Author Vanessa Rodriguez wanted to write about something she knew, which was being a latchkey kid. That idea catapulted into the new fantasy series A Key to Home (Priceless Publishing, October 31, 2023), which follows a diverse group of four friends, who are all latchkey kids. When asked if she looks at her characters solely as that or as people, here is what she had to say:
“They’re like my … Read the rest
Aside from trying to get published, writer’s block is a common challenge among writers. An issue that often prevents people from even writing at all is self-doubt, something romance novelist Devyn Bakewell has noticed through her visits and work with younger writers. “The advice that I’ve really been asked a lot for is this belief in your own voice,” the Greater Love and Greater Life (New Degree Press) author tells … Read the rest
Once upon a time, adult and young adult novelist Suzanne Park swore by the technique of writing every day. Now, after five published books and counting, The Christmas Clash (October 4, Sourcebooks Fire) author has an evolved take. “The idea at the time was if you write every day, if you write a page a day—it doesn’t have to be every single day—just means five days out of the seven … Read the rest
When Absolution creator Rachelle Storm writes the supernatural series, is she exclusively writing for longtime fans of the genre or also hoping to attract new fans? The novelist, who released the second book Revelations earlier this month, reveals it has been tricky to even categorize it due to the books’ various elements. At times, the four-part story leans into fantasy and romance and at times it does not.
“It’s this … Read the rest
How can a writer be unique on the page when emulating another writer? Multi-hyphenate and doctor, Omar Mora, explains how this is possible. He uses his new book Ancient Explorers: The Lost City of Peru (Moras Productions; illustrated by Miguel Guzman and Edwin Estrada), which launched at this past 2022 Comic Con, as an example. “Ancient Explorers is inspired by stories like Indiana Jones, The Goonies… Read the rest
As many of us know, the world has been mourning the loss of the late great Kobe Bryant. Award-winning novelist, writer, and former world-ranked squash player Ivy Claire Pochoda who collaborated with Bryant on their number one New York Times bestselling series Epoca shares her perspective on his passing while working on Book 2, The River of Sand (Granity Studios, December 15, 2020). “It’s been really hard, I mean, … Read the rest
Voice is a common thread in So Booking Cool’s conversation with bestselling, critically acclaimed children’s book author, Lisa Moore Ramée. There’s the beloved ‘Shay’, Ramée’s debut protagonist from A Good Kind of Trouble (which has garnered renewed interest and now an Indie bestseller in paperback), whose voice has been praised and prompted whether it is important for Ramée to create resonant voices within her characters; there’s Ramée sharing the time … Read the rest
The Siren of Good Intentions author J.E. Mooney reinvents himself every 5 to 8 years. Sometimes by design, sometimes circumstance. He’s had a wide range of careers to show for it including engineering and teaching; he also was a Peace Corps country director and senior director for a technology nonprofit. While his experience is impressive, Mooney says it uniquely qualifies him for absolutely nothing. He likens his point to Malcolm … Read the rest
Do you ever wonder what your favorite authors talk about with other authors? LGBT novelist Julian Winters revealed in part 2 of our interview that their conversations are widespread. Sometimes the topics are, of course, book related, but not always. “We can talk about things we struggle with—like I really struggle writing a synopsis and I remember having a full-on conversation with five other authors about writing synopses and … Read the rest
There is a new world that fantasy and adventure enthusiasts can escape to. That world is ‘Altered.’ So far compared to the likes of Narnia and The Wizard of Oz, Gary Merritt’s, The Altered Adventure, is a young adult series based on Gizzy Gazza, the beloved animation series created by the same man. The millions who have tuned in to Gizzy Gazza online can now consume … Read the rest
