UP!–Q&A with Paul A. Reynolds

Posted on September 2, 2018 by writersideup

A “Lighter Side Up”

Q & A with

Paul Reynolds

For those of you who’ve been following my blog since its launch, you may recall that at that time it had been planned to do Q&As with the Reynolds brothers, but due to life’s demands the posts had to be postponed. These are two busy guys. After all, what else would you expect from superheroes?! Well, I can tell you—they were worth the wait. When you read their sensitive, wise, affecting responses to my questions, their superpowers are crystal clear: words and actions that stem from passionate, sincere hearts. I’m SO honored to be hosting them as part of International Dot Day 2018 (just 2 weeks away, having been inspired by Peter’s book, The Dot!). This year, rather than creating my own little Dot, I think this is a MUCH better way to celebrate 🙂 ❤ Continue reading →

UP!: Q&A with “Neighbor Girl” Felicia Maziarz

Posted on March 3, 2015 by writersideup

A “Lighter Side Up” Q & A:

Getting to Know

Felicia Maziarz

When I first became more active on social media by getting more involved on Twitter and following Kidlit-related blogs, an unknown and somewhat unexpected world opened up for me. What I totally did NOT expect was to find accomplished “kid” authors! Not only was I more than impressed, but witnessing this kind of creativity, passion and drive for something so worthwhile—which also takes perseverance to complete—filled me with a sense of hope.

For such a young author, Felicia Maziarz has a very distinct writing voice, and a sturdy grasp on her clearly fleshed-out characters. Writing “funny” is not an easy thing to accomplish, but Continue reading →

UP!—SO Glad I Didn’t Miss THIS Train!

Posted on November 16, 2014 by writersideup

(NOTE: while this post is current, scroll on the sidebar —in a separate tab or window—to click to listen to Hedwig’s Theme while reading 😀)

We can miss a lot of things in life, including the proverbial “boat.” After all, there are so many things to do, people to meet and places to see, and it’s impossible to be aware of or actually do it all when it’s timely, right? Well, one big train I happened to catch when the timing was right, having walked through the barrier onto Platform 9 3/4, was none other than the Hogwarts Express, and OH, it’s taken me on the most unforgettable ride!

When Sheila of Book Journey announced her hosting a Harry Potter ReRead-a-long, I couldn’t resist, regardless of how little time I had to add “pressure” reading to my life. The thing is, though the page count is sometimes hard for me to achieve in my time frame, there’s nothing about the actual reading of this series that is a burden. For me it is a joy 🙂 Continue reading →

UP!–Celebrating the Format of PRINT PICTURE BOOKS!

Posted on November 2, 2014 by writersideup

In case you weren’t aware—IT’S PICTURE BOOK MONTH! I’ve been heavily involved in the Kidlit World of Picture Books for decades now, but hadn’t known of this more-than-worthwhile celebration ’til last year when I got more immersed in Twitter and social media. And OH, what a celebration it is! Continue reading →

UP!–What Gets You to REREAD a Book?

Posted on October 28, 2014 by writersideup

I don’t know about you, but I’m not exactly a fast reader. I’d say I read at a moderate pace. Typically I read novels (or any fiction longer than a picture book) at bedtime, rarely allowing myself to read them during the day. That is, of course, unless the book is one I simply can’t put down, and OH, how I love it when that happens! 🙂 My list of books To Be Read (TBR) is a very lengthy one, and stays that way because it takes me relatively long to read each book, plus new ones are added every day. So, though I may want to REread a book, I nix the idea almost immediately.