If you’ve been in the writing business for any length of time, you know how valuable a critique partner is. The Bible says in Proverbs 16:24, “Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” I have found that my critique partners are the honey my writer’s soul needs. They keep … More Critique Partners- Honey for Your Soul by Mindy Baker
I breathed deeply as I uttered the last words of The Hello, Goodbye Window: “When you look from the outside, Nanna and Poppy’s house has lots of windows, but there’s only one Hello, Goodbye Window and it’s right where you need it.” Turning the page, I continued: “When I get my own house someday I’m … More Books That Change Us
I agree. Not all hard topics can (or really should) be written for kids. Some things are best to wait until they get older and are more mature to handle it. But does this mean that all difficult problems need to be taken out of middle grade books? Personally, I don’t think so. I believe … More Handling Tough Topics in Middle Grade Lit by Guest Blogger Lillian Keith
In conjunction with our Master Class on Saturday, I plan to share reviews of other YA or MG fantasy novels. Some may have explicit Christian content such as Amy Earls’ FORBIDDEN REIGN, but others like today’s book, MAGGIE AND THE MOUNTAIN OF LIGHT by Mark Snoad, might not. As our guest blogger, Ginger Dennison points … More Maggie and The Mountain of Light: MG Fantasy Review by Guest Blogger, Ginger Dennison
Did you miss our master class on Writing Christian Fantasy with Amy Earls? Check out our recap of the master class highlights. … More W2I Master Class Review: Writing Christian Fantasy
Listen Up by Monarch Publishing Author Abbie Crank, is a young adult novel that will help readers learn to look beyond outward appearances and appreciate the value of individuals under the surface. Sometimes we find true blue friends when we take the time to crack a person’s outward societal façade and uncover gems of character or morals deep down at the … More Listen Up: A Book Review by Guest Blogger, Katie Lundeen
I have fun connecting people to one another. My fun is doubled when I get to share how authors connect with a publisher–particularly through Write2Ignite! In January I told you how Laura Petrisin signed with Monarch Educational Services. Here is more news–Amy Houts also signed with Monarch! Here’s an interview with Amy about her forthcoming books and her … More Amy Houts: Another Write2Ignite Success Story
I was born with flat feet, the kind that leaves rectangular blobs instead of footprints in the sand. As a young child I had to wear special shoes with an orthopedic pad inside to help my arch. And, I remember that my feet would get so painful that my mother would have to rub and … More Don’t Let Your Writing Fall Flat
If you have ever researched rules in storytelling, you may have come across the famous Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling. This came from a 2011 tweet from a Pixar employee who realized there were 22 written (and unwritten) rules they implemented on every story. While Industrial Scripts does a pretty good job of explaining the … More Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling
REVIEW Pero Moshe hears a mysterious voice singing from the underground tunnels in the palace ofBeijing, and a prophecy says she’s the one to answer the call. But when she does and istrapped in the Forbidden City with Dr. Carper, the journey uncovers more than the truth of herpast and not-so-missing parents. The Chinese government … More Under His Wings Book 2: “Forbidden Reign” Book Review by Guest Blogger, Kelila Murdock