Author Archives: taramgilboy
Guest Blog Post from Deborah J. Ross: History, Gender, and Characters
This week, I am lucky to have a fascinating guest post from Deborah Ross, whose new book, Collaborators, just released this month. Deborah J. Ross is an award-nominated writer and editor of fantasy and science fiction, with over a dozen … Continue reading
Bud, Not Buddy and a Child’s Point of View
When I sat down to read Bud, Not Buddy, I thought for sure that my takeaway from this book would be all about voice. After all, Bud’s voice is soooo strong. His voice is funny and distinct and part … Continue reading
Lessons from Sarah, Plain and Tall
Wow, I feel like I got so behind on this challenge! I haven’t forgotten about it – I promise! I had planned on reading But, Not Buddy for my next Newbery book, but I’ve been distracted because I’ve been reading … Continue reading
Lessons From The Girl Who Drank the Moon
It took me much longer to read and respond to this book than I thought it would! It has nothing to do with the quality of the book – it’s fabulous – but I was a bit of a … Continue reading
Book One of my Newbery Challenge: The One and Only Ivan
I’m so glad I started with this book because it’s one of my favorite middle grade novels of all time, and it was a fun way to kick off the challenge. No matter how many times I read this … Continue reading
A New Year and a Newbery Challenge
2018 is here! And now I can finally say: “I have a book coming out this year!” 2018 is bound to be an exciting year for me as I see my novel go out into the world. (October!) I am … Continue reading
Letter Writing
It’s been a while since I posted here, and the truth of it is simply that I was stuck. I had been clobbered over the head by a series of personal and professional failures, and my writing was suffering for … Continue reading
What Jury Duty Taught Me About Writing
I had jury duty a few weeks ago and was picked for a felony trial. Whenever I mention it, people always kindly say something about what a pain it must have been, or it was too bad I couldn’t get … Continue reading
When You Just Need a Break….
The standard advice given to writers is that they must write every day. There is good reason for this –writing takes practice, just like anything else, and it’s best to make it a habit. The only way to finish a … Continue reading
When Self-Doubt Rears Its Ugly Head
I was recently talking to one of the writers I’ve been working with about ways to stay motivated when your confidence gets shaky and you’re hit over the head with writer’s block, and since this is such a common problem, … Continue reading