MariaK.

Seriously danced around my kitchen for 10 minutes and woke my husband at 6 am when I got this news😆 So honored and excited! Thank you @freespiritbooks.bsky.social!

Lol thank you Roxanne!

The cover of the Picture Book BEATRIX AND THE UNICORN, which features a gold-framed painting of a young seated girl who appears to be a medieval peasant, reverentially gazing at and reaching out to a dappled white unicorn tapestry that seems to almost be coming alive. The title is in gold above the frame, and both frame and title are on a mulberry-and-mauve floral motif background.

Happy Book Birthday to the luminous new picture book BEATRIX AND THE UNICORN by Lita Judge!

bookshop.org/p/books/beat...

Happy book birthday The Princess and the Grain of Rice! A new twist on The Princess and the Pea. Story by Tina Cho and Honee Jang. 🍚

Hi agents, I’m on the hunt for high-concept layered YA & MG novels! #MSWL

For YA: romantic fantasy; dark academia; mystery/thrillers like We Were Liars or Firekeeper’s Daughter; thought-provoking horror or gothic; romantic coming of age like Aristotle & Dante & Last Night at the Telegraph Club 1/3

Hello Writing Community! We are delighted to announce our Second Official Bluesky *** #MSWL Day *** February 26, 2026. 🎉🎉🎉

Agents + editors can post what they ✨wish✨ they had in their inboxes; writers can find their next best fit for querying.

Learn more: manuscriptwishlist.com/2025/01/the-...

When Should You Stop Querying a Book? Hi friends, I've been doing a steady stream of events lately and that means I've had the opportunity to talk to a lot of authors, ones at all stages of their careers. In most of the things I do out i...

When should you stop querying a book?
www.agentsandbooks.com/when-should-...

#booksky

Behind the Scenes: “Social Media for Authors: How to Show Up Online Without Losing Your Mind” by Kristin Tobias Today’s guest blogger, Kristin Tobias, has some valuable tips and strategies for us! Kristin is founder of Scenda and a social media strategist for authors like Caitlin DeLems. Caitlin and Kristin …

Today's guest blog post features 👉informative and actionable tips for authors and illustrators 👏 from social media strategist KristinTobias at Scenda Social.
bethandersonwriter.com/2026/01/30/b...

Fireworks Check out Fireworks - <p><b>*SEVEN STARRED REVIEWS * A <i>NEW YORK TIMES</i>/NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST ILLUSTRATED CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR * THE SOCIETY OF IULLUSTRATORS GOLD MEDAL WINNER * KIR...

2026 Caldecott Medal - one of my favs from this year! #ALAYMA
bookshop.org/p/books/fire...

Renée Watson wins the Newbery! She is a treasure and so is this book. I just gifted it to a young reader friend. It's a book in verse, so accessible, about grief.

Normalize being proud of the book you wrote even if it didn’t sell the way you hoped.

t's time! I'm opening back up to queries.

Right now, it is just picture books, YA and New Adult. I'm really looking for stories with a strong sense of unforgettable authentic characters, hooky concepts with strong plotting and an emotional core, and unique voices or visions!

an hp printer is sitting on a desk next to a shredder ALT: an hp printer is sitting on a desk next to a shredder

#amquerying #writers: Did you ever wonder what results in an ❌auto-reject❌ on your query? SPOILER ALERT: It's not typos. Here are the most common reasons: writingcommunity.ca/queryhacker-...

2026 PBParty Contest ⋆ Mindy’s Writing Wonderland The annual PBParty contest is for unagented writers and author/illustrators with finished and polished picture book manuscripts. We pick a wide variety of genres for agents/editors to browse in the sh...

#PBParty 2026 information is up! This is such a fantastic opportunity for unagented #picturebook writers and illustrators. Get those submissions ready!

