Happy Tuesday, everyone! This week, my guest on KidLit Oasis is author and illustrator Amanda Davis, and I can't wait to hear more about her journey as a writer that led to the release of her debut, 30,000 STITCHES. Plus, a chance for you to win a copy of the book! Welcome, Amanda! Thank you for joining us on the blog. Please briefly describe your journey to publication. A: Hi Rosie, thanks so much for having me on the blog! I’m excited to be here to celebrate 30,000 STITCHES together! My love for art and writing stems back to my childhood. My father passed away when I was twelve, and I turned to art and writing to cope and process my emotions. This is what led me to teach art and later write and illustrate children’s books. I want to show kids the power in our stories-whether through writing, reading or visual art. In 2012, I took a continuing education course at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston called, Illustrating Children’s Books, with illustrator, Ilse Plume. This course was eye opening for me and kick-started my career in kidlit. I realized that children’s books combine all three of my passions: art, writing, and stories. After completing that course, I dove headfirst into the craft of writing and illustrating for children (while balancing my job as a full-time high school teacher). I joined SCBWI, 12x12, and found a local and online critique group. I tried to soak in all the knowledge I could about the kidlit industry. I began to query literary agents and editors with a few of my stories. Looking back, I probably queried those stories too early, but hey, that’s part of the learning process. The story that finally landed me an agent and later a deal is my debut creative nonfiction picture book titled 30,000 STITCHES: THE INSPIRING STORY OF THE NATIONAL 9/11 FLAG, illustrated by the amazing Sally Wern Comport and due out with WorthyKids/Hachette Book Group on May 4th. I first learned about the story back in 2011 when I facilitated an art lesson around the story of the flag with my art students for the tenth remembrance of 9/11. The story lingered in my head, but needed time to flourish. Later, after visiting the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in 2014 and being overcome with emotion at the artifacts and the stories, it was a reminder of the importance of telling this story of the flag.So, I decided to try my hand at crafting a manuscript for it. I have a background in journalism, so it was a delight getting to research and interview primary sources for the story. From the Ground Zero Superintendent to Flag Tour Staff, the people who I spoke to about the flag, were incredible. Once I had the story polished up, which was many months later, I began to query agents and editors. The process of landing an agent and book deal was filled with ups and downs. I had many passes along the way but most were positive and many had personalized feedback, so I knew I was on the right track. I even got a few requests to revise and resubmit. I submitted to WorthyKids by snail mail through the slush pile and after many months of not hearing back, I took that as a pass. I continued to query the story and later, connected with agent, Melissa Richeson who signed me for the project. Seven months later, an assistant editor from WorthyKids contacted me to ask if the story was still available. Of course, I said a big and enthusiastic YES, connected her with Melissa. The rest is history! Long story short, it took me about nine years to get my first picture book traditionally published! It can be a long and winding road to get there, but if you keep pressing ahead, you are bound to meet your destination. Q: What do you find most challenging in this business, either on the creative or publishing side of things? What do you find most rewarding? What helps you stay motivated? A: Oooh, good question! There are many, ha! I think one of the biggest and most consistent challenges has been getting varying feedback from agents and editors when querying them with my stories-especially with nonfiction. As with any art, writing and illustrating are subjective. Each agent or editor has particular tastes and will have different opinions on how to make your story stronger (or you get little feedback at all). For example, when querying 30,000 STITCHES, some agents and editors wanted to see more of the factual information from the back matter directly in the text while others wanted to keep it more sparse. It’s hard to wade through these reactions and know exactly what to do. I remember putting so much pressure on myself to get the revisions right and thinking “this is my one chance!” In the end, many of those revisions didn’t end up landing me a deal but did lead me to a version of the story that sold to WorthyKids. I think so much of what we do as creators is about taking risks, following our gut, crossing our fingers, and hoping for the best. On the business side of things, often times there are many factors that are out of our control, which can be also frustrating. For example, maybe a particular editor just recently acquired a similar story so they pass on yours, or perhaps their profit and loss statement doesn’t fall in your favor, or maybe they’re looking for very specific stories to balance out theirtheir list. Each of these scenarios has happened to me. So, with so many unknowns, all we can do is keep writing, revising, and lean into our critique groups and, loved ones for support. We must continue to remind ourselves to find the joy in creating and know that the more stories we write and illustrate, the better our chances will be that one will resonate strongly with an agent or editor. Most importantly, children need our stories. And, for me, if positive thinking and self-talk aren’t doing