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Black Lives Matter
In Support of Black Lives Matter I’m posting about books by Black authors/illustrators. (I will be posting the rest of the books on my list later.) Right now Black creators need our support. This list are books I’d like to read and are mostly 2020 releases. There are so many more new books out there this year so follow these people on Twitter, because they are constantly posting great Black reads this year!
The first book is by Kacen Callender is about and written by a trans Black person. Recently the trans community received a big hit by JKR’s comments on Twitter. This isn’t right and it’s caused a lot of pain. I want to show my support, respect and love to trans people!
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On My TBR Pile
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender (Queer, Trans, Romance, YA)Felix Love has never been in love–and, yes, he’s painfully aware of the irony. He desperately wants to know what it’s like and why it seems so easy for everyone but him to find someone. What’s worse is that, even though he is proud of his identity, Felix also secretly fears that he’s one marginalization too many–Black, queer, and transgender–to ever get his own happily-ever-after.
When an anonymous student begins sending him transphobic messages–after publicly posting Felix’s deadname alongside images of him before he transitioned–Felix comes up with a plan for revenge. What he didn’t count on: his catfish scenario landing him in a quasi-love triangle….
But as he navigates his complicated feelings, Felix begins a journey of questioning and self-discovery that helps redefine his most important relationship: how he feels about himself.
Felix Ever After is an honest and layered story about identity, falling in love, and recognizing the love you deserve.
Buy The Book: https://bookshop.org/books/felix-ever-after/9780062820259
Kacen’s Website: https://www.kacencallender.com/
Kacen’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/kacencallender
The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow (Sci-fi, YA)Two years ago, a misunderstanding between the leaders of Earth and the invading Ilori resulted in the deaths of one-third of the world’s population.
Today, seventeen-year-old Ellie Baker survives in an Ilori-controlled center in New York City. With humans deemed dangerously volatile because of their initial reaction to the invasion, emotional expression can be grounds for execution. Music, art and books are illegal, but Ellie still keeps a secret library.
When young Ilori commander M0Rr1S finds Ellie’s library, he’s duty-bound to deliver her for execution. The trouble is, he finds himself drawn to human music and in desperate need of more.
Humanity’s fate rests in the hands of an alien Ellie should fear, but M0Rr1S has a potential solution–thousands of miles away. The two embark on a wild and dangerous journey with a bag of books and their favorite albums, all the while creating a story and a song of their own that just might save them both.
Get the Book: Signed + Swag: https://www.onemorepagebooks.com/book/9781335911551
For more places to buy the book go here: https://twitter.com/alechiawrites/status/1238622395856019456
Alechia’s Website: https://www.alechiadow.com/
Alechia’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/alechiawrites
Given by Nandi Taylor (Fantasy, YA)As a princess of the Yirba, Yenni is all-but-engaged to the prince of a neighboring tribe. She knows it’s her duty to ensure peace for her people, but as her father’s stubborn illness steadily worsens, she sets out on a sacred journey to the empire of Cresh, determined to find a way to save him at any cost, even though failure could mean the wrath of her gods and ruin for her people. One further complication? On the day she arrives at the Prevan Academy for Battle and Magical Arts, she meets an arrogant dragon-shifter named Weysh who claims she’s his “Given”, or destined mate. Muscular, beautiful (and completely infuriating), he’s exactly the kind of distraction Yenni can’t afford while her father’s life hangs in the balance.
But while Yenni would like nothing more than to toss Weysh the man into the nearest river, Weysh the dragon quickly becomes a much-needed friend in the confusing northern empire. Yet when her affection for the dragon starts to transfer to the man, Yenni must reconcile her duty to her tribe with the call of her own heart.
Buy The Book: https://hypel.ink/given
Nandi’s Website: https://nanditaylor.com/
Nandi’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/nandi_taylor
You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson (Queer, Romance, YA)Liz Lighty has always believed she’s too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it’s okay — Liz has a plan that will get her out of Campbell, Indiana, forever: attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor.
But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz’s plans come crashing down… until she’s reminded of her school’s scholarship for prom king and queen. There’s nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington.
The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. She’s smart, funny, and just as much of an outsider as Liz. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams—or make them come true?
