Queer Joy Female Friendship Campfire Marshmallows 7 mid-life women Exes, ex-crushes, friends, acquaintances (Spoiler: 0 hookups) The summer weekend they each need, if the SIXTY PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN doesn’t get in the way. SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE x SHOW DON’T TELL #DVpit #A #CON #LF #WF #JV #LGBT

Reading DRAGON CAT WINS THE LOTTERY... to an otter. Best birthday present ever :) For the record, having a couple of otters on your lap is like having a half dozen kittens on your lap. This photo is a few months old, but remembering still brings me joy.

An imaginary pet named Falafel. A very real theft. And two misunderstood kids at odds on a playground. When class weirdo Jeremy Zissman yells, “I got Falafel!” and takes off just as the bell for school rings, Eitan must figure out how to save his beloved pet—without getting in trouble. #DVpit #PB

You told your Hollywood crush you want to sleep with her. Your neighbor’s asking for coming out advice before she declares her presidential run. Your son’s wondering about his dead dad. And this is just September. 17 more months of the unexpected to come. #DVpit #A #CON #LF #WF #JV #LGBT

SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE meets SHOW DON’T TELL 7 women at midlife. Queer Joy Female Friendship Good Conversation Tricky Dilemmas Camping, Swimming, S’mores. This summer weekend is exactly what they each need, if the SIXTY PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN doesn’t get in the way. #DVpit #A #CON #LF #WF #JV #LGBT

An imaginary pet named Falafel. A very real theft. And two misunderstood kids at odds on a playground. When class weirdo Jeremy Zissman yells, “I got Falafel!” and takes off just as the bell for school rings, Eitan must figure out how to save his beloved pet—without getting in trouble. #DVpit #PB

You just told your Hollywood crush you want to sleep with her. Your neighbor’s asking for coming out advice before she declares her presidential run. Your son’s wondering more about his dead dad. And this is just September. 17 more months of the unexpected to come. #DVpit #A #CON #LF #WF #JV #LGBT

Hey editors! Spend a weekend camping with seven lovely women: Queer Joy Female Friendship S’mores Lightning (!) Good conversation and tricky dilemmas First person plural narrative What it is to be middle-aging in summer ‘24 #DVpit #A #CON #LF #WF #JV #LGBT

Queer Joy Female Friendship Campfire Marshmallows 7 women, ages 42-58 Exes, ex-crushes, friends, acquaintances (Spoiler: 0 hookups) The summer weekend they each need, if the SIXTY PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN doesn’t get in the way. SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE x SHOW DON’T TELL #QueerPit #A #UP #LF #WF

A single lesbian mom’s life gets a lot more interesting when her neighbor the senator launches a presidential campaign, the brother of her Hollywood crush moves into the apartment next door, and her ten-year-old son starts asking questions about his dead dad’s family. #QueerPit #A #UP #LF #WF

7 middle-life women, queer + straight. 1 weekend of camping. Late summer 2024. SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE x SHOW DON’T TELL An upmarket novel of queer joy and female friendship that asks the question... when looking back at your life, would you trade what you have, for something else? #A #LF #QuestPit #Q

In the category of Books I Wish Weren't Needed, But Am Glad Exist.

Turns out short-form posts are not where my brain's at, for either writing or reading. As we used to say in middle school, it's been real. I'm taking an indefinite break here. You can find me on my website audreybethstein.com or Instagram @audreybethstein, where I post beautiful images + book news.

My Facebook feed today is filled with obituaries for people who should still be alive. There was a photo of a family of five, happy and full of life, then a photo of their five coffins next to each other. Fuck Hamas.

So excited to finally share the cover reveal for my debut picture book, TATE'S WILD RESCUE, honoring my love for animals. Now available for preorder! bit.ly/3RRlbG8 I can't wait to see Tate make her way into the wild. The support from the #KidLit community has been so touching. THANK YOU! 🐾💞

Got my Covid vax today. Filling out racial and ethnic information was a *requirement* to get the appointment. That sort of form scares the shit out of me, every time. I don't have the courage of my Uncle Morty, WWII POW who didn't hesitate to say he was a Jew, then survived a concentration camp.

Agents and editors: there have been a ton of really interesting PB pitches for #DVPit this year and you have through Tuesday to read/like/request!

Hi #kidlitchat! I'm curious if your character development process is different for picture book texts vs longer written work (e.g. middle grade).

This review by Elspeth Lorraine was a delight to read.

Some delightful company a.k.a. my new TBR list :)

Today's the day... Happy Book Birthday, DRAGON CAT WINS THE LOTTERY! Something unexpected is afoot. Or maybe 100 somethings. BUY NOW: - Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B0CD1VZS9G/ - Barnes & Noble: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dragon-cat... - Bookshop.org: bookshop.org/p/books/drag...

🎉COVER REVEAL🎉 My next picture book ALONE SOMETIMES: EVERYBODY NEEDS A HOLE IN THE GROUND comes out March 2024! This book is for anyone who needs alone time or to decompress from stress or life overload🌱🌿 💖Pre-orders are open wherever you buy books! #kidlit #kidlitart #author #mentalheath

#kidlitchat G'night, y'all! Happy reading! PS. Last time was pie, this time was cookies, so I suggest ice cream for next week — unless you want to act like true New Englanders and save ice cream until the dead of winter.

