I met Gwen Cole two years ago at a fun author event (thank you, Richmond Public Library, for supporting YAVA -Young…
This month I visited Alaska’s Denali National Park—not in person, but in prose—when I read Hannah Moderow‘s debut novel Lily’s…
I’m a girl who struggles to write girl characters, so what’s the deal, huh? I’ve asked this question for a…
This month I read a YA novel that defies literary convention. It’s a mystery, but not a mystery. There’s a…
Tapping into your own truth helps you write fully human, complex, and authentic characters.
What a wonderful new book for middle grade readers! Leah Henderson’s debut novel One Shadow on the Wall took me…
Mary Lou Hall‘s debut novel Wirewalker came out in September 2016, introducing YA readers to 14 year-old Clarence Feather, a…
Today I want to sing the praises of Richmond, Virginia’s writing community! I’m fortunate to be surrounded by poets, novelists,…
I don’t remember exactly when I met Erin Teagan, but I know it was through SCBWI‘s Mid-Atlantic chapter—either the annual fall…
In this post by author Kathy Steffen, she talks about “giving your characters accountability.” I thought that was an odd…