Susan Hood is the award-winning author of many books for children, including Titan and the Wild Boars, Ada's Violin, Shaking Things Up, and Lifeboat 12. She is the recipient of an E. B. White Read-Aloud Picture Book Honor, the Christopher Award, the Américas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature, and the Bank Street Flora Stieglitz Straus Award, given annually to "a distinguished work of nonfiction that serves as an inspiration to young people."
Today, she tells us her 5 Favorites:
My favorite place to write: Outside, preferably on my screened porch or better yet, on a sailboat in Maine
My favorite mentor text: Anything by Andrea Davis Pinkney. Love the way she combines nonfiction with poetry.
My favorite writing tip: Type up a favorite picture book to see the words without the art.
My favorite marketing tip: You can't do it all so do whatever works for you, whatever you enjoy. If you like to make videos and book trailers, go for it. If it's outside your comfort zone, skip it. (Or ask a kid to do it!)
My favorite book event of the year: The Society of Illustrators Original Art Show. I usually go twice: once to see all the authors, illustrators and publishers at the opening and a second (quieter) time to be transfixed by the art and pore over the books.
To learn more about Susan and her books, visit her website.