I had the honor of being interviewed by the inimitable Joanna Marple, a fellow European transplant in the US and fellow children’s book writer. Take a trip to her blog Ms. Marple’s Musings to learn more about my books, my writing and my creative writing teaching.

Originally posted on DeeScribewriting Blog:
Today I’m very excited to welcome dear friend and fellow SCBWI Nevada mentee, Mina Witteman to my blog. Mina is an amazing international author and editor, and today she’s sharing the inspiring story of how genetics, a love of books, and a lifetime of sailing led to the creation of her hugely successful Boreas series for middle grade readers. Mina will tell us how she weaves facts and reality into her extraordinary fiction. ABOUT MINA Mina writes in English and Dutch, and has seven middle grade adventure novels out in the Netherlands, over 40 short stories, and a Little Golden Book. She is currently working on an English novel for Young Adults and an English middle grade novel. She…

So exciting! Just a few more days and Boreas en de vijftien vrienden / Boreas and the Fifteen Friends will see the light in the Netherlands. Right in time for the Dutch National Children’s Book Week, which is actually a ten-day long children’s book fest. This year’s theme? FRIENDSHIP! That’s exactly what Boreas en de vijftien vrienden is about.   Boreas en de vijftien vrienden is the final book in the Boreas series, which is lauded by readers, teachers and librarians alike. In this book, Boreas travels from Hawaii to Tahiti with his new friend Kirsten, who teaches him Polynesian navigation. Along the way they try to find a solution for the plastic soup that infests the oceans. After Tahiti and a sad goodbye…

To celebrate the upcoming release of BOREAS EN DE VIJFTIEN VRIENDEN (Boreas and the Fifteen Friends), I was interviewed by the unsurpassable Sandra Nickel for her amazing and popular blog What Was On Her… Sandra interviews writers and illustrators of children’s and young adult literature or, as she says, she gets to the heart of our work and lives by asking What Was on Their … minds, desks, play lists, refrigerators, and more.   So, if you want to know all about my method writing style, also called the ‘No Guts, No Glory Style’, hurry over to her blogpost and read What Was on My mind and more!     Sandra Nickel writes books and poetry for young readers. Sandra has two forthcoming picture…

Originally posted on El Space–The Blog of L. Marie:
I don’t think I have ever talked about conferences for writers on the blog, let alone had someone on who coordinates one. But with me on the blog is the fabulous Pamela Livingston, who roomed with me during grad school. She’s here to talk about the Book Passage Children’s Writer’s Conference in Corte Madera, California.    El Space: Four quick facts about yourself? Pamela: 1. I was the Macy’s Easter Bunny. 2. I am the proud owner of both a VCFA MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults degree plus a Picture Book Certificate which I may have illustrated before finally finding space on a wall. 3. My newest aka is “Mama Goose” of…