
Mentor Text Talk by Lynne Marie
As Rate Your Story Membership gears up for its 2023 Year, I wanted to take the time to share a secret to my success in publishing picture books. Mentor Texts! Long before Mentor Text was a commonly used term, I heard Richard Peck tell conference attendees to "read 100 books before you try your hand at writing one." I took that fantastic advice to heart. I even took it one step further and became in the habit of reading as many as 50 - 100 books (or as many as I could get my h

Celebrating Seasons, Chapter Books and More with Heather Macht
I’m throwing confetti in the air to celebrate fellow #SeasonsOfKidLit Co-host (and creator) Heather Macht and her latest releases! One of the many things we share, besides our love for holidays, is a love for monsters, so you can imagine I was howling at the moon over her chapter book series entitled, Woodlot Monster Mysteries! Mark your calendars as Heather will be our special Guest at our January 29, 2023 Mentor Text Talk and she will be reading a chapter of one of her book


Diving Deep with Lydia Lukidis and Deep, Deep Down
Intro from Lynne Marie: I’m super excited to kick off the New Year with a wonderful Judge and a fabulous book! I am so thankful to have been a part of this book’s journey. This is an example of a book that’s fresh and new, exciting and informative, and well, exceptional. I feel it’s important for aspiring writers to identify and discuss what makes a book stand out. Even before that, what makes an idea stand out? Lynne Marie: First of all, please share a little bit about yours