Featured Writing

Empty movie theater

With This Money

by Claude Chabot Lily had found the powder room in haste, and rapidly finishing her customary ablutions before the start of the feature, hurried to the stairs. This was her ritual before every picture she had seen, and though she could resist it, she felt fully at ease only when…

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The Penmen Profile: MFA Student, Disney Writer-for-Hire

When Alexandra Z. Lazar isn’t working on her first novel, a re-imagining of the Fairy Godmother’s sister, she’s adapting Disney movies into children’s books. Lazar got her start as a Disney Writer-for-Hire by entering fan fiction contests for her favorite book series, “Kingdom Keepers” by Ridley Pearson.  In an interview…

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The Penmen Profile: International Bestseller Alexander McCall Smith

by Rebecca LeBoeuf Alexander McCall Smith’s impressive repertoire of more than 100 books span many genres, including academic non-fiction, fiction and children’s books. His work is published in 47 languages and he has publishers all around the world. Since the publication of his first book in 1980, the international bestseller…

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The Penmen Profile: Children’s Book Author Cynthia Reeg

by Rebecca LeBoeuf Cynthia Reeg writes middle-grade fiction and educational children’s books. The first book in her “Monster or Die” trilogy, “From the Grave,” was published in October 2016. Reeg’s Pet Grammar Parade books use animals to teach children about different parts of speech. In addition to these books, the…

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The Penmen Profile: Award-winning Nonfiction Writer Loree Griffin Burns

By Rebecca LeBoeuf A writer of nonfiction science books for children and teenagers, Dr. Loree Griffin Burns covers topical issues such as ocean pollution as well as the natural world, including books about honey bees and the life cycle of butterflies. Her books have garnered many awards, including an IRA…

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The Penmen Profile: Author S.R. Wilsher

by Pamme Boutselis The author of three published books, “The Collection of Heng Souk,” “Madness of the Turtle” and “The Seventeen Commandments of Jimmy September,” S.R. Wilsher also writes short stories and has two children’s books underway. He recently connected with The Penmen Review to discuss his writing. Have you always…

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SNHU Spotlights International Bestselling Author Sy Montgomery

by Pamme Boutselis While researching more than 20 books for adults and children, award-winning author Sy Montgomery has been chased by an angry silverback gorilla in Zaire, bitten by a vampire bat in Costa Rica, worked in a pit of 18,000 slithering snakes in Manitoba, hunted a tiger in India, and…

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SNHU Talks Illustration, Inspiration and Writing with Denise Ortakales

by Alycia King You have illustrated many books. How did writing your own children’s book come about? It was literally a homework assignment for a Writing for Children course. The assignment was to take a legend or folktale and make it your own. Being from N.H., I naturally chose a…

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Children’s Author Suzie Canale: Empowering Children One Book at a Time

by Pamme Boutselis After a lengthy career in the Boston wholesale floral industry, Suzie Canale turned her talents to writing for children. Her initial book, “The Land of Chocolate Cosmos,” was recognized by the 2011 New England Book Festival and served as the genesis for an ongoing series, The Beantown…

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The Storyteller: A SNHU Chat with Rebecca Rule

by Pamme Boutselis Rebecca Rule gathers and tells stories. Her latest book (and first picture book for children) is “The Iciest, Diciest, Scariest Sled Ride Ever,” illustrated by Jennifer Thermes. Other books include: “Moved and Seconded: NH Town Meeting, the Present, the Past, and the Future,” “The Best Revenge” (named one of five essential…

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