Tracy Ann Baines's Blog (88)

tall tales & short stories is celebrating all the visitors who have stopped by the blog and being rated as a top ten children's literature blog for a second time!

The festivities will start on Monday 21st May and last for a few weeks with a new post every week that details the latest prize on offer.

We have something for writers and readers;

Two agents are offering crits on opening pages!

A literary consultancy will give feedback on your synopsis!

Authors…

tall tales and short stories welcomes Gemma Cooper of The Bright Literary Agency to the blog.

Gemma gives an insight into her working day; her wishlist of things she'd like to find in her submission box; and lots of writing and submission advice.

Gemma is actively looking for new clients...

Gemma's interview

Sarwat Chadda and one of the first 'Discovered SCBWI Voices' visits tall tales & short stories to talk about his new book and bad-ass hero Ash Mistry, and why Diversity Matters...

DIVERSITY MATTERS: Colouring in Heroes by Sarwat Chadda

Josh Lacey is the author of several books including Bearkeeper, The Grk series, The Island of Thieves...

8 Ways to Become a Better Writer by Josh Lacey

Debut author and illustrator Wendy Meddour revisits tall tales & short stories to talk about her route to publication.

You can find the post here

Molly Ker Hawn visits tall tales & short stories to talk about being an agent, to share her wishlist and to give lots of writerly advice.

Molly's Interview Here

Today's post on tall tales & short stories features author, Rachel Wolfreys.

To enter the draw to win a copy of the anthology, please leave a comment on the blog.

Today's post on tall tales & short stories features author, Jane Hardstaff.

To enter the draw to win a copy of the anthology, please leave a comment on the blog.

Every day for the next two weeks, tall tales & short stories, will be highlighting the authors and illustrators featured in the 2012 Undiscovered Voices anthology.
Running alongside the posts is a chance to enter a draw to win one of two copies of the anthology.
Details can be found on the blog.

Today's post features author, Sharon Jones.

Every day for the next two weeks, tall tales & short stories, will be highlighting the authors and illustrators featured in the 2012 Undiscovered Voices anthology.

Running alongside the posts is a chance to enter a draw to win one of two copies of the anthology.

Details can be found on the blog.…

In a video interview, Jasmine talks about her debut novel, The Book of Wonders, and what it's like to be on the other side of the publishing desk as an author, instead of in her usual role as a Senior Commissioning Editor at OUP.…

'Dark Parties started as a short story about Neva and her best friend Sanna who host a party for their friends in the pitch black and secretly plot a rebellion. I was intrigued – some might say obsessed – by this idea. I spent the next three years writing and revising Dark Parties.'

You can read Sara's interview on tall tales & short…

Zannah Kearns ~ 'my life experience has been one of enjoying diversity, and I have come to realise how much I like to see that reflected in stories - not only the ones I write, but the ones I read, too.'

You can read Zannah's guest post as part of tall tales & short stories' Diversity Matters series here

'Many asylum seekers talk about the loneliness they have to endure along with homesickness and knowing that they will probably never see their families again. Coming together weekly to write gives them companionship, a shared purpose and the chance of having their voices heard.

In all the organisations I have worked with we have been funded to produce a booklet of work and the absolute delight of the writers seeing their work in print is unimaginable. Having their writing…

DIVERSITY MATTERS: Joanne Horniman talks about the teen dads who inspired her book, Mahalia, and the intensity of first love in, About A Girl.

You can read her post on tall tales & short stories - here

'When I was fifteen, I thought I was so alone. I read and read and read, but didn’t read about anyone else like me. No-one.'



'No-one at Orion, or my lovely agent, ever raised concerns about the three LGBTQC characters in my novel HOLLOW PIKE. I, however, was ready for opposition and had prepared my defence. At the editing stage, editors edit, but I would have died to protect the somewhat complex orientations of Kitty, Jack and Delilah.'…