Jess Keating's Blog, page 2
October 8, 2019
Weird Animal Pumpkin Templates!
Happy October!
We’re launching the FOURTH World of Weird Animals book this month! To celebrate, the supremely talented David DeGrand and I wanted to do something a little different, just in time for the Halloween season. And what says Halloween like some weird animal pumpkins? Now it’s easy to share your favorite weirdo with your neighborhood or school! Click the link below to download your own! Tag us on Twitter with your creations!
Download the whole PDF here: WeirdAnimalPumpkins_JKDDG
(You...
August 28, 2019
Real Writers and Other Malarkey
Hey all! I wanted to address something I’ve noticed lately, but unfortunately takes much more than a 140 character tweet to discuss. Grab a drink and let’s dig into it!
With social media, it’s a little too easy to fall into the trap of assuming that louder voices, or more-retweeted voices are right. I do my best to respond to malarkey in real time if it warrants it (usually, it doesn’t), but sometimes, you gotta go to the mattresses and write a whole post.
Every few months, there’s a new twee...
August 27, 2019
Cover Reveal!
Hello!
I come bearing some fun news today – I’ve got a cover reveal for one of my upcoming picture books! Without any adieu whatsoever, let’s get to it!
I am beyond excited for this book! I first had the idea for a traveling-sugar-glider-doctor a couple of years ago, and it’s truly amazing to see her world brought to life so beautifully! I’ve been supremely lucky when it comes to illustrators for my books, and learning that Pete Oswald was on board made my day! He is one of my favorite illus...
August 23, 2019
Writer’s Notebook – Lavender Fields Forever
Happy Friday!
I hope you’re well on your way to an amazing weekend! I’ve been loving the cooler air and whisper of autumn that’s on the wind. Pretty soon all of us fall souls can rejoice!
Here are 10 things that made me take notice this week.
1. I just finished a FRIENDS rewatch. Have to admit, I kind of wish Rachel had gone to Paris (and maybe taken Joey with her?) Am I alone on this? Either way, this Central Perk LEGO set is pretty cute.
2. I’ve also had a not-so-secret belief that f...
July 25, 2019
Creativity, Mindfulness, and Habits: FAQ
Hello!
I recently spent a lovely evening chatting with #PBChat participants (check the hashtag on Twitter for full discussions!) and I wanted to share some of the most common questions that came up!
As you’ll see, we focused a lot on mindfulness, creative habits, and productivity (three areas that I feel are central to any creative lifestyle!) and it was lovely to have a chance to put together many of my thoughts in one place. I hope they’re helpful to you!
July 22, 2019
Netflix & Chimps
Hello and happy Monday! I’ve switched things up a bit. Instead of sharing a roundup of curiosities on Fridays as usual, I thought it would be nice to start the week with them! (Always better to start off on the right foot, and why wait til Friday to celebrate with something interesting, right?
Here are a few things to spark something fun this week.
1. Rainbow water. This belongs in a book (and is quite high on my list of must visit places!)
2. The Secret Language of Trees. This was a fascina...
June 28, 2019
Laundromat Mermaids and Dystopia
This past week flew by so fast! SHARK LADY received some pretty beautiful hardware, and I rounded a big wordcount milestone on my next novel. The combination of drafting and prepping for an upcoming book release means lots of dirty dishes, but I’ll save you the joy of that visual.
Here are ten things that caught my attention this week!
1) These square waves look pulled right out of a YA dystopia novel.
2) Speaking of dystopia (aren’t we always?) – did you hear about this Hunger Games news? I...
June 24, 2019
Read, Explore Summer Reading Poster!
When I was little, we lived about 600 yards away from our local library. It was a tiny spot – I could walk from one end of the room to the other in about twenty steps – but at the time, it felt like a kingdom of books. Some of my fondest memories of summer took place in the pages of books from that small library, and I distinctly remember feeling so lucky that I could walk there on a summer morning without needing my parents to join me.
Here’s a summer reading poster I cooked up to spark a li...
June 14, 2019
Holy Grail Lizards & Read Alouds
It’s been a busy writing week here, as I work on book three in my Elements of Genius series! One of the strangest sensations as a writer is spending so much time writing a sequel to a book, when the first one isn’t out yet. You’re so fully immersed in this world, and nobody is around to share in it! Writers are used to feeling a little out of phase from the rest of the world, but there’s nothing like arguing in your head with characters nobody has met yet to make you feel like an odd duck.
L...
June 12, 2019
The To-Do List of Becoming
It’s my five year anniversary of publishing my first book!
Technically, it was two days ago, but I was too busy with other projects (like announcing my next book!) to celebrate. And if i really think about it, that’s probably a pretty good way to celebrate.
My first book was a novel called How to Outrun a Crocodile When Your Shoes are Untied, all about a preteen girl who lived in a zoo, who was struggling to find her voice in the world, to share the things she cared about most. They say that...
