Will Write for Cookies: Duncan Tonatiuh PLUS Giveaway

Posted on December 17, 2016 by viviankirkfield

WILL WRITE FOR COOKIES

INSIGHT – INFORMATION – INSPIRATION

FOR WRITERS

TODAY’S GUEST

DUNCAN TONATIUH

This summer I attended the WOW Retreat in Georgia. One of the most compelling presentations was from the incredible Duncan Tonatiuh. Lucky me…he was also one of my Round Table mentors. You can imagine how thrilled I was when he said he’d been willing to participate in Will Write for Cookies.

Duncan Tonatiuh (toh-nah-tee-YOU) is an award-winning author-illustrator. He is both Mexican and American. He grew up in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and graduated from Parsons School of Design in New York City. His artwork is inspired by Pre-Columbian art, particularly that of the Mixtec codex. His aim is to create images and stories that honor the past, but that are relevant to people, especially children, nowadays.

I want to remind everyone that there will be a giveaway of a copy of Duncan’s newest book, The Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanos (click here to read my Perfect Picture Book Friday review). Please stick with us throughout the post and then leave a comment at the end.

Welcome, Duncan! We are so very happy to have you here.

ME: Who were your favorite authors/illustrators when you were a child?

DUNCAN:

I remember reading and really liking Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss and The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I also remember liking a book in Spanish called Macario by B. Traven. When I was about eight years old, I really enjoyed the Choose Your Own Adventure books. I read all the ones they had in my school library.

In terms of illustration I was really into comic books and anime. That is what got me interested in drawing. I collected Spider-Man and X-Men comics and I would watch a cartoon about warriors called Knights of the Zodiac and another one about soccer called Captain Tsubasa.

ME: What do you know now that you wish you had known when you first started writing for children?

DUNCAN:

It takes time to build a career. When I was first getting started as an author-illustrator, I also taught, tutored, painted houses, walked dogs, baby sat and did other odd jobs to make ends meet. It was frustrating at times to take on certain jobs because I had to, not because I was passionate about them. As I published more books though, more people became familiar with my work. I started to receive more recognition for it. Nowadays I dedicate myself to writing and illustrating full time and I am able to support my family doing so. I feel very lucky that I get to do something I love for a living.

ME: Where do you like to write/draw – inside, outside, a special area in your home, on the computer, in a notebook? And when do you find time to write?

DUNCAN:

I like to write with a pen on a notebook before I type on the computer. My favorite place to write is the library, but often times I find myself writing on a bus or a plane.

ME: When during the day (or night) are you most productive? Do you set a schedule for working or do you write/draw when the muse speaks?

DUNCAN:

I am definitely a night person and I get most of my writing and drawing done at that time. When I am able to, I like riding my bike to the library in the morning. I like to write and draw there for a few hours. In the afternoon, I type out what I wrote and I scan my drawings so I can start revising my work.

ME: Why do you write for children?

DUNCAN:

I want children of color, especially Latinx children, to see themselves in books. There is a very small number of books where they can do that. I want them to feel proud of who they are. I hope my books help them know that their culture and their voices are important.

I also want non-Latinx children to engage with my books. I think that when kids learn about people different than themselves they realize that we are all more alike than different regardless of our skin color, religion, physical abilities or sexual preference. If children learn about and care about people different than themselves through books, they are less likely to be afraid of others or have prejudices towards them when they are adults.

I couldn’t agree with you more, Duncan! And books like yours DO help! Thank you so very much for participating in Will Write for Cookies…this was so much fun!

To find out more about Duncan and his amazing books or get in touch with him:

Website: http://www.duncantonatiuh.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DuncanTonatiuharte

Twitter: https://twitter.com/duncantonatiuh

And now for the sweet treat that ends all of our Will Write for Cookies posts. Duncan wanted to share his favorite Ria cookie made with walnuts, sunflower seeds, and chocolate…plus other deliciousness…the cookie is made by his cousins who own the fabulous Sweet Poppy in Hudson, NY…but unfortunately, the recipe cannot be shared…HOWEVER, I urge you to check out their Facebook page and if you live in the area, please give them a call and order some. https://www.facebook.com/sweetpoppyhudson/

But we knew that everyone wanted something special for the holidays. I found a traditional Mexican wedding cookie recipe to share…and believe me, you won’t want to wait for a wedding to make and eat these…they are PERFECT for the holidays! Many thanks to Bernie at AllRecipes.

Photo courtesy: http://allrecipes.com/recipe

They are as easy as 1, 2, 3. You will need: 1 cup butter, ½ cup white sugar, 2 tsp vanilla, 2 tsp water, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup chopped almonds, ½ cup confectioner’s sugar.

In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Stir in vanilla and water. Add the flour and almonds, mix until blended. Cover and chill for 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Shape dough into balls or crescents. Place on an unprepared cookie sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from pan to cool on wire racks. When cookies are cool, roll in confectioners’ sugar. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Find complete details on ingredients and instructions here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/15542/mexican-wedding-cookies/

And now, dear friends, don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Duncan’s book. Why not share the title of your favorite folktale?

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend…please don’t forget…Susanna Hill has posted the FINALISTS FOR THE HOLIDAY WRITING CONTEST…hop on over and read the 12 stories and VOTE for your favorite.

Joan Leotta: Will Write for Cookies PLUS Giveaway

Posted on September 17, 2016 by viviankirkfield

WILL WRITE FOR COOKIES

INSIGHT – INFORMATION – INSPIRATION

FOR WRITERS

TODAY’S GUEST

JOAN LEOTTA

One of the best things about this writing journey is that I get to meet so many incredible travelers. But no matter what genres they write, they want to share their words with the world.

