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Debbie’s Blog

Welcome to my new blog, which now includes content from many of the blogs I’ve created over the years. You can now also access content via category from this one page instead of having to search for my individual blogs, which were scattered over various platforms and websites.

Looking for a reliable writer, editor or reader?

My MiG critique partner, Carmella VanVleet, is looking for work. I’ve known Carmella for a couple of years now, and we’ve also hung out in person. Carmella has had many books and short pieces for young people published, and I’ve always found her critique comments extremely useful. She’s responsible, accurate and . . .



Elizabeth C. Bunce on world-building and novel prep

I’ve always been interested in reading about other writers’ work habits, so I was delighted to see that Cheryl Klein had posted a review with Elizabeth C. Bunce, the author of CURSE AS DARK AS GOLD (which I loved) and STARCROSSED (ooo, must get this). Elizabeth says that CURSE took three years of “painstaking craft and . . .



Blog Highlight: Beyond The Margins

Beyond The Margins is a group blog for a group of writers who met, taught, and workshopped through Grub Street, a nonprofit creative writing center in Boston. “We have published novels, short fiction, poetry, newspaper and magazine articles, and our backgrounds and careers run the gamut from social work and medicine . . .



Finding More Time To Write, Quickie Tip: Learn How To Say NO

Though I’ve gotten better over the years, I still struggle with this one word. Seems (at first, at least) much easier to say yes. I’m talking about the small favors that people ask you to do, the ones that you’re sure will only take a few minutes of your time. . . .




Banned Book Week, Cheryl Rainfield’s challenge, & #SpeakLoudly

It’s Banned Book Week, an annual event celebrating the freedom to read.  Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States. . . .




Posting morning digital publishing, iPad & ebook news

Thanks for all the crossed fingers about my book projects, all! Much appreciated. 🙂 I know I’ve raved about the SCBWI writers’ conference before, but I must rave again. Since the conference, I’ve been at least twice as productive as usual. Not just because of what happened with the Illustrator . . .




Excited! And here’s why…

A children’s book publisher I admire a great deal recently invited me to send them a picture book story. Well, I did…and THEY LIKE IT! They’ve asked for a few sketches, so that’s what I’m working on right now. So if I’m a bit scarce in Inkygirl for a little . . .