Full Disclosure-I know the author of this book. I met Zetta Elliott several years ago through Summer Edwards of Anansesem and I have followed her work closely ever since. Of Caribbean origin (St. Kitts-Nevis specifically), Zetta is a Black feminist writer of poetry, plays, essays, novels, and stories for children. She published a head-spinning fifteen (I believe-it may be more) children’s books last year, making a significant mark on her work towards seeing more diverse literature that accurately reflects the culture, experiences, reality, and essence of people of colour.
-
-
A chat with Caribbean Mom Authors: Writing for All Children
I had so much fun doing this chat with Eva Greene Wilson, Nerissa Golden, and Stacey Alfonso-Mills. We talked about writing, time management, self-publishing, writer’s block and much more. Listen in and add feedback and questions right here.
-
The Real Audience
I wrote my first young adult novel this year. A young adult (YA) novel is a book that will most likely be enjoyed by children 12-18 years old. Since all of my previous books had been written for a younger audience, I did a lot of research before and during the process.
-
Keeping Pace
My children and I have a well developed history of reading together. Before they were able to read, I would read to them every night. When they were developing their reading skills, we would take turns to read out loud. Even after they were reading fluently, I continued reading to them every bedtime, mainly books that I knew they would be reluctant to try if I left them to their own devices. (We still talk about ‘The Magician’s Elephant’ by Kate DiCamillo.) We referred to our bedtime ritual as “Bath, Books, Bed”, and all hell could break loose if I was tired and tried to skip the book portion.
-
Great Responsibility
In my first post at Novel Spaces, as a guest blogger, I wrote about the responsibility that I feel as a writer of children’s books to produce books that positively impact my young readers.