the trick, I turn to my rescue pup, Cora for comfort. She’s always willing to lend a listening ear. :) Q: Could you share any craft tools or techniques that you find most helpful to you when working on a project? What does your revision process look like? A: My revision process for my writing is much like my revision process for my art. Many versions, and much research. My first drafts for my writing are like my rough sketches for my illustrations-loose and organic. As I get feedback, I begin to revise and the images and words get more refined. I thought it might be fun to take a look at revision from the illustration side so I included a few examples from the illustrations I recently did for The Writer’s Loft, Friends and Anemones: Ocean Poems for Children anthology. Before even putting pencil to paper, I had to do a lot of research on the creatures of the deep sea such as, vampire squids, angler fish, and sea pens. Finally, once I had a solid idea of what the creatures looked like, I put pencil to paper and completed a rough sketch. Same thing for my narwhal illustration. You can see the different versions and how the images evolved. With the narwhal illustration, the original poem started off sad but then the author was asked by the editors to brighten the mood, which in turn shifted my dark and dreary illustration. I had to flex and mold my image to fit the cheery new poem, which meant a brighter color palette to create a joyful mood and revising the expressions and positioning of the narwhal characters. When writing, my revision process tends to be the same, it’s important to stay open and loose with first drafts, not get too attached to any version, and of course, leave room for the illustrations. Q: What's coming up for you next? Please tell us about any new releases, exciting news, upcoming events or anything else you'd like to share with our readers? A: Yes! Tonight is my first launch event at The Silver Unicorn Bookstore! I’m super pumped to be in conversation with members of the flag tour staff as we discuss their role with the flag and reflect on the upcoming 20th remembrance of 9/11. You can register for the event HERE! If you register, you’ll be entered for a chance to win a five-pack of lovely notecards featuring art by Sally Wern Comport from the book. The winner will be announced at the end of the event and must be in attendance to win. I hope you all can join us!! 30,000 STITCHES celebrations continue throughout the month! The complete schedule can be found HERE or see below for the full list. Allevents are virtual, FREE and open to all! Follow along my virtual blog tour for more giveaways and interviews as well! It’s been such a blast chatting with you, Rosie. Thanks again for having me, and best of luck on your own creative projects!! Cheers! G I V E A W A Y! ! ! Amanda is offering a copy of 30,000 STITCHES to one lucky winner who leaves a comment on this post! (Social media shares are encouraged and greatly appreciated, too.) Amanda Davis is a teacher, artist, writer, and innovator who uses her words and pictures to light up the world with kindness. Amanda is the author of 30,000 STITCHES: THE INSPIRING STORY OF THE NATIONAL 9/11 FLAG and has poetry and illustrations featured in The Writers’ Loft Anthology, FRIENDS AND ANEMONES: OCEAN POEMS FOR CHILDREN. When she’s not busy creating, you can find her sipping tea, petting dogs, and exploring the natural wonders of The Bay State with her partner and her rescue pup, Cora. Pre-order a signed copy of 30,000 STITCHES HERE! Penny Taub won a copy of Amanda's book.
Congratulations, Penny!
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Welcome back to the Oasis! Oh, do I have a double treat for you this week! Two awesome authors are chatting about their new books, sharing the ideas that prompted them to write those stories, what's hidden in the illustrations of one of the books, and talk about their collaborations with their illustrators plus much more! Ready to dive in? Here are Chana and Kathy in conversation. . . Kathy Doherty: LET LIBERTY RISE! HOW AMERICA’S SCHOOLCHILDREN HELPED SAVE THE STATUE OF LIBERTY has received wonderful write-ups from Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly...and a starred reviewed from School Library Journal. How did you get the idea to write this story? Chana Stiefel: Thanks so much Kathy. As authors we are trained to keep our eyes and ears open for a good story. And to paraphrase Elizabeth Gilbert in Big Magic, when inspiration comes, you need to grab it by the tail and hang on to it before it runs away. In 2014, I invited my author friends Jackie Glasthal and Sue Macy to my home for Friday night dinner. Jackie shared that she had published a middle grade novel called Liberty on 23rd Street. The setting for that book is lower Manhattan in the late 1800s, when the Statue of Liberty was under construction. Jackie shared this little-known slice of history—that children contributed their hard-earned pennies to the pedestal fund to build the statue. Hearing that story, I knew that it had to become a picture book. After years of research, writing, and revising, it’s finally here! Congrats to you, Kathy, on the launch of THE THINGITY-JIG, which has received starred reviews from Kirkus and Foreword Reviews! How did you dream up this delightful story about a bear that discovers a fun, springy thing, but needs his friends to help haul it home? KD: Chana, all your hard work paid off!...And thank you for your kind words about my book. As an author I love to play “what if.” So when I saw a discarded couch in my neighborhood, I wondered what if a bear cub found it...and what if he wanted to take it back to the forest and jump on it with his friends. I used intertextuality to combine aspects of the folktale