I was so excited at the prospect of interviewing M. LaVora Perry — I’ve been admiring her enthusiastic spirit, sense of humour, and won’t-take-no-for-an-answer attitude for a long time. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio’s Mount Pleasant neighborhood, LaVora fell in love with writing in the 4th grade thanks to Mrs. T.–a teacher who was [ Read the full article… ]
28 Days
Dinah Johnson
Accomplished. Creative. Family-oriented. Passionate. Four qualities embodied in today’s featured author. Dr. Dianne “Dinah” Johnson obtained her undergraduate degree from Princeton University in English, with concentrations in African American Studies and Creative Writing. She then received her Master’s Degree in African American Studies, and her Ph.D. in American Studies from Yale University. Today, she is a [ Read the full article… ]
Eric Velasquez
To describe illustrator Eric Velasquez as a “prolific artist” would be an understatement. Before snagging his first picture book contract, he created art for more than 300 book jackets and interior illustrations — more published art than many illustrators create in a lifetime. A few of those titles include Journey to Jo’Burg and its sequel [ Read the full article… ]
Tonya Hegamin
Tonya C. Hegamin is an author that refuses to be penned down to one category. She has degrees in both poetry (from the University of Pittsburgh) and in creative writing (from the New School University). She’s penned both picture books (Most Loved In All The World, Houghton Mifflin, 2008) and novels. And even within her [ Read the full article… ]
Christine Taylor-Butler
On her website, Christine Taylor-Butler says “Writing for children is a joyful endeavor. It takes heart, passion, and one endearing story that yearns to be told. As with all things, commit to putting your own ideas on paper. A story left untold will never blossom or touch the heart of a reader. ” Heart, passion, [ Read the full article… ]
Sharon Bell Mathis
As a child, one of Sharon Bell Mathis’ favorite reading spaces was the iron fire escape above the backyard. There, she stepped through the pages of books into new and exciting worlds. “I don’t remember when I actually realized how very special was this private playground/haven/sanctuary of mine . . . Everything was possible while [ Read the full article… ]
Tony Medina
It was a teenaged tryst with Daniel Keyes’ Flowers for Algernon that led award-winning poet and author, Tony Medina, to his love of all things literary. He went on to earn his MA and PhD in Poetry, and American and African American Literature from Binghamton University, SUNY. He’s taught English and Creative Writing for [ Read the full article… ]
Debbie Rigaud
I love all types of books, but I’m a pop fiction writer pure and simple. So when I get the chance to celebrate other pop fiction writers it’s like kicking it with fam. Debbie Rigaud and I seem to have lived parallel lives (sort of) when it comes to writing – writing for teen mags [ Read the full article… ]