#kidlitchat Hi folks! A quick PSA: #DVPit is happening on October 11th on Discord, and there are VERY few agents and editors who rep picture books signed up so far... even though we still need diverse voices in picture books! Please encourage your agent + editor colleagues to participate! ❤️💙💜💚💛🧡

One week until pub day. This is the time when I worry that ABSOLUTELY NO ONE will buy the book.

Illustration by Alina Lutaeva, from DRAGON CAT WINS THE LOTTERY. Coloring by a good friend—and educator and kid advocate—who prefers to remain anonymous. It was a pleasure to hang out and chat and watch her color. And now, I'm hungry.

I have 2 proof copies because I had to fix a couple of things. I'm having friends and family color the first one. Haven't decided what to do with the 2nd. Suggestions? #Kidlit authors, what do YOU do with your proofs? #EduSky folks, have you done creative curriculum things with book proofs?

Hey, #kidlit folks! I'm super eager to read this chapter book by Elizabeth James... want to join me? The Kickstarter only needs another $279 to fully fund!

PSA for #kidlitart folks — there are a handful of portfolio reviews up for bid at the #Friends4LevineQuerido auction that still have zero bids. The auction closes at 11:45 CDT today (an hour and a half from when I'm posting this).

#unicornkidlitchat. It's now a thing, as @pamelamorganwrites.bsky.social insisted upon. Whether you get there via 50 reviews or via writing a unicorn directly into your book. Josh took the shortcut, but I hope to join soon.

This is fascinating. But I question whether publishers *could* legally grant blanket permission to NYPL to their out-of-print backlist, even if NYPL also sought permission from the author. Especially for the university presses they're piloting this with. So many books license content from elsewhere.

Did not know this... but apparently DRAGON CAT WINS THE LOTTERY and I are only 15 reviews away from getting a unicorn! The ebook's free until the end of September. You know the drill. And while you're at it, how about helping Pamela and Heather get their 🦄 as well? Then it'll be #unicornlitchat!

Today's delight: Discovering that the *5* copies of LOOK AT ME that sold most recently were purchased by none other than the Cincinnati Public Library. Thanks to a purchase request from a fellow kidlit writer. Yes, those library purchase requests do make a difference :) Hello, #kidlitchat!

Wow. I've been hearing about this book, but hadn't had the chance to read it yet. It landed with a thud of unexpected recognition — not for the experience of *being* autistic (that's not me) but of growing up around folks who were (and weren't/aren't diagnosed), and stumbling to converse. Well done!

The #Friends4LevineQuerido auction is still going until Wednesday. Here's the direct link if you want to bid on a zoom conversation with ME — to discuss writing, making books, or the best snacks to pack for a dragon cat adventure. (I've been having fun this week trying to guess who already bid!)

It is, once again, #kidlitchat day here on Bluesky- tonight at 9 PM Eastern/6 PM Pacific/Other Times in Other Time Zones. So far, following along with a search window seems best but there's a Feed, too! And some people just think really hard and that works for them, I bet! I hope you join us!

Listened yesterday to @literaticat.bsky.social's latest Literaticast episode. Still fascinated thinking about the creative division of labor between drawing and not only coloring but *choosing* the colors. A lot of trust there.

PSA: 10Q has been my most meaningful New Year practice for over a decade. A question a day for 10 days, from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur. Share or not. (I don't.) Lock your answers in the vault, get them back right before the next Rosh Hashanah. You don't have to be Jewish to take part. #DoYou10Q

Amen.

The #Friends4LevineQuerido auction is still going until Wednesday. Here's the direct link if you want to bid on a zoom conversation with ME — to discuss writing, making books, or the best snacks to pack for a dragon cat adventure. (I've been having fun this week trying to guess who already bid!)

What do you think is an optimal number of people to follow on a site like this — in order to be engaged but not overwhelmed?

G'night, y'all! Happy creating! #kidlitchat

Wrote some stuff. Revised some stuff. Tried to find homes for some stuff. Thought about lots of stuff. Swam. Camped. Wasted time. Ate things. Made s'mores. Collaborated with Alina Lutaeva to turn DRAGON CAT WINS THE LOTTERY into an actual book (pub day Oct 1; 1000+ ebook downloads). #kidlitchat

Hi #kidlitchat!

Finished Demon Copperhead. Especially interesting to read after watching the recent Netflix series Painkiller. I am glad I bought my own copy, as this is one I'd like to read again.

Join the #Friends4LevineQuerido in an online auction so that @levinequerido can continue to shine a light on Black, Brown, Indigenous, AAPI, Jewish, and LGBTQ+ stories. Fight censorship, take a stand for your #freedomtoread, & snag cool stuff. Bid: bit.ly/LQ2023auction Donate: bit.ly/LQ2023donate

We're gonna have another #kidlitchat here on Bluesky tonight (Tuesday) once again starting at 10 PM Eastern/7 PM Pacific. (We think we'll be earlier next week, thanks.). There is a Feed you can follow along with (linked!) or use the search function here. I hope you'll join us. Third chat's a charm!

Just started reading Demon Copperhead. So good. I am appreciating the language to a degree I don't have words for. Wondering what it is like inside Barbara Kingsolver's brain.

Join the #Friends4LevineQuerido in an online auction so that @levinequerido can continue to shine a light on Black, Brown, Indigenous, AAPI, Jewish, and LGBTQ+ stories. Fight censorship, take a stand for your #freedomtoread, & snag cool stuff. Bid: bit.ly/LQ2023auction Donate: bit.ly/LQ2023donate

Every so often I get texts from kid friends who are using their parents' phones. I can usually tell it's them, even when they don't immediately say who it is. This one sure made me smile.