Have you seen The Shining? Holy hotel in the snow. It’s feckin’ scary, right? When Shelley Duvall discovers what her husband has really been writing, over and over and over for the past however long, what he’s really been bashing out on that typewriter for WEEKS, we (the audience) know without a doubt that the …
Three common mistakes picture book authors make with voice
Three common mistakes picture book authors make. How to write a picture book.
How I Became a Kidlit Author, and How I Can Support Your Kidlit Dreams, too
Early in the 1980s when I was working as a nurse, I decided to write a children’s book.The first story I wrote was about a rat. A rat that lived inside a muddy riverbank, wore a suit and —worked in the stock market (go figure). I think it was some kind of Wind in the Willows rip-off.I …
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Notes from a Depth Year: Poetry, Art, Nature and … Home Decor
Lately, a stream of brilliant questions have come my way for this year's season of Q and Q Friday. Thank you!! Among them, one about poetry has stuck with me. In fact, I think it came in late last year. I've been mulling it over ever since. A beautiful, thoughtful and unexpected question. What does poetry …
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Part Three. My Year in Review: Work and biz, the flops and the favourites
Here's Part Three of the trilogy, my love! Talk about a saga. Let's start with This Writing Life. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly! The Good Truly Tan: Baffled! (that's book seven) came out in October (in paperback and in audio). The series continues to delight old fans and gather new recruits. This year …
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Institute Opening Sale! Be quick!
Hello, dear reader. Do you remember the Ponds Institute? Here at girl and duck HQ, I desperately wanted to call our new school, The Pond Institute. In loving memory, of course. And so I could justify a lab coat. But. I didn't want to get sued. So, we have opened the girl and duck …