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 I finally conquered something on my TO DO list. Start a newsletter.
It all came about from this past summer when my Facebook got hacked. I have been procrastinating this big time. One, I don't have a lot of time since I teach fulltime and write and cook and do other home responsibilities with a family. But I didn't want to lose my followers. And I've been listening to webinars from Author's Guild and other places that say having a newsletter is the best connection with your readers. It's only taken me about three hours to complete this task, setting it all up, taking photos, making graphics, etc... So I hope you'll take a look, subscribe, and enter my contest for 4 separate giveaways. Contest ends, December 10th, midnight, CST. Here's the link to the newsletter. I'm thankful for all my writer friends & readers. I hope you had a blessed Thanksgiving with your family & friends.  Also a star from Kirkus and a star from Publishers Weekly. You can read the reviews here. And it's a Jr. Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. Hooray! Thank you!
And if you'd like to win a free copy here in the U.S., GoodReads via my publisher Harper Collins is giving away 5 copies! Check it out! I'm deep in schoolwork preparing for parent teacher conferences as well as a middle grade book launch! My plate is overflowing! Events you are invited to: 10/26 Preorder book launch at Marion Public Library, 1:00, over by Cedar Falls, Iowa (Eastern IA) 11/15 Des Moines Book Launch at Beaverdale Bookstore 6:30pm 11/23 Book signing at Jordan Creek Barnes & Nobles West Des Moines 1:00-3:00pm If you're in the area, please join us! And if you have book launch tips, especially for middle grade, let me know in the comments!  New forthcoming graphic novel by me and Deb JJ Lee published by Harper Alley 11/12/24
In a nutshell: Two North Korean kids escape through the Asian Underground Railroad. Yes, it really exists! I interviewed many people for this story and did a lot of research. I started writing this story in 2012 in Deokso, South Korea. The early draft even won a Scholastic Asia Book Award! Since then it's morphed into different formats, structures, and even different titles. You can read about part of the writing process here. I'm thankful for my agent and editor who had a vision for this story and that Deb JJ Lee took it to the next level with rich, flowing, and accurate illustrations. Then in 2019 I met Mr. John Schu at the Iowa Library Associations conference. Never did I think he'd be doing the cover reveal for my novel! You can read his interview here. You can preorder it here: or wherever books are sold. Now I wait until next November!  I'm a Picture Book Rising Star mentor this coming summer. Founded by Ebony Lynn Mudd and Kailei Pew, this free program helps writers finetune their manuscripts and learn the craft of picture book writing. If you're interested, please check the post here and here.
CHRI Christian Radio out of Ottawa, Canada interviewed me about God's Little Astronomer. You can view it or just listen here. The book is also on sale at Christianbook.com In other bookish news, I just saw sketches of the cover for God's Little Oceanographer coming in 2025. Marta Álvarez Miguéns is so talented! And things are moving along nicely for my lyrical graphic novel, The Other Side of Tomorrow, a middle grade story coming November 12! I finished looking at art and revised some last minute text changes. Love what Deb JJ Lee brings to the story! How are things going with you?  The Kirkus Review is in! You can read the full review here. They sum it up as: "An informative and inspirational bridge between science and religion for Christian households." I can't wait to hold it in my hands! Meanwhile, the illustrator is working on book 2, God's Little Oceanographer, swimming into publication in 2025. I'm at the Grog Blog speaking on a topic near and dear to my heart as a mom, teacher, and author. You can read the post here. Just a reminder, please re-subscribe to my blog if you haven't done so. The previous subscription site no longer works. Please see the pink box on the top right to sign up. Thank you! And I updated my blog banner to reflect some new books. I hope you're all staying cozy and warm. We've had 3 snow days with wind chills down to -45 and over 20 inches of snow. I'm thankful for the extra writing time! How are you spending your winter days?  I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration! I'm thankful for all the blog followers I had in the past. Evidently, the Feed Burner subscription service I was using for this blog quit their service a while back, and I didn't realize it. I was wondering why there weren't comments :) So if you would like to sign up for my blog again, I'd love it if you'd enter your email into the box on the right. I'm now using the Follow It subscription service. I hope it works, and then I can deliver writing content & book updates once in a blue moon to you all. Thank you so much! Please comment below with something you're thankful for so I know this is working.
 COVER REVEAL!
The lovely Marta Álvarez Miguéns illustrated the cover of my next picture book, out February 20, 2024, from Waterbrook, Penguin Random House's Christian imprint. You can read how I landed the 2-book deal at the Grog Blog. I'm thankful it's summer break for me. Now I can focus on my writing. Last week I did an all day virtual author visit with a school in New Jersey. Yesterday I taught an in-person writing class at my church. And tomorrow I'm waking up early to do research on another story. And I'm revising my 2nd middle grade novel, hopefully it will sell in the future. What does your summer look like?  The year has flown by. I'm thankful for all my writing friends and readers. Like they say, the older you get, time goes faster. This semester (teachers always think in semesters, eh?) I'm thankful a book deal was announced which was actually sold almost a year ago to Penguin Random House's Christian imprint, Waterbrook Multnomah.  I just received sketches of God's Little Astronomer, and I'm in love. I can't wait for you to see this one. And I'm working on book 2, will send the first draft to my editor this coming week. I've been drafting new picture book stories and one new middle grade novel. We'll see if they ever make it into the literary world. A month ago I did a virtual author visit with an international school in Korea. Surprisingly, a couple of students that I had taught in kindergarten now attend this other school. It was wonderful to talk to them!  In 2024, my first middle grade lyrical graphic novel, The Other Side of Tomorrow, should publish. I love when illustrator Deb JJ Lee posts glimpses of it on social media. Here's the main character in a North Korean setting.  My Thanksgiving break is almost over. I want to leave you with a prayer of blessing because of all that's going on in the world and our families. Know that God loves you & cares for you and yours.
Numbers 6:24-26 "The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
Here's a photo essay of my summer so far. 5/28 Read The Ocean Calls at the Celebrasian Fest in Des Moines, IA, sold my books, thanks to Beaverdale Bookstore. This event led to another one! 6/9 Holy, moly. I turned 51.  Birthday dinner at TX Roadhouse  6/11 My 1st SCBWI-IA gathering. I did a 3 minute lightning talk about Why Writers Should Be on Social Media. Had a great lunch getting to know local writers. 6/15 1st MRI and 1.5 yr post lumpectomy mammogram = no cancer, Praise the Lord! 6/18 IA K-Pop Fan Event: The Celebrasian Fest contact led to this event, where hundreds of BTS fans gathered to celebrate. I sold my books and read The Ocean Calls.  6/20 A sad day, my almost 98-year-old grandma passed away. 6/21 Thankful for writing distractions. Helped mann the IA/MN SCBWI table at the Iowa Reading Association in Ames, IA, and ended up leading the small group of authors in doing a presentation on Author Visits 101 to fill an empty spot in the schedule.  6/27-29 Quick mini vacation to Chicago, ate lots of Korean food
6/30 Read My Breakfast with Jesus and Rice from Heaven to kids at Hope Preschool's Day Camp. Emphasized diversity and gratefulness. This was my first in-person reading of My Breakfast with Jesus!
Up next: Teaching a 1 hour webinar~  Do note: I am NOT an illustrator! How is your summer? Have fun being creative! Eli's Ark, Chicago (gelato) |
Tina M. Cho, children's authorI'm a children's author and freelance writer for the educational market. Welcome! 
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