sophie’s Club for a FREE ebook! HERE
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July 3, 2022
I MC’d an Event Featuring Multi-Award Winning Author Jerry Craft!
It was standing room only when author Jerry Craft made a special appearance at Brown Sugar Cafe & Books in Katy, TX. I was so honored the bookstore selected me to MC!! Jerry discussed his record breaking book, New Kid, the first graphic novel to win a Newbery Medal and the only book in history to win the Newbery Medal, the Coretta Scott King Author Award, and the Kirkus Prize and its hilarious and thought provoking follow-up, Class Act. He thrilled the crowd by announcing a new release in the series that will drop next spring AND a movie deal produced by Lebron James.
The love from the diverse audience was especially sweet since Jerry’s books were banned in Katy last year. We are so grateful he gave our area another chance by returning and sharing with our youth!! Thanks to proprietress Raven White for organizing this beautiful event that none in attendance will ever forget!
Tonya Duncan EllisTonya Duncan Ellis is author of the bestselling, award winning Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Authors Guild, Black Creators in KidLit and the Brown Bookshelf’s Highlights Foundation Sponsored Amplify Black Stories storyteller cohort.
www.tonyaduncanellis.com
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @tonyaDEllis
Follow Us on Instagram: @tonyaellisbooks
Join Sophie’s Club for a FREE ebook! HERE
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June 24, 2022
Join Me at an Author Event with Jerry Craft!
Multi-award winning author Jerry Craft is visiting Houston’s Brown Sugar Cafe & Books next Friday, July 1, and I’ll be the MC! I had already marked the event in red on my calendar, just to be an audience member, so it’s an especial honor that the store selected me for this role. I can’t wait to hear all about Jerry’s writing journey and learn more about his acclaimed graphic novels, NEW KID and CLASS ACT. NEW KID is winner of the Newbery Medal, the Coretta Scott King Author Award and the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature.
If you’re in the Houston area, I hope you can join us for the special July 1 event, which runs from 6-8 p.m. at Brown Sugar Cafe & Books on 5330 Fry Road, Katy, TX.
Tonya Duncan EllisTonya Duncan Ellis is author of the bestselling, award winning Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Authors Guild, Black Creators in KidLit and the Brown Bookshelf’s Highlights Foundation Sponsored Amplify Black Stories storyteller cohort.
www.tonyaduncanellis.com
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @tonyaDEllis
Follow Us on Instagram: @tonyaellisbooks
Join Sophie’s Club for a FREE ebook! HERE
The post Join Me at an Author Event with Jerry Craft! appeared first on Tonya Duncan Ellis.
June 19, 2022
Why Juneteenth Matters
I was honored to be included in a The Brown Bookshelf’s article on “Why Juneteenth Matters,” with phenomenal authors, including the late renowned author/illustrator, Floyd Cooper.
Here’s my quote:
“I’m proud to live less than fifty miles from the Galveston, Texas spot where General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3, freeing the last 250,000 enslaved people in the United States. Celebrating Juneteenth teaches us about our nation’s history and helps us work together to correct mistakes of the past.”
Read the full article here to get Juneteenth insights from other Black creators.
Enjoy the holiday!
Tonya Duncan EllisTonya Duncan Ellis
Tonya Duncan Ellis is author of the bestselling, award winning Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Authors Guild, Black Creators in KidLit and the Brown Bookshelf’s Highlights Foundation Sponsored Amplify Black Stories storyteller cohort.
www.tonyaduncanellis.com
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @tonyaDEllis
Follow Us on Instagram: @tonyaellisbooks
Join Sophie’s Club for a FREE ebook! HERE
The post Why Juneteenth Matters appeared first on Tonya Duncan Ellis.
Sophie Washington: Treasure Beach #1 New Release In Two Categories!
SOPHIE WASHINGTON: TREASURE BEACH is a #1 New Release in two Amazon categories! Thanks readers for all your support!
In this exciting adventure, Sophie and friends look for treasure on a beach vacation in Corpus Christi, TX. During the search they snorkel, encounter sea turtles, board a “haunted” warship and learn that true friendship is worth more than gold.
