Signing the anthology this Friday! Come and see us.

Next Friday, Sept 19, Editor Melissa Rechter of Crooked Lane Books & Alcove Press is taking zoom pitches at the WriteNOW! Conference. Let's take a closer look at her manuscript wishlist. #DSWN #AmWriting #AmQuerying #WritingCommunity

Can you believe this line up? Register Now! for the WriteNow! conference next weekend September 20, 2025. All the details at desertsleuths.com #writingcommunity #writingconference

I so admire each of these authors!! Honored to be sitting (virtually) with them. @djledford.bsky.social @robyngigl.bsky.social @alexsegura.bsky.social @desertsleuths.bsky.social

Yep, the books won't be there on time so the @desertsleuths.bsky.social SoWest: Danger Awaits! anthology launch party is postponed. You can still pre-order the books on Amazon

Don't miss this sneak peek at an ingenious & stunning #STEM PB introduction to the flight of birds and discover your own way to soar. www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/... Olga Ptashnik @ebyrbooks.bsky.social #PPBF #kidlit #birds

Writing short stories is the best because you can be part of something big, in this case the newest @desertsleuths.bsky.social anthology SoWest: Danger Awaits! Kindle version available for pre-order on Amazon, physical copy available September 19, 2025. amzn.to/45DsnMH Register at desertsleuths.com

More amazing guests for the 2025 WriteNOW! Conference. Authors Deborah J Ledford, Robyn Gigl, D.M. Rowell, & Alex Segura discuss "Doing Justice to Characters Unlike Yourself". #AmWriting #MysteryWriters #CrimeWriters #ThrillerWriters #WritingCommunity #DSWN25

Writers: Another free opportunity to learn more about craft. Wednesday August 20, 2025. Sorry it is late notice, so go register at desertsleuths.com right now! Villains are always the hardest to write! #writingcommunity

Our newest anthology launches September 19, 2025 at the Poisoned Pen bookstore @poisonedpen.bsky.social 6-4:30 p.m. MST Check it out for 25 new mystery and suspense short stories from @desertsleuths.bsky.social

#writingcommunity #writingconference Looking to hone those writing skills? Want to develop a sense of community? Need inspiration? Now is the time to register for the 2025 Desert Sleuth's WriteNow! Conference. Open to all! Virtual. desertsleuths.com/writenow-2025/

Rain lilies bloom after a rain, just for a short time. But these little bees always manage to find them. #bees

Ever wanted to write a prison story? Get the details at tomorrow's Desert Sleuths meeting. Register at desertsleuths.com #writingcommunity

Yes! Nonfiction at its best.

Discover @colleenpaeff.bsky.social 's exquisitely illustrated, lyrical, informational biography of a self-taught naturalist who became a preeminent expert on fireflies. www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/... Ji-Hyuk Kim Margaret K. McElderry Books #kidlit #biography #picturebook

So excited to be presenting HOW TO BUILD AN INSECT at Literally a Bookshop in Gilbert, AZ on Sunday June 8, 2025 at Noon. Such a cute shop and the nicest people!

@desertsleuths.bsky.social Note: new speaker for our Wednesday May 21, 2025 meeting. Plus book giveaway! Hope you can still make it!

Yesterday I gave up on a writing project because the deadline is looming and I didn't have enough pieces to complete it. I even started another project. Of course, when I woke up this morning I had the whole abandoned story worked out in my head. Those squirrely muses... #writing

Hey you! Drop everything and read! 📚💙 Celebrated every year on April 12- Beverly Cleary's birthday! -and borrowing from her wonderful Ramona Quimby books, this day is to encourage making reading a family activity. To participate, set aside 30 minutes for reading today! #booksky #writingcommunity

Getting ready for #independentbookstoreday with a visit to Wijaya House. Books and flowers, what a fun combination. There are staff recommendations on the shelves, or you can have a blind date with a book wrapped in brown paper. Fun! Well worth it!

