Boisterous, eloquent, and just the tiniest bit zany, Cynthia Leitich Smith, New York Times best-selling author of TANTALIZE and RAIN IS NOT MY INDIAN NAME, took me out for tacos and taught me a thing or twelve. I loved hearing her wise words on diversity in YA, paying it forward with newer writers, and writing 200 drafts of a single picture book.

Cynthia Leitich Smith Show Notes

Dear Sugar

Kathi Appelt  and Austin SCBWI

Greg Leitich Smith

Varian Johnson, Don Tate

Brett Hartman

JINGLE DANCER

Ming Doyle, illustrator for Cynthia’s graphic novels

Deborah Noyse at Candlewick press (editor)

SANTA KNOWS illustrated by Steve Bjorkman (edited by Mark McVeigh at Dutton)

HOLLER LOUDLY

TWILIGHT

Joss Whedon

FERAL PRIDE

Sara Zarr 

Ellen Oh’s post on Cynsations

FROM THE MIXED-UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER by E.L. Konigsburg

Judy Blume