Watch the trailer below:
Tonya Duncan EllisTonya Duncan Ellis is author of the bestselling, award winning Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Authors Guild, Black Creators in KidLit and the Brown Bookshelf’s Highlights Foundation Sponsored Amplify Black Stories storyteller cohort.
www.tonyaduncanellis.com
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @tonyaDEllis
Follow Us on Instagram: @tonyaellisbooks
Join Sophie’s Club for a FREE ebook! HERE
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Sophie Washington: Treasure Beach Excerpt
Chapter OneThe Sandcastle
Building a sandcastle is like mixing a batch of cookies. You have to measure the ingredients precisely. Too much water, and it’ll be gooey. Too little, and the sand won’t stick together, and it will crumble.
My best friend Chloe and I have been working on ours all morning. We carefully pack our buckets with sand, make a sturdy base, and even carve in windows and shingles on the roof. It’s starting to remind me of Cinderella’s castle at Disney World.
“Back off, Cole!” I warn my little brother when he kicks sand in my face. He’s hopping around with Granny Washington’s metal detector, trying to find some treasures.
“I think I found something, Sophie!” He starts to shovel in the area where I was going to build a moat.
It’s the second day of our vacation at my grandmother’s house in Corpus Christi, Texas, and we’re spending it at the beach. Cole and I come here for a couple of weeks every summer, and this year, our parents let me bring my best friend Chloe along after I begged for days.
Mom and Dad are at home in Houston having own their vacation. When we FaceTimed them last night, they were on their way out for a date at a fancy restaurant.
Usually crowded by early afternoon, the beach is practically empty with just a few other people around. A cloudless, blue sky stretches over the ocean like a never-ending sheet. The sun shines so brightly that even the seagulls need shades.
“Sure is hot out here!” Chloe pulls her hair off her neck.
With her long, brown legs and shiny black curls, she looks like a soon-to-be seventh-grader, while my two thick braids and flat chest make me look like I’m in elementary school. I wish my mother would buy me a bikini like the cute, red, and white one Chloe has on. But Mom says, “Not until you’re at least thirteen.”
My mother also won’t let me get a charm bracelet like the glittery one Chloe wears every day.
“Too expensive.”
Even though I saved and bought Mom a bangle bracelet for her birthday this year.
Chloe’s parents buy her special charms for all her activities, like cheerleading, computer coding club, one with a Disney princess, and even one with the letter “C” for her initials. As soon as I can save up enough money, I’m buying myself one just like it.
“I told you to get away, Cole!” I frown as he swings the metal detector near my head. “You’re gonna knock down our castle.”
“Told ya I’d find something! I’m rich!” He digs up a shiny object and shuffles his feet like he’s doing a line dance.
“Your brother’s so funny!” Chloe giggles.
“He plays too much!” I grumble. “And that’s worthless, Cole, it’s a bottle top!”
Now that he has an audience, Cole starts telling jokes.
“What’s the best thing to eat at the beach? A sandwich.”
“Why’d the jellyfish blush? Because the seaweed!”
“Boy, stop!” I wave my plastic shovel. “Stick with the treasure hunting.”
“That metal detector has saved the day over the years.” Granny Washington looks up from her lawn chair, where she’s reading a mystery book. “I lost my birthstone ring out here once, and your grandfather searched with his detector for an hour before he found it. We’ve uncovered a few coins and other jewelry too.”
Click to order your copy of SOPHIE WASHINGTON: TREASURE BEACH
Sophie Washington: Treasure Beach Trailer
Tonya Duncan EllisTonya Duncan Ellis is author of the bestselling, award winning Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Authors Guild, Black Creators in KidLit and the Brown Bookshelf’s Highlights Foundation Sponsored Amplify Black Stories storyteller cohort.
www.tonyaduncanellis.com
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @tonyaDEllis
Follow Us on Instagram: @tonyaellisbooks
Join Sophie’s Club for a FREE ebook! HERE
The post Sophie Washington: Treasure Beach Excerpt appeared first on Tonya Duncan Ellis.
May 13, 2022
Sophie Washington Event With Kendra Scott
If you’re in the Houston area on May 14, come see me at a special sponsored event at Kendra Scott’s Sugar Land, Texas location from 2-4 p.m.! Twenty percent of every jewelry purchase will go to the Texas Book Festival’s Reading Rock Stars Program, which provides books and author visits to students enrolled in Title 1 schools. I’ll have autographed Sophie Washington books for sale and would love to meet you!
