Leaping into summer like so 💛✨☀️🌻

A personal little update ☺️

✨Please help me spread the word as I try to raise $15K for families ASAP I will be doing a 50-page YA SFF intensive limited to 20 authors this summer for #KidLit4Ceasefire fundraising. It will be epic!!!✨ www.32auctions.com/organization...

Reunited with my manuscript for a final round of edits. I feel like a kid again, playing with all the sand I wrote into this sandbox. Crossing fingers for this one—my childhood self would’ve loved it 💛

I want to slap my computer right now 😂

I’m coming, wait for me! I hear the [ends of this revisiooon]!

Another late night writing update: I just finished revising Act 2!!

Painting again 💖

Late night writing thought: oh my gosh, I adore this book. The more I revise it, the more I have a good feeling about it ☺️

Missing my spoken word girl 💛🧡 but it’s been so fun revisiting her with my evolving art style—here’s hoping this graphic novel finds its home one day ✨

Storytellers will be the ones to see us through this. Stories help us remember where we come from and what we’ve been through. They inspire us to imagine new and better futures. A love of storytelling fosters empathy, compassion, and curiosity.

I love a good Wizard of Oz adaptation, and it’s been fun doodling what mine would look like 💙🌈 Dorothy is FilAm, of course, with a sweet filipiniana dress and Philippine woven basket. And the Scarecrow loves utilizing his flimsily epic height to help his friends out. May share more 💛

Celebrating my dream to author/illustrate picturebooks and chapter books 💛 Meet Huni Cruz! She’s a 6yo FilAm girl who is determined to learn one new thing a day (and add a commemorative pin to her collection). I love drawing her and exploring her world, and I hope to share more of her soon!

January, you threw in my face one layoff, two broken down cars, too many neighborhoods on fire, and too, too, TOO many lives lost and rights stripped.

Clarion West Announces Scholarship for Trans Writers locusmag.com/2025/01...

Many congratulations to all the ALA YMA recipients, including @thegabecole.bsky.social , @aidawrites.bsky.social , and @erinentrada.bsky.social !!! So thrilled to celebrate all your stories! 💛💛💛

Ahh congrats to all the AANHPI authors at the ALA YMA 2025!!

Also, I’m already sat and ready for the ALA Youth Media Awards tomorrow 🌟 Sending congratulatory wishes to all 2024 authors! Excited to celebrate and feel much needed joy with the Kidlit Community 💖

Thankful for the rain on SoCal 💛💛💛

Not me dreaming of literary tattoos 👀🧐📚

#Kidlit friends - time to spread the word! With the fires and devastation in LA, many amazing kid lit peoples have come together to help hold an auction to help! Check out @kidlitforla.bsky.social for big names involved, critiques, books, and more! Help out by sharing! #kidlitart #kidlitartists

Thank you to everyone who've bid on items for the 2nd annual #KidLit4Ceasefire fundraiser already! 🫶 With a ceasefire coming tomorrow, families will be hoping to evacuate injured family members. 175+ items left without bids! www.32auctions.com/organization... Next goal $10,000 raised!

A little 2024 reflection about accomplishments 🌟

Oof 🙃

Achievement unlocked this year: I started working at a wonderful organization called Words Alive 💙 I first got involved with Words Alive because I wanted to make a difference in the reading journeys of young people in my community.

I’m setting up a review series for Native kidlit (picture books to YA novels) … and it’s with a really cool group! More soooooon.

T-minus 6 months until the release of SALVACIÓN coming out 5/20!!! 🗡️ If you’re into a slow burn romance this one is for you. Preorder via 🌐🌳 Save your receipts!

✨Donation Link Live (and fixed!)✨ You can now donate items to the #KidLit4Ceasefire 2025 Auction to run from January 15-31st. Families are in dire need of aid now more than ever as we head into next year, and I am hoping we can raise $60,000 to help Gaza 💛✨ airtable.com/appgMC1CTRup...

Are any #kidlit authors still here? Trying to re-find my community 💛

Woah…I’m a 2024 WNDB Mentee. 🤩👏🏼💛😭🇵🇭💜🎡💭🚗!!!

i know it's preorder season but hey if you've got any extra liquidity right now...

Celebrating and manifesting this #ALAyma 🌟📚 may creators and librarians always be able to uplift our voices 👏🏼

Last part… Already so proud of my second verse novel 🌟

Just a self-reminder of the light etched in my name 🌟

Going to champion self-advocacy in 2024… I deserve it 💛

Exciting news! We’re bringing our beloved #KidLitArt chat over to BlueSky in 2024! Stay tuned & please follow @kidlitart.bsky.social for updates to come! #KidLit

Hey. I've got not one but TWO items in the Books for Palestine auction!

I donated a kidlit digital art commission to the Books for Palestine fundraising auction!! All items are now live and ready for bidding—please check it out and donate if you can: www.32auctions.com/BFP2023

Happy Filipino American History Month and Ace Week together! 🖤🤍💜🇵🇭

Halfway through #peachtober23 over on my IG (@ genielysse)! Here are some of my faves so far 🌟🍃🍊

Almost done thumbnailing for Peachtober 2023! 💛🧡♥️

sky says trans rights

ENLIGHTEN ME is out TODAY! If you’d like to celebrate Minh and my book day here on Bluesky only, please reply below with something along the lines of: “Happy Lies of P day” or “Wow that Chainsaw Man update happened on your release day, huh?”

Getting ready for this year’s Peachtober art challenge! 🤩💛

#Writers #WritingCommunity #Scholarships

Happiness is making a delicious homecooked dinner with @unobstructedspace.bsky.social before watching a Charles M. Schulz documentary 🥰💛

My new book “Chinese Menu” is out today! I think I will eat a plate of long-life noodles while reading and hope that the superstition works for books, too.

Oh, I love character sheets. So much. Just made this one for a cute little project—and I only JUST decided on her name. Say hi, Rizalyn 💖

Come meet the Green Dragon on Sunday at my book launch at Porter Square Books-pls come! There’s the book launch at Porter square (Cambridge, MA) on Sept 10th and then I have events in Seattle, Oakland, Berkeley and Pasadena! I would ❤️ to see you! https://gracelin.com/quick-links