Book review and an author's writing process

My bilingual picture book, Let’s Salsa, got another review. This time the review appeared in Crystal

Brunelle’s blog, Reading Through Life. Hope you read it.  

 

Here’s a post by Newbery medalist, Richard Peck, (A Year Down Yonder – 2001) about the writing process. Titled “Great Expectations: An Interactive Workshop with Richard Peck,”the interview conducted by Matia Burnett appears in the June issue of online Publishers Weekly.  

 

Excerpts from the interview: “Despite the accolades awarded over the course of his career, Peck said that he, like so many, experiences writer’s block: ‘If I knew how to write the novel I’m writing now, I’d be home writing it. I’m here because I’m hiding from a manuscript – just like you are,’ he joked.”

 

He also provides a “10-points first impression checklist” so that the writer can compare his/her opening lines against it.  

 

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Peck at one of the SCBWI-LA conferences. He is a dynamic speaker as well as a great writer.

 

Do you have a story that’s ready for submission to a children’s magazine? Well, here is your chance to submit it to U.S. Kids (Humpty Dumpty – ages 5-7) and (Jack & Jill – ages 6-12). For complete writer and illustrator’s guidelines, visit the link above. Good luck!

 

"Books make great gifts because they have whole worlds inside of them." — Neil Gaiman

Mother-Daughter Interview & Giveaway

I am super excited about an online interview, “Guest Interview & Giveaway: Carolyn Dee Flores & Lupe Ruiz-Flores on Writing, Illustrating, & Team Flores,” that my daughter, illustrator Carolyn Dee Flores, and I did for the fabulous blog and website, Cynsations. It was a fun project where we interviewed each other. We had never done that before. 

 

Books by author and illustrator - "Team Flores"

 

Make sure you read the entire interview and then enter your name at the bottom of the interview for a chance to win an autographed book from me and one from Carolyn. But do it now as there is a deadline. Happy writing! Let me know what you think about the interview.

"A book is like a garden, carried in the pocket." — Chinese Proverb

Writing for Children

Here’s a post by author Marion Dane Bauer of the 1987 Newbery Honor book, On My Honor, that was on the Cynsations blog back in May. The topic? Why Write for Children? She asks, “Why do we choose children or young people as our topic, as our audience?” She writes about an early childhood experience that she wrote about, only a few words, but … “For reasons I couldn’t have explained to myself or to anyone else, that moment mattered. That it was just about the smallest moment I could have imagined made no difference. Capturing it brought something alive in me.” Read the rest of her post and get inspired. 

 

If you’re looking for diversity in children’s books, here is a list, “25 Books That Diversify Kids’ Reading Lists This Summer,” on the Mind Shift blog. 

Check this out – “20 of the Most Magnificent Places to Read Books,” on the LifeHack blog. Enjoy the beautiful pictures of libraries from all over the world. Amazing!

“Plotting is difficult for me, and always has been. I do that before I actually start writing, but I always do characters, and the arc of the story, first... You can’t do anything without a story arc. Where is it going to begin, where will it end.” -- Elizabeth George

Libraries and Writing Exercises

There’s something about the smell of libraries that I like. I love libraries and I love their smell! I think for me it triggers a lot of good memories spent in school libraries when I was a kid. I thought I was the only one who ever talked about library smells. But here is a link to The Business Insider blog post, Why Books Have Such a Distinctive Smell: The Aroma of Books,”  that addresses this topic. Really! A comparison of smells is made between old and new books and the “chemical constituents … and processes and compounds that contribute to both.” Who knew?

 

If you’re having trouble getting started on your writing, here’s an article that lists twelve writing exercises to help you. “A 12-Day Plan of Simple Writing Exercises,” by Brian Klems, online editor on The Writer’s Digest blog, starts with Day 1: “Write 10 potential book titles of books you’d like to write and ends with Day 12: Gather everything you’ve written over the previous 11 days. Pick your favorite. Edit it, polish it and either try to get it published or post it on the Web to share with the world.” I think this list will motivate any writer. 

No matter what your writing life brings, believe in yourself and keep moving forward. Most writers cycle between periods of self-doubt and periods of confidence. – Writer’s Digest Weekly Planner

How an Illustrator Creates

The following post by Illustrator April Chu on the Lee and Low blog, is an interesting read for both writers and illustrators. She writes about the illustration process for her book, Summoning the Phoenix. She shows how she brainstorms, researches, does thumbnail sketches, and much more. Included in the article are black and white sketches and final art of beautiful colored illustrations. 

 

Here’s a fascinating look at a You Tube piece, “47 Charming Facts About Children’s Books,” narrated by author John Green, on the Mental Floss You Tube. Enjoy. 

If you write Christian books, Anaiah Press is accepting submissions. Have a great writing day!!

“You have to finish things — that’s what you learn from, you learn by finishing things.” -- Neil Gaiman