The author of The Un-Faithfulness of Seun Lissa, Damilola Ogunremi discusses the writing process. “What goes into the writing process of a book or any manuscript?” This is one question I get asked when an individual who is not already in the field wishes to write a story or want me to take them in creative…
Cristy Bertini, Editor-in-Chief of Story Monsters Ink magazine recently announced the winners of the 2015 Royal Dragonfly Book Awards/Ebook Awards. In the Young Adult category Goodbye Tchaikovsky won Second Prize. Linda F. Radke, president of Five Star Publications, the sponsor of the Dragonfly Book Awards says, “Winning any place in the Royal Dragonfly Contest is…
Blaire Thompson is a junior at Dysart High School in Phoenix, Arizona. She has dreams of becoming an Olympic skater. Her dad is a Chief Master Sergeant (CMS) in the Air Force, so like most military brats she’s moved around a lot—Spain, Germany, South Carolina, and now Phoenix. Unfortunately, the summer prior to senior year CMS Thompson…
Ninth grader Philip Malloy wants to join the Harrison High School track team. His middle school gym teacher told Coach Jamison he was really good. With Philip on the team, Harrison High has a real shot at becoming county champs. Philip’s grades in school are pretty good, except for English, where Philip tries to impress…
Portia Maddox has just discovered she has a sister. Her dad had a previous brief marriage that led to the birth of a child he didn’t know about. Now, to the surprise of Portia’s parents, they had a 16-year-old daughter, Jasmine. Jasmine’s mother, Vivian, is involved in a new relationship. She could use some alone…
In 2011 the Association of American Publishers ranked YA books as the fastest growing publishing category. In 2015 YA fiction continued in its popularity. It’s obvious that more than teens are reading YA. According to freelance writer, Hope Schreiber in her February 11, 2013 Web article, “The 25 Best Young Adult Fiction Novels of All…
In the world of Col Sec, the security arm of the Confederation, there is discord within their rival camp, the Elysium Alliance. The military, led by General Solon has plans that could throw the two galactic adversaries into another war, a war the Alliance is unprepared for. Senator Mikal Tovaric is well aware of this…
Emily Sanders, age 14, spends her summer vacation working at a bed and breakfast along the Appalachian Trail in Winton, North Carolina. Gigi Baird, an elderly woman dependent on her guests for sustenance, runs Baird’s Den. Emily was referred to the job by her best friend, Mary Carnell, Ms. Gigi’s granddaughter. From day one, Emily…
We’ve all been home alone at night and perhaps frightened when the wind blows and windows rattle. I remember descending into the dark abyss of my childhood home with twin brother Elliott behind me, wielding his trusty Louisville Slugger to fight off boogiemen. Lisa, a college student, decides to surprise her parents and getaway from…
Bet you don’t know the meaning of fastard. In Darcy-speak it’s a boy that moves fast, tells a girl he loves her, takes her out on a date, and then, through the high school grapevine, she uncovers the boy has a steady on the sly. That’s a fastard. Darcy Walker, a fifteen-year old Cincinnati sophomore…