I’ve noticed that many kids gravitate toward fiction that features a clear personal connection tothe author. When I show kids at my library the picture of Kelly Yang working at her parents’hotel on the back flap of Front Desk, it helps make the fictional Mia feel real to them. When Itell them that Firoozeh Dumas’ […]
September
30
Ten Books To Encourage Your Reluctant Reader by Laurel Solorzano
posted by CBethM
A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramee Shayla faces the typical struggles any middle schooler faces today, but most of all, she’s eager to stay out of trouble. Black Lives Matter seems like a dangerous movement for her to join as it seems to divide everyone at school, but she must decide if […]
September
28
Words by Alexi Lubomirski
posted by CBethM
Words are strange aren’t they? If one were to really break it down, words are simply random letters, arranged in thousands of different ways, each resulting in particular formations, that can translate a myriad of different thoughts and emotions. More often than not, they tumble out of our mouth with no thought, to the affect […]
September
27
I Hear You, Stories by Kallie George
posted by CBethM
I spent many hours daydreaming in the woods near by the home where I grew up. I thank the woods for helping me become a writer. Story ideas arrive and develop in so many different ways. For the picture book series, Sounds of Nature, this is especially true. As a new mom, I spent time […]
September
26
The Power of Encouragement by Jonathan Hill
posted by CBethM
Sometimes when folks ask me when I decided to become an author, I think they expect there to be a single ‘ah-ha’ moment where I consciously made the decision to do what I’m doing now. In reality, it’s thousands of little moments in your life adding up and pointing you in that direction. In looking back and trying to recount those thousand little moments, I am overwhelmed […]
September
24
Creating a World by Maria Tureaud
posted by CBethM
When a sudden, mandatory two-week vacation turned into a worldwide lockdown that sent so many into a spiral of despair, I had a thought. It was born from a bored re-watch of the 1994 movie Interview With the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles. I looked at the character of Claudia—the unfortunate child-turned-vampire—and wondered if she could […]
September
22
Cover Reveal: I’m an American by Darshana Khiani
posted by CBethM
I’m an American, my second book, launches on May 2nd, 2023. I’m excited to be revealing the cover to this wonderful, inclusive, thoughtful book-loving community. I’m an American features a classroom of diverse students exploring the question: what does it mean to be an American? My writing is inspired by the questions I wonder and […]
September
21
Cover Reveal: IT HAPPENED ON SATURDAY by Sydney Dunlap
posted by CBethM
Hi everyone! It is such an honor to have a chance to introduce myself and my book, IT HAPPENED ON SATURDAY. This story began a long time ago when I was teaching elementary school in Virginia and used to flip through TV channels at night before going to sleep. One evening, I landed on a […]
September
20
This Party Is for You by Jamie Michalak
posted by CBethM
Real talk. I’ve been staring at this screen for hours, trying to find just the right words for a Nerdy Book Club post. But the truth is, inspiration for me never strikes when I’m trying to think of something to write. It hits out of the blue, when my mind is wandering, when I’m bored, […]
September
16
Finding Inspiration, Atmosphere, and Mood for Odd Occurrences by Andrew Nance
posted by CBethM
Imagine you’re in a car parked outside a dilapidated cabin deep in the woods. It’s around midnight, there’s no moon and no nearby streetlights, so it’s as dark as a night can get. Some friends are with you, one of whom says in a hoarse whisper, “There’s someone sitting on a log behind us.” You all can see the person on such a dark night because the figure is softly glowing. An […]
Nerdy Book Club 