Tonya Duncan EllisTonya Duncan Ellis is author of the bestselling, award winning Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Authors Guild, Black Creators in KidLit and the Brown Bookshelf’s Highlights Foundation Sponsored Amplify Black Stories storyteller cohort.
www.tonyaduncanellis.com
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @tonyaDEllis
Follow Us on Instagram: @tonyaellisbooks
Join Sophie’s Club for a FREE ebook! HERE
The post Sophie Washington Event With Kendra Scott appeared first on Tonya Duncan Ellis.
March 30, 2022
A Kirkus Review Win for Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day
Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day received a great review from Kirkus!! The entertaining book, which is endorsed by the Lemonade Day National organization and won a 2022 SCBWI Book Launch Grant Award, introduces youth to entrepreneurship.
Read the full review HERE.
Check out the book trailer:
Order Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day on www.tonyaduncanellis.com, Amazon, BarnesandNoble.com and fine booksellers everywhere.
Tonya Duncan EllisTonya Duncan Ellis is author of the bestselling, award winning Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Authors Guild, Black Creators in KidLit and the Brown Bookshelf’s Highlights Foundation Sponsored Amplify Black Stories storyteller cohort.
www.tonyaduncanellis.com
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @tonyaDEllis
Follow Us on Instagram: @tonyaellisbooks
Join Sophie’s Club for a FREE ebook! HERE
The post A Kirkus Review Win for Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day appeared first on Tonya Duncan Ellis.
My Day as a Best Tasting Lemonade Judge
I had a great time serving as a judge and sponsor in Lemonade Day Houston’s Best Tasting contest. The flavors were so creative (from strawberry hibiscus, to cucumber, to Indian Masala spiced), the weather was beautiful, and the young entrepreneurs all brought their “A” game! Each business owner gave a short presentation giving their reasons for starting their lemonade stand and shared ingredients used in their unique recipes.
Before the actual contest began, I walked around to review each stand, mingle with other judges, and snap selfies with “Lemmy” the Lemonade Day mascot! I also made friends with representatives from some of the other sponsors, including Telemundo Houston and Kendra Scott, who I may participate with in other events in the future.
The many lemonade flavors were so delicious that it was hard to choose a winner! Sabrina Roesler, Lemonade Day Houston’s 2020 Youth Entrepreneur of the Year, who endorsed my book, Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day, took the first-place prize.
It was a wonderful morning, and I’d love to do this again next year!
Tonya Duncan EllisTonya Duncan Ellis is author of the bestselling, award winning Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Authors Guild, Black Creators in KidLit and the Brown Bookshelf’s Highlights Foundation Sponsored Amplify Black Stories storyteller cohort.
www.tonyaduncanellis.com
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @tonyaDEllis
Follow Us on Instagram: @tonyaellisbooks
Join Sophie’s Club for a FREE ebook! HERE
The post My Day as a Best Tasting Lemonade Judge appeared first on Tonya Duncan Ellis.
March 20, 2022
Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day Reading Rockstar
I was honored to be selected as a speaker in the Texas Book Festival’s Reading Rockstar program. Meeting with students at Houston’s Wilson Elementary School was a blast, and each child left with their very own copy of my book, Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day.
The Texas Book Festival’s Reading Rock Stars program is a hands-on literacy initiative that sends nationally recognized authors into Title I schools in Texas to inspire young readers with dynamic presentations and send them home with the most empowering experience of all – owning their very own book. The Texas Book Festival funds and coordinates the author visits and donates the books to the children as well as a set of books to each school’s library.
Since the inception of the program, the Texas Book Festival has donated more than 133,000 books to students in Title I schools and provided 400+ author visits. Title I eligibility means that at least 50% of children in the school’s population qualify for free or reduced priced lunches.
Tonya Duncan EllisTonya Duncan Ellis is author of the bestselling, award winning Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Authors Guild, Black Creators in KidLit and the Brown Bookshelf’s Highlights Foundation Sponsored Amplify Black Stories storyteller cohort.
www.tonyaduncanellis.com
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @tonyaDEllis
Follow Us on Instagram: @tonyaellisbooks
Join Sophie’s Club for a FREE ebook! HERE
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