Buy The Book: https://linktr.ee/byleahjohnson
Leah’s Website: https://www.byleahjohnson.com/
Leah’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/byleahjohnson
A Song Below Water by Bethany Morrow (Fantasy, YA)Tavia is already at odds with the world, forced to keep her siren identity under wraps in a society that wants to keep her kind under lock and key. Nevermind she’s also stuck in Portland, Oregon, a city with only a handful of black folk and even fewer of those with magical powers. At least she has her bestie Effie by her side as they tackle high school drama, family secrets, and unrequited crushes. But everything changes in the aftermath of a siren murder trial that rocks the nation; the girls’ favorite Internet fashion icon reveals she’s also a siren, and the news rips through their community. Tensions escalate when Effie starts being haunted by demons from her past, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical voice during a police stop. No secret seems safe anymore―soon Portland won’t be either.
Buy the Book: https://bookshop.org/books/a-song-below-water/9781250315328?aid=4807
Bethany’s Website: https://www.bethanycmorrow.com/
Bethany’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/BCMorrow
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown (Fantasy, YA)In a world inspired by West and North African mythology, where magic and spirits lurk behind every corner, two teens on opposite sides of a thousand-year-old conflict must kill each other to save the ones they love —even if it means fighting the blossoming connection that ties them together.
An explosive new Young Adult Fantasy novel by Roseanne A. Brown, perfect for fans of Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone and Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes!
Buy The Book:
Signed copy of the book: https://bookswithapast.com/home/bookdetailsin/0062891499
Other places to get the book: https://roseanneabrown.com/books
Rosanne’s Website: https://roseanneabrown.com/
Rosanne’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosiesrambles
The Gilded Ones by Namia Forna (Fantasy, YA)Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs.
But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity–and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.
Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki–near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire’s greatest threat.
Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she’s ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be–not even Deka herself.
Buy the Book: https://www.getunderlined.com/books/600179/the-gilded-ones-by-namina-forna/
Namia’s Website: https://naminaforna.com/
Namia’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/NaminaForna
Manifique Noir by Briana Lawerence (Fantasy Graphic Novel)“It’s all fun and games until you question the magic.”
Our favorite magical girl squad is back for their regularly scheduled program.
Kind of.
After the last colossal battle, Marianna, Bree, and Lonnie are trying their best to recover, but the daily monsters don’t give a lick about self-doubt and personal struggles. Fortunately, Prism Pink is there to lend a hand, turning the trio into a courageous group of girls who can take on whatever threat comes their way.There’s just one problem: they still don’t know who Prism Pink is or where she came from.
In fact, where did any of this come from?
The monsters. The magical powers. What does any of it mean? It’s time to start getting answers, but are the girls ready to hear the truth? Knowledge is power, as they say, but power is fickle and can be corrupted so easily. After all, Blaze never said what happened to the previous generation of magnifiqueNOIR, did she?
Buy the Book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0999398326
Signed Copy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/706866544/magnifiquenoir-you-are-magical-book-2
Magnifique Noir Website: http://www.magnifiquenoir.com/
Brianna’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrichibiTweets
Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett (Fiction, Queer, YA)Simone Garcia-Hampton is absolutely positive that having a crush is more dangerous than having HIV; after all, she’s got her viral load under control. Simone knows that her status isn’t a death sentence, as long as she remembers to take her medication and go to her doctor’s appointments, she can live a long, healthy life. There’s just one problem: she wants to have sex. Badly.
She knows abstinence is the safest policy, she’s heard it almost every day of her life from her sweet and well-meaning Dads, and up until now, she’s been able to handle it herself, but Miles Austin has ruined that. He’s hot! He plays lacrosse! He asks Simone about her favorite plays because of how it lights her face up! What’s a horny (but responsible) teenage girl to do!?
Simone is already agonizing about how to tell Miles about her status, but she’s been burned before when she told people that she loved that she was positive—she even had to switch schools over it, leaving her boarding school when there was a huge public outcry from uneducated parents, not to mention a scarring shunning from the people she cared about most. She’s determined to keep her status a secret, but the cardinal rule of dating-while-positive is disclosure. Allowing herself to get close to Miles would be a gigantic risk.
Before she’s able to figure out what to do, Simone finds a threatening note left in her locker: I know you have HIV. You have until Thanksgiving to stop hanging out with Miles. Or everyone else will know, too.
Buy the Book: https://www.camryngarrett.com/full-disclosure
Camyrn’s Website: https://www.camryngarrett.com/
Camyrn’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/dancingofpens
Books I've Read and Love
Clyde the Hippo: Clyde Goes to School by Keith Marantz, Illustrated by Larissa Marantz (Fiction, Picture Book)Meet Clyde, a lively (and often worried) hippo with a heart of gold who’s always eager to go on new adventures, in this fun-filled 8×8!