#writingcommunity #kidlit

2026 PBParty Contest ⋆ Mindy’s Writing Wonderland share.google/LBFIkPKY7GAf...

Post from Amanda Gorman’s Instagram that says amandascgorman Minneapolis, Minnesota For Renee Nicole Good Killed by ICE. on January 7, 2026 by Amanda Gorman They say she is no more, That there her absence roars, Blood-blown like a rose. Iced wheels flinched & froze. Now, bare riot of candles, Dark fury of flowers, Pure howling of hymns. If for us she arose, Somewhere, in the pitched deep of our grief, Crouches our power, The howl where we begin, Straining upon the edge of the crooked crater Of the worst of what we've been. Change is only possible, & all the greater, When the labour & bitter anger of our neighbors Is moved by the love * better angels of our nature.

Amanda Gorman wrote this poem for Renee Good and that’s it for me tonight.

New FREE contest for writers of Middle Grade Fiction — tinyurl.com/wdwcontest4 — Judged by Agent Morgan Hughes of Fineprint Literary, via @writingdaywksp.bsky.social Winners get an agent critique of their work.

Check out my friend Stan’s amazing 2025!
Some people made great things happen last year!

Hmmm... should make for an interesting year😂

Kwanzaa to do list

Read a book by a Black author
Shop at a Black bookstore (Brave & Kind in Decatur, GA)
Eat at a Black-owned restaurant
Play a soul, funk, jazz album LOUD and from front to back
Read an essay by Roxane Gaye or James Baldwin
Recite a poem by Nikki Giovanni and share it

Me: (working on novel)

Brain: Hey, got a great idea for a novel. Not this novel.

Me: (typing) Not now, brain.

Brain: Don't you wanna know what it is?

Me: NOT NOW, BRAIN

Brain: I'm not gonna lie, it's SUPER cool

Me: LET ME FINISH THE NOVEL IN FRONT OF ME, BRAIN

Brain: Okay, I'm gonna tell you

Well I know what song I'm listening to in the car today😂

YouTube video by DIT Labs - Fairfax County Public Schools Meet the Author - Gabriella Aldeman

I was live on TV—what?!

Last Friday I had the honor of visiting the Fairfax Network studios where I was interviewed by Emily Godfrey for Meet the Author.

If you didn’t catch it live, go to my link in bio or rewatch here:

youtu.be/Eeih2R2GuqI

Thank you for having me!

Oh hey a good annual reminder that I’ve got a Bluesky starter pack full of agents on here. Go follow away.👇🏽

I have nine trad-pubbed picture books under my belt (soon to be 10).

If I'd waited until I was ready...

...if I'd waited until I knew what I was doing...

I'D.
HAVE.
NONE.

Mini character design ✌️don’t forget to smile today 🙃

#kidlitartist #kidlitart #kidlitauthor #characterdesign #scbwi

DOUBLE FEATURE! It's Season's Readings with Della Ross Ferreri! Hello readers, writers, and fellow buffet enthusiasts like us! Today we’re serving up a delicious double feature with another fabulous Sleeping Bear Press author, and this book is almost too sweet to ...

So many fun holiday books to read 😍

www.seasonsofkidlit.com/post/double-...

It's Season's Readings with Sonja Anderson! Hello readers, writers, and Dala Horse lovers of every kind! We have an especially heartwarming treat for you today. The lovely Sonja Anderson is here sharing her new book, A Christmas Wish for Little...

www.seasonsofkidlit.com/post/it-s-se...

promo poster for Monument Colorado's Small Town Christmas Market featuring children's author, Roxanne Troup at the Covered Treasures Bookstore. Roxanne will be signing her award-winning picture books from noon to 2pm on December 6 at 105 Second Street in Monument Colorado.

#SupportLocal this Saturday by joining me at the Covered Treasures Bookstore in #Colorado. I'll be signing #books and celebrating the #holidays by supporting #indiebookstores. #kidlit #picturebooks

It's Season's Readings with Kate Allen Fox & Editor Naomi Krueger! Hi readers, writers, and lovers of all things winter! December 1st has arrived, and with it comes the start of our Season’s Readings celebration - a cozy week dedicated to winter holidays, crisp weath...

The newest Seasons of KidLit is up! Check it out for some great tips on writing holiday books and a fun giveaway.
☺️❄️

www.seasonsofkidlit.com/post/it-s-se...

Introduce yourself with 5 animals you've seen in the wild:

Sea turtle
Gecko
Coyote
Black bear
Moose