Friday was day 1, and my first time there as an instructor. The opening speaker was electric. Alex is the author of \”There Are No Children Here\” and other non-fiction works where he gives people\’s life stories. SOme of his excerpts had people crying in the seats.
DePaul University Summer Writing Workshop – Day 1 Read More »
PULL\’s 2010 Reader\’s Choice award for it\’s first place in Young Adult books arrived in the mail today. I understand why it is affectionately known as a tombstone. Since I could not be in both New York for the RWA conference where the award was given, and in beautiful, if muggy, New Orleans for ALA and a
PULL Wins the National Reader\’s Choice Award – part 2 Read More »
Early in June I went to Chicago\’s Printer\’s Row book festival, an annual weekend celebration of the printed word. I shared a booth with Barbara\’s Bookstore – totally coincidental – and the Chicago Writer\’s Association. I spoke to a family about PULL, and as I talked to the parents their son picked up a copy and started
YA books and censorship Read More »
I just returned to Chicago from the American Library Association meeting in beautiful–and incredibly hot–New Orleans. When I arrived I was greeted by the news that this morning, at the OK RWA breakfast during the Romance Writers of America contest in New York City, PULL was awarded first place in the National Reader\’s Choice Awards. I wish I
PULL Wins the National Reader\’s Choice Award!! Read More »
I am a plotter. I\’ve tried pantsing it, and I get lost every time. I need to understand my beginning, middle checkpoints and ending before I can write word one. Especially I need that end, something for me to aim toward. That said, things change a lot between word one and the time I can
Plotting vs. Pantsing Read More »
I have been interviewed by Jo Ramsey about my writing journey on her blog, Where Fantasy and Reality Collide. Join me there, and read an excerpt from PULL. I hope you\’ll visit … and comment – it\’s lonely out there.
I’ve been interviewed Read More »
Today I am doing my once a month blog post at Romancing The Genres. I\’m going deeper into the subject of creating characters readers love–and love to hate. Come join me and tell me about your favorite characters. This is a follow-up to my first blog last week as a guest at Gemstate Writers
Characters – Part 2 Read More »
Todat I\’m doing double duty – attending the Love Is Brewing In Milwaukee conference, and guest blogging at Gem State Writers. My post there is the first of two blogs I\’ll be doing on ways to make characters walk and talk and act real. Please stop by and tell your own tactics.
Characters – Part 1 Read More »
May 25, 2011, the culminating ceremony for the Area 17 Chicago Young Authors celebration was held at the Dr. Alexander Bouchet Math & Science Academy, and I was there as a guest of the coordinator, Tina Franklin-Bertrand. Author B. A. Binns and Area 17 Youth Authors Coordinator Mrs. Franklin-Bertrand Many of the winners were stories
Young Chicago Authors – the Area 17 ceremony Read More »
I\’m in the final stages of being contest coordinator for my RWA chapter\’s writing contest – I know, I did it before and you\’d think I would learn, but for some reason I agreed to do it again. We have an all-electronic contest now – last time we tried to allow people to submit either
Things I learned from being a contest coordinator Read More »