The Little Red Hen and my own ideas to tell a brand new story. Chana, your book’s illustrations are fabulous. Did you have any input in choosing the illustrator or in the art itself? And what do you like best about the illustrations? CS: Thank you, Kathy! Scholastic chose Chuck Groenink as the illustrator, and I couldn’t be happier. I love the sweet faces of all of the children and the clothing of the time period. He did lots of research to capture Manhattan in the late 1800s, including the buildings, the ships, the printing press, and the red mailbox. He also hid two famous paintings from the late 1800s within the illustrations. (See if you can find them!) And there’s a lovely golden copper hue that shines throughout the book, which emanates from the Statue of Liberty’s original copper color. Your book also has a beautiful glow, Kathy! What was your reaction when you first saw Kristyna Litten’s illustrations? Were you able to give feedback during the process? What is your favorite spread and why? KD: It was love at first sight! Kristyna’s illustrations were as whimsical as my text. I only gave a minor suggestion or two along the way. I wanted Kristyna to have free range. The spread I love most is when Bear starts bouncing on the couch for the first time. Bingity! Bing! Boing! In doing research, what were you most surprised to learn? CS: There were so many surprises! First was the realization that although France sent America this glorious gift, America didn’t want her. Some people said they should send her back to France! Can you imagine? I was also surprised to learn about the many fundraisers to build the pedestal. Pulitzer’s campaign was the first crowd-sourcing campaign. He said that if anyone sent a penny for the pedestal, he would print their name in his newspaper. Other fundraisers included an art auction, which included Emma Lazarus’s infamous poem, “The New Colossus.” In addition, people could pay to take a ferry to Bedloe’s Island and see the statue in crates, or they could purchase a small model. In 1876, at the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, Liberty’s arm was on display. People could pay 50 cents to climb up to the torch. Many of these details didn’t make it into the text but can be found in the backmatter. What were some of the challenges in writing your story? Did you go through many revisions? What’s one takeaway you learned from the writing process? KD: One challenge was the ending. It wasn’t quite right at first. But a few revisions later, and my editor and I nailed it. Besides learning about history, what do you hope kids will take away from your book? CS: The major theme of the book is that when we work together, we can accomplish great things that have a lasting impact. One little girl sent in 60 cents. She wrote, “I wish I could make it $60,000, but drops make an ocean.” I hope kids (and adults) learn that even though we sometimes feel powerless, every little bit helps. Every contribution and action, no matter how small, can make a big difference. I love the way Bear sees the world (and the cast-off sofa) differently from others. Beyond the giggles, what are some takeaways from THE THING-ITY JIG? KD: I’d love kids to realize they can do hard things...and that they should never give up. I’d like to encourage them to find a way to make it happen. Good things happen to those who don’t give up. When did you see the Statue of Liberty for the first time, and what were your thoughts? CS: I have a vague memory of visiting the Statue of Liberty as a child. I grew up in Miami, so we probably visited the statue when we came up to New York to visit cousins. I have a much greater appreciation for it as an adult—from the perspective of understanding how my three immigrant grandparents arrived here, knowing what a colossal project the building was, admiring the engineering feat, and loving the story of children contributing to the pedestal. Now that I’ve written LET LIBERTY RISE, I see the Statue of Liberty everywhere. (Check out the trailer that my daughter made for me! https://youtu.be/ZNlN3eWEUnE) She’s such an icon! Has writing THE THING-ITY JIG changed the way you look at found objects? How so? KD: Yes! I wonder if there’s a story there. I’m always looking for writing ideas. What’s next for you? My editor has challenged me to write a story in which one of Bear’s friends goes into people town and finds something dazzling. I’ve only written a rough draft, so the story hasn’t taken shape yet. CS: Awesome! Good Luck! Thanks, Rosie, for featuring our new books! You're very welcome! These questions were fantastic and I learned so much fun and interesting tidbits-- I know my readers will enjoy this chitchat a lot! What a pleasure to have you both as my guests! I hope you'll be back in the future to share your upcoming projects with us, too. Readers, please support our featured authors/illustrators by following them on Twitter, requesting their book through your local library, posting reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and of course, purchasing their books. I hope you enjoyed this post — comments and shares are appreciated. Thank you! Kathy Doherty is a Reading Specialist and holds an Ed.S. Degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She’s written standardized test items for Pearson Inc. and her love of learning has led her to graduate from four different universities. A former teacher of elementary school for over 30 years, Kathy’s work has appeared in numerous magazines. She lives in Indiana. Chana Stiefel is the author of more than 25 books for kids. She hails from sunny South Florida and now lives in New Jersey, just a ferry ride away from the Statue of Liberty. Chana loves visiting schools and libraries as well as sharing her passion for