This month, Shake Rag Alley feature an instructor interview with me in the light of my upcoming Writing for Young People workshop at this year’s fifth annual Mining the Story Writing Retreat. Here’s a sampling of my interview, with link to full article on the Shake Rag Alley News page here:
Q: There are so many genres when it comes to writing. What inspired you to pursue writing for children?
A: That’s an interesting question because, as I pondered my answer, I couldn’t remember ever sitting down and making that conscious decision. It is a passion that I always just felt. Ever since I was a child myself, I have told stories and the things I want to write about are suited to children. As Maurice Sendak once said: “I don’t write for children… I write — and somebody says, ‘That’s for children!’”
Interested in learning about writing 
I’m delighted to have been invited by the 
I was thrilled to learn that one of the short stories, titled Salvage, in Patricia Ann McNair’s latest collection was born in one of my writing classes. Responsible Adults is published by Cornerstone Press and the virtual book launch with Women and Children First bookshop, including the lively reading and conversation between Patty and novelist Eric May (pictured here), was fun.
Wow! What a weekend at 
That was fun — my Zoom workshop, Inner Child: An Exercise in Narrative Distance. I heard so many wonderful ideas and childhood memories. Thanks so much to 
I am thrilled to be hosting Dr Janice Del Negro at our Oak Park and Near West Suburban Network SCBWI October meeting. The event is free and open to the public. All are welcome! Janice is a storyteller, author, educator and professor at Dominican University with a special expertise in this area. She will talk to us about the history of folk and fairy tales, ways that we can use them, of misappropriation, of tools for finding them, and also give more information about the Butler Children’s Literature Center’s Ellin Greene Folk and Fairytale Collection. Click 