Clyde can’t believe his mom is making him go to school. He has so much fun at home—what could a classroom possibly have to offer? As his mom lists all the activities he’ll get to do, Clyde only imagines the worst possible outcomes. He’s so caught up in what could go wrong that he’s determined to turn around and go home. But when he comes across his kind teacher and the butterfly habitat she’s carrying inside, it might just be enough to convince him to stay!
Buy the Book/Clyde’s Website: http://www.clydethehippo.com/index.html
Larissa’s Website: http://larissamarantz.com/index.html
Larissa’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/LarissaMarantz
Odd One Out by Nic Stone (Fiction, Queer, YA)Courtney Cooper and Jupiter Sanchez (Coop & Jupe!) have been next-door neighbors and best friends since they were seven-years-old. She’s his partner-in-crime and other half. But lately, Cooper can’t ignore he might want something more than friendship from Jupiter.
When Rae Chin moves to town she can’t believe how lucky she is to find Coop and Jupe. Being the new kid is usually synonymous with pariah, but around these two, she finally feels like she belongs. She’s so grateful she wants to kiss him…and her.Jupiter has always liked girls.
But when Rae starts dating Cooper, Jupe realizes that the only girl she ever really imagined by his side was her.
One story. Three sides. No easy answers.Buy the Book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/534051/odd-one-out-by-nic-stone/9781101939567/
Nic’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/getnicced
Nic’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicstone/
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Sharon Giltrow, Digital Trailblazer
Right now it’s a difficult world for everyone. Sharon Glitrow is one of the authors who has had to release their books during a pandemic. She has written a wonderful picture book called BEDTIME, DADDY. Sharon is here today to talk about releasing her book during this pandemic. Lots of great information for both people releasing books now, and in the future where a digital launch may be just a bonus.
You can visit Sharon’s website here: https://sharongiltrow.weebly.com/about.html
Releasing a Book During a Pandemic
By Sharon Giltrow
Covid-19 has forced all of us to make major changes to our daily lives. We have all had to find ways to do things differently, to adapt and change. My debut picture book BEDTIME, DADDY was released this month, May 1st, through EK books.
Cover of BEDTIME, DADDY! When I signed the publishing deal for BEDTIME, DADDY back in August 2018, I could never have imagined that twenty months later a pandemic would be sweeping the world. As a result, I have had to adapt and change the way that my book is being released and promoted.
My in-person book launch for BEDTIME, DADDY was booked for June 21st (Father’s Day in the Northern Hemisphere). My favourite book shop in Fremantle, Western Australia, Paper Bird Children’s Books and Arts, was going to host the event. However, as a result of the required and essential Covid-19 social distancing rules, my in-person book launch became a virtual book launch.
On May 1st, 2020, via Paper Bird’s live Instagram, from the comfort and safety of my own home, I launched my book BEDTIME, DADDY. I still wore my favourite dinosaur pyjamas.
Interior of BEDTIME, DADDY! "Time to Brush Your Teeth." I still had an audience, my immediate family, as well as family and friends from around the world. There were still fun activities from BEDTIME, DADDY. Signed copies of BEDTIME, DADDY were still available through Paper Bird’s online store, and signed book plates were posted around the world. Cakes and cookies were still eaten at the end of the launch. So, despite the world-wide pandemic my book launch still happened, just in a different way. Actually, I may even have had more people at my virtual book launch as people from all over the world ‘attended’ through Instagram. Here is how I promoted my book launch on social media.
Virtual Book Launch Poster In-person book readings, signings and story times were also now out of the question. So, my publisher EK Books asked me to do a sneak peek read aloud of BEDTIME, DADDY on YouTube. I quickly upskilled myself in selfie-videos and found out that it is tricky to hold up a book and read naturally even though you can see yourself the whole time. But by the end of the fiftieth take, I finally got the hang of it.
My publisher also asked me to do a radio interview on ABC – Radio National, but I couldn’t go into the studio. So, with the help of Voice Memos, a script I prepared, and my family, I was able to record the interview and email it to the radio station.
My next challenge, with book shops now closed – How would readers discover BEDTIME, DADDY? The answer, online. Online book shops are now the main place to sell books so I stepped up my online presence through Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to let readers know that BEDTIME, DADDY existed.
School visits are now on hold, but I have been sharing links to BEDTIME, DADDY’S teaching notes, for parents who are home-schooling and educators who are preparing online lessons. They can be found on EK Books and SCBWI – Australia West websites. I will also be recording and sharing short videos of some of these activities.
Finally, as travelling is now out of the question, instead of going on an in-person book tour around Australia and possibly the world, I created a BEDTIME, DADDY blog tour,which can be found on my website. My book and I are now touring around virtual space.