reading and writing with children. She earned a master's degree in Science, Health, and Environmental Reporting from New York University. To learn more, visit Chana at chanastiefel.com. Twitter: https://twitter.com/chanastiefel >> Click on the cover to order your copy << ~ ~ U P D A T E ~~ The submission link for Blue Whale Press is now live! To send your STEM picture book submission to Acquisitions Editor Jackie Kruzie, click HERE Hello, amazing readers! Here you are at the Oasis ― it's great to have you visit! As you know, this is the place to refresh your spirits, recharge your creativity, and get a literary mood boost! Today, Children's Author Michal Babay is my guest and she'll share some wisdom, insight, and inspiration with us! Plus, check out the giveaway at the end of this interview! Welcome, Michal ! Thank you for joining us on the blog. Please briefly describe your journey to publication. A: Hi Rosie, thank you for having me on your blog! My journey to publication was, like most picture book authors, full of unexpected zigs and zags. My first book sale was in 2019, after I’d already been writing seriously for a number of years. That book (which I should be able to announce officially very soon!) came about because of an editor critique I did at an SCBWI conference. After our conversation, I asked if I should submit it to her through the conference submission opportunity, and she said “definitely.”So I made her suggested revisions, sent it along, and seven months later – she made an official offer! With this official offer in hand, I contacted all the agents who were considering another manuscript of mine (the story that became I’m A Gluten-Sniffing Service Dog) and finally, joyfully, signed with my dream agent, Laurel Symonds of The Bent Agency. The funny thing is, as part of my twisty zig-zag journey, I had previously queried Laurel. She’d been interested enough to request other stories, but they weren’t quite strong enough to hold an agent’s interest, so she ended up passing. However, I was determined. I kept writing, revising, and soothing my battered ego with chocolate, until I’d finally created a body of work that pushed Laurel’s “I like this but…” into a “YES!” What do you find most challenging in this business, either on the creative or publishing side of things? What do you find most rewarding? What helps you stay motivated? A: Staying focused enough to finish a first draft is the most challenging part for me. I’m a bit like Chewie. If I had a tail, I’d be chasing it instead of writing! Everything distracts me when the work is difficult. Which means, of course, that one of the most rewarding parts is actually finishing that first draft! It feels like a huge accomplishment for me every time I write the ending of a story. Once that painful first draft is completed, everything else is a pleasure. I love revising, so going back into the manuscript to tighten and change things is fun for me. My critique partners and my hourglass timer help me stay motivated. If I haven’t produced anything in a while, they’ll check in and ask what’s going on. Having a group of creators who are ALWAYS on your side is the most essential part of my writing world. And by on my side, I also mean that they never let me send out a manuscript until it’s as strong as possible. They are honest about what’s working and what isn’t, so I know when they finally love it, it’s ready to send to my agent! Q: Could you share any craft tools or techniques that you find most helpful to you when working on a project? What does your revision process look like? A: Since I’m so easily distracted, my wonderfully wise writing partner Lauren Kerstein suggested using a sand hourglass time so I get at least one hour of actual writing done most days. When I need to pause, I just lay the hourglass on its side until I’m ready to come back and finish writing. Of course, this doesn’t happen all the time. Some weeks are just for thinking and percolating, instead of writing. During the revision process, I use Google Docs so it’s accessible to me anywhere I go (after all, you never know when the perfect name for that character will pop out at you!). I also create a new copy each time I revise, so that by the time I’m finished there are usually 20-30 versions on my Google drive. This was another organizational tip from Lauren. That woman knows her stuff when it comes to staying on task and organizing files! Q: What's coming up for you next? Please tell us about any new releases, exciting news, upcoming events or anything else you'd like to share with our readers? A: I actually have two more books coming out in the next two years, so I can’t wait to share the details on both of those soon! Thank you, Michal! It was fun chatting with you and learning more about your journey, writing process, and new projects! Please come back to visit KidLit Oasis in the future! Readers, please support our featured authors/illustrators by following them on Twitter, requesting their book through your local library, posting reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and of course, purchasing their books. I hope you enjoyed this post — comments and shares are appreciated. Thank you! G I V E A W A Y ! ! ! Comment on this post to be entered for a chance to win a copy of I'm a Gluten-Sniffing Service Dog! Michal Babay is the author I’M A GLUTEN-SNIFFING SERVICE DOG (Albert Whitman & Company, 2021). After many years as a teacher and elementary resource specialist, Michal now spends her days writing stories, wrangling teenagers, convincing her three dogs to stop barking, and searching for the perfect gluten-free donut. Michal lives in Southern California with her family -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Click on the book cover to order a copy!