Joan Leotta has been playing with words since her own childhood. She is a journalist, playwright, short story writer, poet, and author of several mysteries and romances. She has seven books in print at the present time. Simply a Smile is a book of short stories, each inspired by an object. She often uses this book to teach short story writing to middle and high school students. Continue reading →

Diana Murray: Will Write for Cookies PLUS GIVEAWAY

Posted on June 18, 2016 by viviankirkfield

WILL WRITE FOR COOKIES

INSIGHT – INFORMATION – INSPIRATION

FOR WRITERS

TODAY’S GUEST

DIANA MURRAY

You guys are always hearing me rave about this amazing kid lit community. But I hope you are not getting tired of listening, because that’s how I connected with today’s Will Write for Cookies guest.

This past November, I participated in Tara Lazar’s PiBoIdMo, and for those of you who wait with anxious anticipation for her annual challenge, you know she offers a zillion prizes for those who comment on each post and complete the pledge. Well, I won a prize package from Diana Murray…awesome swag from her forthcoming picture books…and I was blown away with the quality of her stories and the number of new books she has coming down the pike. And when I asked if she’d do us the honor of an interview, SHE SAID YES!!!! And guess what???

Because I so fell in love with her picture books, I decided to offer a copy of City Shapes which is JUST LAUNCHING NEXT WEEK!!! So after you enjoy reading the interview, please leave a comment telling us which is your FAVORITE city. One lucky person will win a BRAND NEW copy of Diana’s new book! I reviewed the book on yesterday’s Perfect Picture Book Friday post, so you can check it out here.

In case you don’t know anything about Diana, I grabbed part of her bio from her website.

Diana Murray writes poetry and books for children. Her award-winning poems have appeared in magazines including Spider, Ladybug, Highlights, and High Five. Diana recently moved from the Bronx to a nearby suburb, where she lives with her husband, two very messy children, and a goldfish named Pickle. She is represented by Brianne Johnson at Writers House literary agency.

So, without further ado, welcome Diana!!!

ME: Who were your favorite authors/illustrators when you were a child?

DIANA:

I wasn’t a big reader as a child. I don’t remember reading any picture books at all. When I was a bit older, my favorite books included ANNE OF GREEN GABLES, by Lucy Maud Montgomery, and THE GOOD EARTH, by Pearl S. Buck. Those books transported me to another time and place and the characters stayed with me long after I’d finished reading. I was also a huge fan (and still am) of Gary Larson cartoons. It wasn’t until my first daughter was born that I became obsessed with picture books. We read maybe ten books a day.

ME: What do you know now that you wish you had known when you first started writing for children?

DIANA:

It’s important to learn and absorb as much as you can. Writing for children is an art form, but it’s also a business. Those are two disparate disciplines and both were relatively foreign to me.
I wish I knew that my first manuscript wouldn’t sell. I spent about a year or two revising it every which way before finally realizing that I needed to move on. I think it’s common for new writers to get attached to a project. But it’s likely that the first thing you ever write isn’t going to be your best work. You can always set it aside and come back to it later.

ME: Where do you like to write/draw – inside, outside, a special area in your home, on the computer, in a notebook? And when do you find time to write?

DIANA:

I love to write outside on the patio when the weather is nice.

Or even when it’s not so nice. I love the sound of rain. I prefer my laptop to pen and paper because I’m a very fast typer.

I also have an indoor writing space in the basement. It’s still a work in progress and I haven’t finished hanging all the art.

ME: When during the day (or night) are you most productive? Do you set a schedule for working or do you write/draw when the muse speaks?

DIANA:

I don’t have a set schedule. I write whenever I can. Sometimes I even write in my head while waiting in line at the grocery store.

ME: Why do you write for children?

DIANA:

I studied child psychology in college and have always been interested in child development. Also, I discovered that reading picture books with my daughters was the most magical experience. Reading together creates a lovely moment of closeness. I can’t think of anything more rewarding than being part of that experience or helping kids to become readers. Finally, kids have the most amazing imaginations. We tend to lose some of that when we get older, so I feel lucky that I still get to be part of that world.

ME: Diana, if you have any thoughts or advice for aspiring writers, please share. As well as anything else you want to talk about that parents, educators, writers, librarians might want to hear.

DIANA:

My biggest advice to aspiring writers is to find some good critique partners or a critique group. When you critique other people’s work on a regular basis, you start to internalize that voice and you become better at revising your own work. Also, try not to be sensitive about criticism. Let it marinate for a while before you decide whether you agree or not.

WOW! Thank you so much, Diana. I know everyone is going to get so much out of this interview.

To find out more about Diana’s awesome books or get in touch with her, she’s got an awesome website:

http://www.dianamurray.com

And now, for everyone who has patiently waited for the sweet treat recipe at the end, your wait is not in vain. Diana has outdone herself and provided something easy-peasy enough for kids to help with! That’s always a winning idea in my book!

EASY SUGAR COOKIES (My 10-year old makes these herself)

½ cup plus 2 tbsp. of softened butter or margarine
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup flour
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Whip together butter and sugar.
Stir in the flour.
Form the cookies into balls and place on baking sheet. Flatten them into a disc shape if you’re topping with sprinkles before baking.
Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden.
After baking, you can mix some powdered sugar and a little milk with a drop of food coloring to make colored icing.
Decorate with sprinkles if you like.

Thank you so much for stopping by, everyone! Don’t forget to leave a comment telling us your favorite city. And have a wonderful weekend. To all the dads, grandads, and father-figures, HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!