Cybils 2018

It’s that time again! The CYBILS Awards: Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary 2018 Awards are beginning . . . Are you ready to read, read, read — talk, talk, talk — AND — blog, blog blog about #kidlit #mglit + #yalit ?

Find out how to be part of the first book awards given by the children’s & YA book blogging community. (Yes, the first! I was there when it all started in 2006!)

The deadline to submit your application is September 9th at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

Copyright © 2018 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Video Animation and Photography


Video Animation and Photography
by Anastasia Suen (Author)

Booktalk: Easy to follow video and photography production makerspace projects using free and inexpensive software for library, classroom and home.

Yes, this is one of my books! A few weeks ago I discovered it was a Junior Library Guild January 2018 selection.

I also found this School Library Journal review of all the Make It! series books I wrote:

Make It! series review: “The projects in STEM activity books often function solely as concept demonstrations and do not result in durable, useful, or fun creations. By contrast, the five projects in each volume of this series are attractive (Lego monogram in Craft and Design), handy (DIY touch screen gloves in Circuitry), or undeniably cool . . . ” ~ School Library Journal

For the Video Animation and Photography book, the School Library Journal reviewer said:

Video Animation and Photography is particularly good, quickly explaining key elements of filmmaking, such as action and reaction, establishing shots, and lighting while teaching good planning exercises that don’t overwhelm or take the fun out of the process.”

I was quite pleased that the reviewer called out the key elements that I teach in my online children’s book writing workshops. We don’t focus on lighting the scene when we write a children’s novel or a picture book, but all of the other key elements of a story apply.

As for planning exercises, using graphic organizers with questions (as a plotter) is how I tame the chaos that emerges after letting every word that comes to mind flow onto the page (as a panster) during a free write.

Yes, I am a tweener (a panster and a plotter). I always do both when I create something new. I need to try out ALL of my ideas before I narrow things down and try to fit it into a book. That’s how my creative process works.

Copyright © 2018 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.