Shutta Crum

As a teacher, librarian, and a children’s book writer, I truly believe my life has encompassed the best of all worlds. My day job for more than 26 years meant going into a library and being surrounded with beautiful books containing inspiring words. Since retiring from the public library in 2004, I no longer go [...]

 
A friend informed me of the non-profit organization, The National Society of Arts and Letters. It seems they are hosting a contest for 2010 for young (18-33 yrs) unpublished writers. Maybe that is you! Head on over to their site for specifics. http://arts-nsal.org .  
Happy Writing!
Shutta

 
The schmooze this year was a lot of fun with some old familiar faces showing up as well as a lot of new ones. We had every chair filled in a circle—28 of us! There was lots of good food as well as good conversation. I saw groups standing in the shade by the food [...]

 
Wow! When it rains, it pours. I just got word that the Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books will be giving THUNDER-BOOMER! an “R*” in its September issue. (Recommended, and an asterisk for “exceptional.”)
A writer friend asked if I knew that this book (my tenth) would be exceptional? And how did it feel writing [...]

Lots of things are happening, and I haven’t updated this site in a while. So . . .
First, THUNDER-BOOMER! has garnered three starred reviews so far. (Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, and Horn Book Magazine) YAY! The reviewers are blown away by Carol Thompson’s amazing art—and so am I. (Pun intended.)
 
Second, A FAMILY [...]

I was reminded that the 2009 Bulwer-Lytton winners had recently been announced. I always enjoy these each year. This is the annual contest for the worst opening line (since 1983). It is named after Edward George Bulwer-Lytton who wrote the famous opening phrase that Snoopy used so often: “It was a dark and stormy night [...]

 
Congratulations to my friend Jacqui Robbins who was feted and cheered by an audience of cupcake smeared admirers. (The cupcakes were good!) But her second book, TWO OF A KIND (Illustrated by Matt Phelan. Published by Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books, 2009), is even better than bright blue and green cupcakes! It has just taken its [...]

 
I kept this link to pass on to others. It’s Writer’s Digest annual listing of the 101 best websites for writers. Check it out! This listing/edition of the magazine is always one of my favorites.
I often find handy sites and apps to use, including Windows Live Writer–the software I am using at the moment. I [...]

 
A couple of weeks ago I had lunch with my friend Alex Flinn at a Greek restaurant in Detroit. We talked about her book, BEASTLY, being optioned for a movie. Well, work has begun. (See my interview with Alex, below.) And just to tantalize you a bit, here’s a link to lead actor Alex Pettyfer’s [...]

Shutta Crum interviews author Cynthia Leitich Smith.