Deborah Halverson

Author & Editor

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Home > Blog

Predicting a Uniquely Unpredictable 2021

January 16, 2021

I shared some predictions for children’s literature market in the January edition of SCBWI INSIGHT, a monthly enewsletter for members of the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators. INSIGHT features current children’s book hot topics, helpful hints, exclusive interviews and monthly contests. When talking about likelihoods for 2021, emerging trend-lines are intriguing to extend […]

Filed Under: Adventures in Writing, News

A Book with Benefits

November 25, 2020

It was my honor to edit the Purple Project’s picture book PENNY’S ADVENTURES IN SAN DIEGO. Sales benefit victims of domestic violence and abuse. For this book, thirteen San Diego County mayors and a deputy mayor each penned a chapter of a story about a kind-hearted purple butterfly named Penny visiting their respective cities and […]

Filed Under: Adventures in Writing

My New Class for KidLit Writers!

October 12, 2020

I’m honored to have created a new class for Children’s Book Insider: “10 Things That Get Kidlit Manuscripts Rejected – and How to Avoid Them.” It will be 90 minutes of deep-digging writing tools for writers of picture books, chapter books, middle grade and young adult — fiction and nonfiction. I’ve got you all covered […]

Filed Under: Adventures in Writing, News

Texting in Novels – It’s a Thing

June 28, 2020

The average American checks their phone 47 times a day. 23 billion text messages are sent each day worldwide. 98% of US smartphone users send text messages regularly. American smartphone owners aged 18-24 send around 2000 text in a month.* With texting behavior like that, texting is going to show up in our novels. But […]

Filed Under: Adventures in Writing

Deborah to Offer a Digital Workshop for SCBWI (Free & Exclusive to SCBWI Members)

May 29, 2020

I’m pleased to announce that I’ll be presenting the fifth workshop in the Society of Children’s Books Writers & Illustrators’s second Digital Workshops series. The series is for current SCBWI members, and is free — an offering for members during this unusual summer of lockdown and creative challenge. My workshop will be “Submissions Studio: Writing […]

Filed Under: Adventures in Writing, News

SCBWI Summer Spectacular Looks SPECTACULAR!

May 11, 2020

SCBWI (the Society of Children’s Book Authors & Illustrators) is going virtual with its annual summer conference — they’re calling it the Summer Spectacular and it is indeed spectacular! 10 keynotes with children lit luminaries, an agents panel, & an editors panel, plus nightly live twitter chat socials, an online member book sale, a meme […]

Filed Under: Adventures in Writing, News Tagged With: Deborah Halverson, SCBWI, Summer Spectacular

Reclaiming the Bound Book

February 19, 2020

I’ve recently been working to re-establish my long-abandoned habit of taking a physical book EVERYWHERE, even tucking it into my grocery bag to read while in the checkout line. Like many book lovers, as a kid I’d walk to school with an open book in my hands, never once tripping as I read. I imagined […]

Filed Under: Adventures in Writing

My Article in SCBWI’s “The Bulletin”!

February 7, 2020

My article “2019: A Year in Review” has been published in SCBWI’s Winter 2020 edition of THE BULLETIN. That’s a biannual publication provided to members of the Society of Children’s Books Writers & Illustrators. The article is a children’s publishing industry overview, examining events and trends of 2019. I’m honored that SCBWI trusted me to sum […]

Filed Under: Adventures in Writing, News

New Year, New Webinar!

January 8, 2020

I’m excited! SCBWI-Austin invited me to present a submissions webinar as we settle into the new year with resolutions and recommitment. It’s called “Writing Queries, Strategizing Submissions, and Interpreting Editorial Feedback“ The webinar will be for writers of all children’s book categories, for beginners as well as advanced writers looking to perfect their submission package and strategy. I’ll […]

Filed Under: Adventures in Writing, News

Happy Holidays

December 25, 2019

As the New Year quickly comes upon us, I send my best wishes for a happy, healthy, and book-filled year. In the spirit of finding new stories to thrill and enlighten, I share the books my sons and I enjoyed this year. May you find some joy for yourself in this bounty. Food: A Love […]

Filed Under: Adventures in Writing

Excited to Present Technique-Based Webinar for MG/YA Writers

October 29, 2019

I’m excited to announce that I’ll be presenting a technique-focused, hour-long Webinar designed to make YA/MG writers stronger self-editors and novelists on Nov 14, 2019. THE ULTIMATE CHECKLIST FOR SUBMITTING YOUR MG/YA TO EDITORS: 10 Tests Your Manuscript Must Pass to Prove It’s Ready to Submit. It all started with a question that I get […]

Filed Under: Events, News

Pitcher Sean Doolittle Pitching Literacy & Indie Bookstores

October 23, 2019

Sean Doolittle, closing pitcher for the Washington Nationals’ in their Game 1 World Series win yesterday, spent the season promoting youth reading and indie bookstores on his Twitter feed. What a fabulous way to use one’s platform — inspiring young (and grown-up!) fans to make reading a part of their daily lives. ??????? You can […]

Filed Under: Adventures in Writing

Book Giveaway & Interview about Freelance Editing as a Career

September 3, 2019

I’m so pleased to share that the fabulous resource website for teen writers TipsForTeenAuthors.com is GIVING AWAY a signed copy of my writing craft book WRITING YOUNG ADULT FICTION FOR DUMMIES to go with my in-depth interview about freelance editing as a career. You can read the interview and enter the giveaway at  http://bit.ly/2lxDbrV.

Filed Under: Adventures in Writing

Feeling Inspired Today

July 18, 2019

Today, some inspiration for fellow writers, and some insight for readers. In the spirit of “don’t just tell it, SHOW it”, here’s a quote from talented storyteller Neil Gaiman, which he said in his MasterClass: “I would much rather not tell you how to feel about something. I would rather you just felt it. . […]

Filed Under: Adventures in Writing

Fireworks, Hot Dogs, and My Novel BIG MOUTH

July 4, 2019

It’s the Fourth of July. That means fireworks to celebrate U.S. independence, and the Mustard Belt to celebrate the winner of the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest. And what a winner it was today: Joey Chestnut, now 12-time winner, just ate 71 hot dogs & buns in 10 minutes!  My middle grade novel […]

Filed Under: Adventures in Writing, Me and My Big Mouth

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WELCOME TO DEBORAH’S BLOG

See what Deborah is up to, or sit a spell and enjoy her tales about the thrills, chills, and spills of being an on-the-go editor and writer.

Categories

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  • Especially for Teen Readers
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  • Honk if you…
  • Me and My Big Mouth
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  • The Adventure Called Life
  • Triplets & The Written Word
  • Triplets: The Preschooler Years
  • Where in the World…?
  • Writing New Adult Fiction
  • Writing Youg Adult Fiction For Dummies

From the Blog

Deborah’s “State of the Children’s Book Market” Zoom Event
When you're creating children's books, you don't find out "current trends" in order to jump on...
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