I hope that through this blog I have shown you that despite a world-wide pandemic, books can still be successfully released and that now more than ever they need to be released, purchased, read and shared.
BEDTIME, DADDY! Interior Page: Your Daddy Will Ask, "One more story pleeeassse?" Sharon Giltrow grew up in South Australia, the youngest of eight children, surrounded by pet sheep and fields of barley. She now lives in Perth, WA with her husband, two children and a tiny dog. When not writing, Sharon works with children with Developmental Language Disorder. Sharon was awarded the Paper Bird Fellowship in 2019. Her debut PB BEDTIME, DADDY, released May 2020 through EK books.
Follow Sharon:
Website: https://sharongiltrow.weebly.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sharon_giltrow
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharongiltrowwriter/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharongiltrow1
Buy BEDTIME DADDY:
From the Publisher: https://ekbooks.org/product/bedtime-daddy/
From Amazon:
USA: https://www.amazon.com/Bedtime-Daddy-Sharon-Giltrow/dp/1925820386UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bedtime-Daddy-Sharon-Giltrow/dp/1925820386
Austrailia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Bedtime-Daddy-Sharon-Giltrow/dp/1925820386/
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Kevin the Unicorn: It’s Not All Rainbows
I’m starting a new thing for my book blogging. My son and I are going to start doing videos. It’s a way for me to spend less time on my computer! David has wanted to do videos for a while, but I want him to be limited on social media. Comments are available on the videos but I will be moderating all of them.
I realized after the fact that I was holding my phone the wrong way! Oh well, next time will be better. I may be appearing in some of the videos with him if I can figure out where to put my camera to film!
This week we are reviewing Kevin the Unicorn: “It’s Not All Rainbows” by Jessika von Innerebner. It’s a hilarious story of a unicorn who wakes up on the wrong side of the bed. Kevin tries to make the best of a good situation, but things just seem to get worse. Kevin, after all, is a unicorn and they are supposed to be all smiles and rainbows. This is a beautifully illustrated story that is a ton of fun!
Get the Book:
Pick up “Kevin the Unicorn: It’s Not All Rainbows”: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608081/kevin-the-unicorn-its-not-all-rainbows-by-jessika-von-innerebner/
Jessica von Innerebner’s Website: http://www.jessvoni.com/
More about “Kevin the Unicorn: It’s Not All Rainbows”: http://www.scholastic.ca/books/view/its-not-all-rainbows
(With lots of fun for kids extras at the link above)
Remember to ask your library to pick up a copy of this book. Also leave a review for this book on Goodreads and Amazon!
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Perspective & Loose Drawing
Design
Before you go into perspective or loose drawings make sure that you can visualize your pictures. If possible fix your problems in your thumbnails, because that’s when it’s easiest to make changes. Here are a couple of links for some great design principals.
https://www.johnlovett.com/design-overview
https://www.creativebloq.com/digital-art/tips-composition-31514496
Perspective
Perspective is one of the necessary evils of drawing, but it’s not too hard to learn. The most important ones to learn is 1 and 2 point perspective. 3 point perspective is also fun, but most useful if you are drawing the tops of buildings/from an overhead perspective. Three point perspective can also be used to draw an object floating/above the ground.
Scrapped room layout for a picture book dummy. I learned perspective in high school. We may have gone over it briefly in university, but being out of practice for so long makes remembering the finder details difficult. I’ve recently had to do a refresher myself to reacquaint myself with perspective. Instead of explaining it myself I’m going to give you links for 3 great videos and some extra explanation for one point perspective!
One Point Perspective: https://www.studentartguide.com/articles/one-point-perspective-drawing
https://thevirtualinstructor.com/onepointperspective.html (video and reading/pictures of what’s in the video)
Two Point Perspective: https://thevirtualinstructor.com/twopointperspective.html (video and reading/pictures of what’s in the video)
Three Point Perspective: https://thevirtualinstructor.com/threepointperspective.html (video and reading/pictures of what’s in the video)
Loose Drawings
It helps me to work on a full-sized loose version of all my drawings before I start on my finals. Some people find it helpful to use a copier or their computer to increase the size of their thumbnails and draw on top of that.
Some people work best going straight into their full sized work after they finish their thumbnails. How you want to proceed is up to you. If you aren’t sure at all how to proceed, please ask!
The finals can be somewhat sketchy. There will be some final images to include with your dummy so an editor/agent/art director can better envision the final book.
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Lady Luck – Kidlit Collage Week 3
Just doing some flat coloring this week. I’m working with mostly greens and golds. I was going to make the skin greenish, but the brown looked so much better. Hoping the hair will work as gold.