Hello, wonderful readers! New week, new interview, and new. . . logo design! Yay! I hope you like it and that it instantly gets you in a lovely literary mood. So, let's give a warm welcome to our guest author and dear friend, Ellen Leventhal--I can't wait to chat with her about her writing career, her latest and upcoming projects, and also to hear her best revision tips. Check out the giveaway at the end, too! Welcome, Ellen! Thank you for joining us on the blog. Please briefly describe your journey to publication. A: My road to publication has been a bit different than some, but like many people, I’ve had lots of twists, bumps, and bruises. My first book, DON’T EAT THE BLUEBONNETS, written with Ellen Rothberg, was originally published with a very small local press due to winning a contest! Unfortunately, after a few printings (Yay!), that press decided not to do picture books anymore (Boo!) Eventually, another publisher picked it up, we revised it, and marketed it as a “Ten Year Anniversary” edition. My next book, LOLA CAN’T LEAP released a year later. There was a LOT of revision with that piece after I signed the contract, and although it was frustrating at times, I do love how it turned out. Revision at all stages is part of the process. All the while, I submitted and collected rejections. In 2019 I signed with a wonderful project by project agent who sold my upcoming book, A FLOOD OF KINDNESS in six months. I signed with WorthyKids/Hachette Book Group in 2019, and it will hit store shelves on April 13, 2021. Keeping it real, I still do the dance of write- revise- submit- read rejections-eat chocolate- do it all over. I get pages and pages of rejections, but I have learned to have a bit thicker skin. It’s not fun to get rejections, but again, it’s part of the process. I think the key to staying in the game is to think of it like riding a wave, and you never know what’s coming next. I have lots of stories that were never published. Perhaps I’ll try again. Who knows? My next release (a few years down the road) is a result of one editor liking my writing, but not the way I told the story and another editor loving the way I told the story. She signed me. This is a very subjective business! You never know! So, my road to publication? I’m still on it, and it’s still bumpy, but it’s where I want to be. Q: What do you find most challenging in this business, either on the creative or publishing side of things? What do you find most rewarding? What helps you stay motivated? A: Creatively, when writing picture books, it’s a challenge for me to stay on one subject! I have so much to say! But I know now that I will work that out in revisions. The publishing side of things is more difficult for me, and yet it’s not difficult at all since I have no control there. I like control! And The waiting…AKK! Waiting to hear if your manuscript is accepted. Waiting to sign a contract. Waiting for publication. People are always so surprised when they hear about publishing timelines. Marketing is also hard for me! No matter the size of your publisher, much of the marketing falls on the author. I am currently in a very collaborative relationship with the marketing gurus at WorthyKids, which is great, and I am thankful for that. Still, promoting my own work is uncomfortable for me. But again, it’s part of the whole deal, and I love the whole deal! I do enjoy speaking in front of kids and even adults, which is sort of marketing, but I don’t feel like I am pushing my book when I do that. What helps me stay motivated? That’s an easy one. The love of writing and the love of connecting with people in the KidLit community. Without my critique groups and writer friends, I would have given up a long time ago. Q: Could you share any craft tools or techniques that you find most helpful to you when working on a project? What does your revision process look like? A: There are a lot of tools in my toolbox, and most of them are things I’ve picked up from other people. One thing I’ve learned to do is let my mind flow for the first draft. As a serial reviser this was hard for me for a long time, but I’ve found it helps. I start with an idea, but sometimes during the first draft, my idea changes and becomes something better. (Or sometimes it morphs into something worse, and that’s where my friend “revision” comes in.) Another little thing I do is something I learned from a critique partner. I try to get rid of as many “to be” verbs. Wherever I see one (“She was amazed!”), I circle the weak verb and change the sentence to something active. As far my revision process, as I said, I am a serial reviser. The problem is that I never know when to end! (That’s NOT a good thing). The first few revisions begin to tell me what I need to do story wise. I take a lot of what my critique groups say and decide what I want to incorporate into my story.