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Happy National Grammar Day!

In honor of National Grammar Day, here’s a Will Write For Chocolate strip from the archives: And thanks to Martha Brockenbrough for founding National Grammar Day!





Comic: If Cinderella Was A Writer

Thanks to A Mighty Girl for sharing one of my older comics on their FB page; I’ve noticed it’s already been shared around 1500 times! I also VERY MUCH appreciate A Mighty Girl including an illustration credit in the post text (thank you!), since the image being shared has my copyright info . . .



Judy Blume, Simon & Schuster Children’s, and MY BIG NEWS (Part 1)

 February 16, 2014 edit: Also see Part 2 of my Judy Blume news!!!! You can see the official cover reveal today in: but S&S gave me permission to post the other middle grade covers here as well. THOSE ARE MY ILLUSTRATIONS. ME. AND JUDY BLUME. Huge thanks to Justin Chanda for inviting me to . . .



Interview: Carmella Van Vleet on middle grade novels, publication, writer advice and ELIZA BING IS (NOT) A BIG, FAT QUITTER (Holiday House, launches Feb. 14, 2014)

I met Carmella Van Vleet through MiGWriters, a wonderful critique group I discovered through the SCBWI message boards. Carmella is a former kindergarten teacher and the author of numerous hands-on science and history books, including Great Ancient Egypt Projects You Can Build Yourself (Nomad Press). She loves lists, cooking shows, exclamation points, and taekwondo . . .





Productivity tip: Use AwayFind to stop checking email so often

I mentioned earlier that I’d be sharing any tips and tools I’ve been using to help me focus. One of the biggest discoveries I made last year is a service called AwayFind. I used to check email obsessively throughout the day. At first it was because I didn’t want to miss . . .



How To Create and Write A Book In (Yes I said IN) Minecraft, plus Minecraft and literacy

Visiting Gaming Edus, a Minecraft server for educators and students; thanks to children’s book author & educator Liam O’Donnell for the invite. Everyone’s been super-helpful, and one of the students even built me a small stone home complete with helpful signs! You can find out more about GamingEdus here: http://www.gamingedus.org When I . . .