writing

A Peek at the Creative Space of Shallee McArthur

Joining us today for Creative Spaces is YA author Shallee McArthur. Shallee’s debut novel, The Unhappening of Genesis Lee, was published last fall by Sky Pony Press:  Seventeen-year-old Genesis Lee has never forgotten anything. As one of the Mementi—a small group of genetically-enhanced humans—Gena remembers everything with the help of her Link bracelets, which preserve memories perfectly. But Links can be stolen, and six people have already lost their lives to a memory thief, including Gena’s best friend.Anyone could be next.Which is why Gena is less than pleased to meet a strange but charming boy named Kalan who claims that they’ve not only met, but that Gena knows who the thief is.The… Read the rest

A Peek at the Creative Space of Mary Quattlebaum

A dog is a great muse!I always get many ideas while walking the family dogs. Ahoy and avast, ye mateys! If there’s a wee pirate enthusiast in your life, have I got a book recommendation for you: Pirate vs. Pirate by Mary Quattlebaum and illustrated by Alexandra Boiger. Bad Bart is the biggest, burliest pirate this side of the Atlantic, and Mean Mo the maddest, mightiest pirate that side of the Pacific. When Bart and Mo decide they won’t settle for just one measly ocean, they want to conquer the world, they meet their competitor in the middle and have one of my favorite exchanges of the book: “Rogue, am I?”… Read the rest

Catching Up: A Three-Part Series

In which I cover three book- and/or writing-related things that have been keeping me busy since I last posted. Part Two: Sara Gruen. My husband gave me tickets to the Denver Pen and Podium series, and Sara Gruen was the author I was most excited to see. I love her book Water for Elephants. She wrote a great article for Writer magazine about the research she did in preparation for writing Water for Elephants. And she’s an animal lover, so I was pretty sure I would enjoy hearing her speak. She was initially scheduled to speak in November, but had to postpone until February due to illness.… Read the rest

Catching Up: A Three-Part Series

In which I cover three book- and/or writing-related things that have been keeping me busy since I last posted. Part One: The American Library Association Midwinter Meeting.This fell at a busy time for me, and I almost didn’t go, but I am so glad I did. You might think this ALA event is just for librarians and a select number of published writers and illustrators (I used to think that, anyway), but it’s not. Anyone can purchase a day pass, which is good for the whole weekend, and browse the publisher’s stalls where they have what seemed like their entire current catalog of books on display.… Read the rest

High-Five Friday

Five happy things from the week: 1. Small Graces. Author and illustrator Grace Lin is auctioning off an original 5×5 piece of artwork every month with 100% of the proceeds benefiting The Foundation for Children’s Books. (This is the same Grace Lin who co-founded the Robert’s Snow fundraiser.) Over the last year I’ve noticed quite a number of authors and illustrators using their blogs or internet presence to bring attention to and/or raise money to support various causes. I think this is a wonderful and amazing thing. 2. Along the lines of wonderful and amazing things that writers are doing, fAiRy gOdSisTeRs, iNk has announced their 2nd Annual SCBWI Summer Conference Scholarship.… Read the rest