(Thank you, Rosie Pova for giving me some great ideas over the years!) I think of revision as putting my story into a sieve. I shake out what doesn’t belong. Then, once I am pretty sure what I want to say after the first few drafts, I sometimes use the “Hamburger” method that I teach my writing students. As part of revision I need to make sure I still have a good story structure and that I didn’t chop too much. I check to make sure I have a really yummy top of a bun (Hook or intro). I add delicious condiments, etc. to the burger (middle) to make it “tasty.” This is where I’ll double check to make sure I have things like tension and emotion. And as with all great sandwiches, I can’t forget the bottom bun (strong conclusion). Without that, everything falls apart. I spend a lot of time trying to make my ending as exciting as the beginning. And then I do all of that over and over. And over. Please stop me! (I really have a problem.) Q: What's coming up for you next? Please tell us about any new releases, exciting news, upcoming events or anything else you'd like to share with our readers? A: I’m excited that although the actual Book Birthday for A FLOOD OF KINDNESS is April 13, my virtual launch is on April 24. My illustrator, Blythe Russo will be presenting with me. Here is a link to the launch. https://www.brazosbookstore.com/event/virtual-ellen-leventhal-flood-kindness I also have a new book in the pipeline, but it won’t be out until 2023, so all I can say now is it was out of my comfort zone, but it’s something I’ve wanted to do for years! Thanks so much for having me here, Rosie and for the great questions. Thank you, Ellen, for this wonderful insight into your writing world, your work, and your process! I hear you -- sometimes it's hard to stop revising, and other times, we want to be done, but we know there's more work needed to be put into a piece... Writer's life! ;) Eventually, we figure it out, and our critique groups are invaluable indeed! Please come come again to KidLit Oasis -- I can't wait to celebrate with you that 2023 project in the pipeline and many more to come! Readers, please support our featured authors/illustrators by following them on Twitter, requesting their book through your local library, posting reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and of course, purchasing their books. I hope you enjoyed this post — comments and shares are appreciated. Thank you! G I V E A W A Y ! ! ! One lucky winner will get a choice to pick their prize: a copy of A FLOOD OF KINDNESS or a picture book critique from Ellen! >>>Comment on this post to be entered<<< Shares on social media are encouraged and appreciated! And the winner of Ellen's giveaway is. . . Dee Knabb!!! Congratulations! Click on the cover to order a copy of Ellen's book Ellen Leventhal is an educator and writer in Houston, TX. She writes books that she hopes inspires and delights children. She is the co-author of DON’T EAT THE BLUEBONNETS(Clear Fork Publishing/Spork, 2017) and the author of LOLA CAN’T LEAP (Clear Fork Publishing, 2018) as well as A FLOOD OF KINDNESS (Worthy Kids/Hachette Book Group, April 13, 2021). Her best days are when she can interact directly with children as they garner a love of literacy, laughter, and kindness together. www.Ellenleventhal.com |
About Rosie J. PovaRosie J. Pova is a multi-published, award-winning children's author and kid lit Writing Coach. She's the creator of Picture Book Mastery System™ that is proven to help emerging children's writers advance their career and get closer to their publishing goals.
Rosie's latest picture book, Sunday Rain, was featured in The New York Times and recommended by Parents magazine. Her upcoming picture book, The School of Failure: A Story About Success will be released in the spring of 2022 in both China and the USA. Rosie also loves to visit schools and her interactive workshops empower students to unleash their creativity and grow in confidence through reading, writing, and creating. Teachers and librarians love Rosie for her bubbly, upbeat personality which captures students' attention, encourages them to think creatively, and motivates them to pursue big dreams. She has been featured on TV, radio, podcasts, and print media, and also speaks on women's and moms’ topics, sharing her journey from a Bulgarian immigrant to a published author. Find out more about Rosie's online courses, mentorships, and her work by visiting her website: RosieJPova.com Check out her Critique Services here, her Workshops here, and her school visits page here. Rosie is represented by Jackie Kruzie of Focused Artists. Twitter: @RosiePOV Archives
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