Harold Underdown

A purple crayon, the logo of Harold Underdown's website.

Reminder that I'm available for #kidlit editorial and consulting work on picture books, novels, nonfiction, and more. Information, including my rates, is on my website, but I'm happy to answer questions here. Please pass this on to anyone who might benefit. Thanks!

www.underdown.org/pced.htm

A purple crayon, the logo of Harold Underdown's website.

Reminder that I'm available for #kidlit editorial and consulting work on picture books, novels, nonfiction, and more. Information, including my rates, is on my website, but I'm happy to answer questions here. Please pass this on to anyone who might benefit. Thanks!

www.underdown.org/pced.htm

They did not get what they wanted from her, did they? Not clear why they even tried.

oh hey look more proof positive that the best response to a trump lawsuit is “fuck you, make me.” hope everyone who gave in without a fight feels like the utter rubes they are.

Pete Hegseth really is an astounding idiot who truly does seem to believe that the way to win wars is just to war crime harder than the other guy.

Just an endless 'taking the gloves off' until your hands are reduced to bloody stumps because it turns out taking the gloves off usually doesn't help.

Huge Critique Giveaway & PBParty Prep Replay ⋆ Mindy’s Writing Wonderland If you're planning to enter the 2026 PBParty contest, here are TONS of critique prizes you can win to help prepare. Good luck. :)

The 2026 #PBParty contest has 39 participating agents/editors so far. Wahoooo!

It's only been a few days since e-mailing editors & a bit longer for agents, so I'm hoping we'll have tons more yeses by the showcase.

Enter to win one of over 45 critiques!

‘Same Ingredients, Different Recipe’ in Proposed U.S. Book Ban House Resolution 7661, introduced on February 24, would withhold federal funds from public classrooms and school libraries alleged to have “sexually oriented material” on their shelves.

‘Same Ingredients, Different Recipe’ in Proposed U.S. Book Ban

Subject: Congratulations to Victoria and Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2026 16:02:52 -o500 From: Chris Meade <c.meade@entrereneurcohort.com> To: [redacted] Victoria, Aaron and I are right now going over our game plan for 2026 and I wanted to connect with you personally because I genuinely believe you'd be a strong fit inside The Founders Club, considering what you're doing at Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association. Looks like you guys are killing it by supporting science fiction and fantasy writers. Almost all of our members join us via referrals and our Instagram, but my co-founder and I do like to personally reach out to people we believe are part of the 6% we accept into the club. Our community is an tight-knit circle of entrepreneurs making waves in their industries who support each other, celebrate wins, and tackle real problems together. It’s a seriously high-caliber club with all founders doing $1M to 10-figures in yearly revenue. If part of your focus for 2026 is upgrading your circle and building relationships that actually move the needle, this might be exactly what you’re looking for. Would you be interested in a quick 15-minute chat about the club? Chris Meade - Co-Founder P.S. If the Founders Club doesn’t sound like it’d be a good fit, just let me know and I’ll make sure not to follow up on this.

This is going around again--seems like a somewhat more deluxe successor to the Who's Who scams of yesteryear. What they don't want to tell you: it costs $791/mo to join www.foundersclubofficial.com/about-us (based on the images on the site, I suggested they change their name to White Founders Club)

When the New York Public Library's wealthy trustees tried to get rid of physical books, & turn the beloved main branch (guarded by the two lions) into a kind of upscale mall, they presented this as inevitable too.

People fought back—turns out people really like books!—& they had to drop the plan.

US Supreme Court declines to hear dispute over copyrights for AI-generated material The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to take up the ​issue of whether art generated by artificial intelligence can be copyrighted under U.S. law, turning ‌away a case involving a computer scienti...

AI art will continue to be ineligible for copyright after SCOTUS refuses to hear the case brought by the same man whose previous appeal for patents was also rejected.

PETITION: Don't Let the Federal Government Regulate Your Reading Not one country's freedom and liberty has ever been increased by banning books.

Don't let the American government decide what books you and your family are allowed to read.

action.everylibrary.org/hr_7661 via @everylibrary.bsky.social

Remember: If you are a billionaire, a wealth tax and cap are for your *own protection.* The income tax rate at the end of a pitchfork is 100%.

American schools weren’t broken until Silicon Valley used a lie to convince them they were—now reading and math scores are plummeting | Fortune Neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath warns the U.S.’s $30 billion bet on laptops in schools has made Gen Z less cognitively capable than their parents.

This is an excellent write-up about how the hype-train of edtech can harm learning (side-eye at ai in the classroom)

I'm grateful for this reporting but JFC. The lunacy and the cruelty. This is the tip of their spear, friends. Think of the many Americans they would like to punish and reprogram.

Mayor Mamdani twists a confetti popper with two other attendees at the Lunar New Year Parade and Festival.

Four Lunar New Year Parade and Festival attendees sit side by side.

A Lunar New Year Parade and Festival attendee looks at the camera from under a yellow and red decoration.

Mayor Mamdani waves from behind a banner surrounded by others while walking in the Lunar New Year Parade and Festival.

Scenes from the 28th annual Lunar New Year Parade and Festival, celebrating the Year of the Fire Horse. Beautifully hosted by Better Chinatown USA.

How ICE’s Budget Boom Is Changing Immigration Detention Last year’s multibillion-dollar funding package has allowed the government to put more immigrants behind bars, often in worse conditions and with little oversight.

The Trump administration is using billions of dollars in ICE funding to put more immigrants behind bars than ever before, often in inhumane conditions with little or no oversight. It’s a recipe for a human rights disaster. bit.ly/4qWSVQ4

This is what I love about KW--as well as the opportunity for serious conversations with #kidlit authors and illustrators.

Not Simon & Schuster: Deconstructing an Impersonation Scam - Writer Beware For writers chasing a traditional publishing contract, an email from Big 5 publisher Simon & Schuster inviting submission might seem like a dream come true. Just one problem: major publishers like S&S...

The world is on fire, but if you're in the mood for some light entertainment to take your mind off things, follow along with me as I take apart a bait-and-switch scam impersonating a Big 5 publisher writerbeware.blog/2026/02/28/n...

One of the most strident pro-democracy voices in America right now is @willbunch.bsky.social at @inquirer.com

"This war-and, yes, it is a war...is illegal”

"Trump’s actions are those of an unrestrained dictator-exactly the mad king that Madison sought to warn us about.."
bsky.app/profile/will...

Illustrators, heads up!

What is the actual benefit of a baby over migration for growing the population (skills base, tax base)? Don't get me wrong, it's fabulous if people want babies, but they cost money to develop. They don't even know English! They don't understand our culture! They want everything given to them! 😉

This feels like something @friede.bsky.social would appreciate: a map of 18th century London and Bath that pinpoints locations in Austen, Burney, Fielding and Smollett with accompanying excerpts. Including the ability to track location mentions through the text of a novel.

There is always a tweet.

Every Republican president since I have become an adult has said we need no more wars in the Middle East. Every one has started one. And each of those wars has had a heavy economic, diplomatic, and human toll.

A purple crayon, the logo of The Purple Crayon, Harold Underdown's #kidlit website.

What's new at The Purple Crayon: 2 reviews of professional resources, updates on editor moves and layoffs, the upcoming "Crash Course...," more: www.underdown.org/newhdu.htm

In my time at Princeton, we've had several Army officers in our doctoral program. They've all done excellent work.

When this former Princeton undergrad says we're actually teaching them "the enemy's wicked ideology" I have no idea what the hell he's talking about but, of course, neither does he.

I have done the same...

Indeed!

I've been writing articles about this problem since last August

What was on your screen? Just those two hashtags?