Middle Grade Ninja: GUEST POST: “Researching for Truth in a Tale of Fiction” by Charlotte Bennardo

Have a great idea for a middle grade novel? Why not just slap those words down, polish it a bit, and send it off? Wait, have you done your research? Just because you’re writing a fantasy/animal/adventure/whatever story doesn’t mean there’s no research. If anything, you have an unspoken obligation to be […]

Middle Grade Ninja: GUEST POST: “Visions Of Ore” by Cam Baity and Benny Zelkowicz

When we set out to write our trilogy, THE BOOKS OF ORE, we ambitiously (and quite naively) attempted to build an entirely new world from scratch. Why hold ourselves to the familiar fantasy building blocks of medieval Europe, or magic, or talking animals? Our experience as animators taught us that every cliché could be challenged, […]

Middle Grade Ninja: 7 Questions For Public Relations Experts

Josh Redlich is a Publicist for Random House Children’s Books, where he works with authors like Mary Pope Osborne, Louis Sachar, Jay Kristoff, Gennifer Choldenko and Marisha Pessl to promote their works. He formerly worked at Sterling Publishing on titles ranging from children’s picture books to adult nonfiction. Josh is also the Chair of the […]

Middle Grade Ninja: Holes

Newbery Award–winning author Louis Sachar is the creator of the entertaining Marvin Redpost books as well as the much-loved There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom, winner of 17 child-voted state awards. Louis Sachar’s book Holes, winner of the 1999 Newbery Medal, the National Book Award, and the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, is also an […]

Middle Grade Ninja: Stephen King

Fair warning, Esteemed Reader, I’m going to use just a bit of adult language in this post. I’m emotional today because I’ve just picked up Little Ninja after his school went on lock down following a shooting. I don’t want to be writing this. I want that amazing interview with my hero Louis Sachar, author […]

Middle Grade Ninja: Merry Christmas, Esteemed Reader

Remember last week when I told you I was super busy with a project for my day job? Well, I’m still really busy and am about to add holiday traveling to my list of things to do. So I have to take a little break from blogging. I had planned to shut things down for […]

Middle Grade Ninja: NINJA BOOK CLUB: Chapter 19 THE HUNGARIAN HORNTAIL

First Paragraph: The prospect of talking face-to-face with Sirius was all that sustained Harry over the next fortnight, the only bright spot on a horizon that had never looked darker. The shock of finding himself school champion had worn off slightly now, and the fear of what was facing him had started to sink in. The […]

Middle Grade Ninja: NINJA STUFF: An Appropriate Relationship Between Author and Blogger (Part One)

Greetings and salutations, Esteemed Reader. I hope this post finds you well. It’s Writing Day, which is how it is I have time to both produce my daily word count for All Right Now (soon to be available) and write this post. The YA Cannibals are all here and for the first time, so is […]

Middle Grade Ninja: NINJA STUFF: Going Indie (Part One)

Hi there, Esteemed Reader. I’ve been telling you I had some big news for you and if you’ve been following this blog you’ve probably already suspected this was coming. Actually, this post might more aptly be titled “Gone Indie,” as I’ve already done it. Instead of reading this post, you could right now, this very […]

Middle Grade Ninja: NINJA STUFF: On Conspiracy Theories And Flying Saucers

WARNING: Today’s post has nothing to do with middle grade fiction, the reading or the writing of it. This is going to be an epic post I already regret publishing. Don’t worry, Esteemed Reader. This isn’t about to become a blog about conspiracy theories and flying saucers. There are plenty of those available already. I […]

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