The Proust Questionnaire, popularized by the French novelist and essayist Marcel Proust, is said to reveal a person’s true nature through a series of probing, soul-searching questions. In the hot seat today, LAMAR GILES, author of the MG novels The Last Last-Days-of-Summer (Versify, 2019) and The Last Mirror on the Left (out 10/20/20), and YA novels Not So Pure and Simple (HarperCollins, 2020), Spin (Scholastic, 2019), and many more. [Read more…] about Ask the Author: Lamar Giles
Ask the Author: Padma Venkatraman
The Proust Questionnaire, popularized by the French essayist and novelist Marcel Proust, is said to reveal a person’s true nature through a series of probing, soul-searching questions. In the hot seat today, Padma Venkatraman, author of the multi-award-winning middle-grade novel, THE BRIDGE HOME (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2019). [Read more…] about Ask the Author: Padma Venkatraman
Ask the Author: Tami Charles
The Proust Questionnaire, popularized by the French essayist and novelist Marcel Proust, is said to reveal a person’s true nature through a series of probing, soul-searching questions. In the hot seat today: Tami Charles, author of the middle-grade novels, LIKE VANESSA (Charlesbridge) and DEFINITELY DAPHNE (Capstone). [Read more…] about Ask the Author: Tami Charles
10 Life Lessons from Harriet the Spy
In 2009, while browsing through my local Borders (which is now a Home Depot, much to my dismay), I came across a book called Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume. A collection of essays by esteemed women writers, the book offered wise and witty observations on everything from first periods to unrequited crushes. Naturally, I couldn’t plunk down my MasterCard fast enough. [Read more…] about 10 Life Lessons from Harriet the Spy
You Can’t Always Get What (Your Protagonist) Wants
When writing a novel, one of the most basic pieces of advice is this: Know what your protagonist wants. Give him/her something specific to strive for – a deep desire, an all-encompassing goal – and then make him do everything in his power to go and get it. Otherwise, the reader won’t care enough to keep turning the pages. And if that happens? Your beloved book will end up in the bargain bin at your local Wal-Mart. Or worse, sitting next to a copy of Writing for Dummies at your next-door neighbor’s garage sale. Ouch. [Read more…] about You Can’t Always Get What (Your Protagonist) Wants
