UP!–A FREE Harry Potter DOWNLOAD in Honor of Banned Books Week!

Posted on September 26, 2014 by writersideup

So, here we go…it’s Banned Books Week! Something that, when you’re as immersed in the KidLit world on the internet to the degree I am, is impossible to miss. Discussion is ablaze, reaching virtually every corner of the realm of literature. It can be a heated topic, for sure, which is something I typically avoid online, but I don’t think what I’m going to say here will create any hoopla. Honestly, the reason I’m blogging about it at all is because I thought it was the appropriate time to offer a little gift for Harry Potter fans: a one-of-a-kind download! Why now? Because the Harry Potter series is BANNED*! What started out as a little download ultimately became a full-blown post about banning books. I’ll be curious to hear what you think: Continue reading →

UP!–A FESTIVAL of BOOKS in Princeton!

Posted on September 21, 2014 by writersideup

Last year, on September 21, 2013, was the first time I attended the Princeton Book Festival held at the Princeton Public Library here in New Jersey. The event began at 11 a.m. and since I hadn’t arrived ‘til after 12, the nearby parking garage was full, so I felt lucky finding a spot on the street. Not having seen the meter, I didn’t expect to find a parking ticket on my windshield when I got back—but I did. As a true bibliovore, the first thing I thought was Oh, man, I would’ve rather spent that $40 on books! So, ultimately, the two very important things I came away with that day were 1) I will never miss this book festival again, if I can help it, and 2) arrive early enough to get a spot in the garage.

The 2014 festival, hosting over 80 authors and illustrators, was held yesterday, September 20^th, and you can be sure I was there! As soon as I found a snugly spot Continue reading →

UP!…and the Winners are…

Posted on September 18, 2014 by writersideup

Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking the launch parties were a success on both sites! The party’s not over, though, until all the party favors are handed out 🙂 Of course, in this case they’re handed out to a randomly select few. I sincerely wish I could give them to ALL my party guests, but after shelling out quite a bit for the band, disco lights and fireworks…well, you get the picture 😉

With a whopping 6 giveaways—3 on each blog— Continue reading →

UP!: My VERY 1st DOT celebrating Int’l Dot Day!

Posted on September 15, 2014 by writersideup

Int'l Dot Day If you are an avid admirer, as am I, of the books Peter H. Reynolds has written and illustrated, you are familiar with their unmatched appeal and know the commonality between all of them. They never fail to be impressionable and moving. They move the reader to think, to feel, to wonder, to imagine, to be brave—to express oneself with creative abandon.

Upon every read, I never fail to be in awe of Peter’s inborn ability to capture the most poignant themes in the simplest ways. Ask any picture book author/illustrator and they’ll tell you this is not an easy thing to accomplish. His spot-on choices of content, picking the most essential “moment,” conveyed through his fluid, loose lines and word choice, touch the heart and mind in deep and unforgettable ways. One page that always comes to mind Continue reading →

5-4-3-2-1 “UP!” BLOG LAUNCH! FIREWORKS & PARTY FAVORS!

Posted on September 9, 2014 by writersideup

IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING AND IT’S FINALLY HERE!

Welcome to my humble internet abode! In your honor, I’ve been pushing hard to fix up the place (you know how it is when company’s coming 😉 ), so please, make yourself at home and feel free to look around!

The Navigation Bar is one big “treasure hunt” of pages jam-packed with descriptions of all the “goodies” you’ll come to find each time you visit. Some are already there just waiting to be discovered, and you’ll find plenty of treats filling the Home Page sidebar and the footers on every page, too! So be sure to turn up the music—you’ll find the Play button on the sidebar! This IS a party, after all 😀 Continue reading →