Pollinators love prickly pear flowers! #pollinators #cactus #flowers #bees

The spring beauties are eye popping right now. More to come... #cactus #flower

Grateful to @deniseganley.bsky.social @desertsleuths.bsky.social @amydominy.bsky.social @cassiebentley.bsky.social for their support of my writing journey.

Today we release the winners of the Blueberry Awards and show off a list of the winners acceptance videos. Do you want baby coyotes? We HAVE baby coyotes! #kidlit 📚👍 afuse8production.slj.com/2025/03/21/a...

If you are interested in writing, this group is well worth the annual dues. The ad doesn't mention the wonderful opportunities to submit short stories to anthologies via local chapters. Perk!

Have you ever wanted to learn how to garden for pollinators? Try my class at the Chandler Nature Center, Sunday March 30, 2025 Registration via "Chandler Break Time" catalog #pollinators #gardening #butterflies #bees

This plant volunteered to brighten my day.

Because you can never have enough books for those dinosaur-obsessed youngsters.

A shout out to @authorlauragehl.bsky.social It was so thrilling to see my book cover on your visual wish list. Laura Gehl is one of the generous mentors participating in PB Rising Stars @pbrisingstars.bsky.social www.pbrisingstars.com/laura

#kidlit community: If you've ever wished you could work with a mentor to improve your picture books, here's your chance! Follow @pbrisingstars.bsky.social

Fantastic blog about a WONDERFUL new #picturebook! #kidlit ellenleventhal.com/2025/01/lydi...

Did you know that #nffest is having a writing retreat in May? Unfortunately I'm teaching a class May 10 or I'd be on a plane. REVISION RETREAT & Children’s Writing Workshop May 9–11, 2025 Hiawatha, IA www.nffest.com/p/ninja-retr...

Storystorm is more than half over, but there's still time to connect with the kidlit community and come up with some fresh ideas.

Free opportunity for writers. See you there?

Checking out the #CYBILS2024 finalist lists. Just FYI, if you are new to #kidlit, reading the books on these lists will teach you about what's new and newsworthy in children's publishing.

Excited to participate in #Storystorm again this year! Generating 30 ideas in January of last year really got my creative juices flowing! taralazar.com/2024/12/27/s...

#SteamTeamBooks is a fantastic group that showcases #STEAM #Kidlit. Kudos to Jonathan Roth for 23 author interviews!

Looking for comps for your manuscript query? The Fuse8 lists are a fantastic place to start. #kidlit @mikejrosenstein.bsky.social

If you have any interest in #kidlit these are the best curated lists you will find. Excellent!

Yep! #library #humor

@robertagibson.bsky.social hi! I was shelving books at my library and your book How To Build An Insect is listed as being with Dewey Decimal 745. Arts and Crafts… I have no idea how to update the info for your book but I thought you’d like to know. My library will move it to the bug section!

Congratulations Michelle Schaub and Anne Lambelet! #kidlit

December is the month to think about goals for the next year. I've been inspired by fall color lately. Need to work on that STEAM color for kids post!

Check out the link for some great mystery short stories. #mystery #writing #reading

Do you have any historic recipes on your menu next week? #cooking #Thanksgiving plimoth.org/for-students...

Desert Sleuths is a wonderful organization. Check out the website desertsleuths.com #writingcommunity #mystery #writing

Yes!

This is my first-ever Bluesky post, and it's a GIVEAWAY! To enter to win a copy of WHO MADE THIS MESS?, a laugh-out-loud picture book intended to remind kids that our assumptions are often incorrect, please follow me and share this post by 11/8. US only. Teachers/librarians are entered twice!

Friends: I'm participating in #skypitch tomorrow October 23. For the pitches with the hashtag skypitch, the organizers ask that you leave a comment rather than liking the post by clicking the heart. Of course, comments are always greatly appreciated :-)

So excited about #skypitch tomorrow. My pitches are ready. Now I just need to find time to get to my computer to post them during the crazy morning rush.