| Thanks to the Virginia State Library Association for putting Don't Check Out This Book! on their 2022-2023 Readers' Choice Award list. Who knew bad old censorship would be in the news yet again? Or that librarians would once again be our heroes? |  |
 I have a new mystery out that I hope will be perfect for the back-to-school season.
It's set in St. Louis, Missouri, and stars two best friends, Ivy and Teddy, plus their beloved dogs. If you happen to like mysteries, dogs, neighborhood drama, sad moments, and happy endings, check this one out. I started writing it pre-Covid, when lockdowns were unimaginable. It's strange to me how much Ivy's broken leg and recovery remind me a little bit of how we've all had to stay strong and busy during these long months. If you read it, lmk what you think! You can contact me right here. Someone just alerted me to the fact that our book Stay won first runner-up in Wyoming's Buckaroo Book Award. That has to be the best-named book contest in the USA! Thanks, Wyoming!   Maybe it's early to think about summer, but why not? We're having so much fun with these classes. More information over here.
 Join us on Zoom on Monday, 2/22 How can it be February already? Well, it is. A couple of things: 1. Our next Master Class begins next week! More information on that is over here. 2. I have new book coming out in August! More on that over here. 3. Sarah and I hope you will join us and our friends at the Mazza Museum on February 22 for a Zoom meet-up. More on that right here! 4. Here's a photo of where I was a week ago today. If you want to guess, let me know!   Looking for the perfect gift for a creative friend or relative? Or maybe you’re wondering what to ask Santa to bring you this year? Consider a two-week online Master Class (six classes, $360). Our next Zoom class runs from January 4 to 15, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. We’re also launching a series of single-session Master Classes (90 minutes, $95) for anyone looking to jumpstart a creative project in 2021. Our classes attract participants from all over the world who want to write fiction, non-fiction, picture books, novels, memoirs, even self-help books. You bring the ideas. We’ll help you put them into words and images. If you’re ordering a class for a friend, let us know and we’ll email a gift certificate on the day of your choosing. We plan to offer another two-week session in February and more single-session classes in 2021. Let us know if you’d like us to save you a spot! Sign up for our two-week January Master Class (January 4-15) here. Sign up for our first single-session 90-minute Master Class (January 11) here.  Thanks to the Children's Book Council for asking Sarah and me to share our library love in the November/December issue of Knowledge magazine. Here's the link.   We're taking applications for our next Master Class! More information right here. If you have any questions or want to talk to former students, just let us know.
We've lost count of how many classes we've done now. Is it seven or eight? This much is clear: We're having an absolute blast watching students (age 8 to 77) write and illustrate books about everything from arrogant peacocks to swimming cats to a little girl who doesn't want to practice the piano. If you have an idea for a book (and we know you do), please join us. We'll help you get started, work through the muddy middle, and bring it all together with art, design, and an Aha-moment for both you and your reader. (Note: Class size is limited so we can provide valuable one-on-one feedback to everyone.) Want to write a book in July? Want to illustrate it, too?
If you're between the ages of 8 and 108, you're invited to join our July Master Class. Details right here. |
