Interviews with children's book creators

The Writer Spotlight is a regular column in The Mitten blog, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Michigan chapter (SCBWI-MI). In it I conduct interviews with (mostly) Michigan-based children's book creators, writers, illustrators and editors.  

John Hendrix

John is a multi-published, award-winning author and illustrator.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2025/03/scbwi-mi-spring-conference.html 

Arthur Levine

Arthur is an editor and published author and a faculty member at our 2014 conference.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2024/11/editorwriter-spotlight-arthur-levine.html 

Candace Fleming

Candace is a prolific writer in all genres.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2024/12/writer-spotlight-candace-fleming.html 

Eric Rohmann

Award-winning author and illustrator, and married to Candace Fleming.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2025/01/authorillustrator-spotlight-eric-rohmann.html 

Christy Ottaviano

Longtime editor, with her own imprint. Also Laurie Keller's editor.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2025/02/editor-spotlight-christy-ottaviano.html 

Laurie Keller

Author and illustrator, also a faculty member of the 2014 conference

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2024/11/authorillustrator-spotlight-laurie.html 

2014 SCBWI-MI Mackinac Island conference

I co-chaired this conference. A look back on the 10th anniversary.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2024/10/mackinac-island-conference-2014.html 

Memories of Mackinac

Attendees share what they remember at the 10 year anniversary.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2024/12/memories-of-mackinac-island.html 

Kat Higgs-Coulthard

Kat is an educator with two published novels. 

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2025/04/scbwi-mi-spring-conference-presenter.html

Sarah Rockett

Editor of Sleeping Bear Press and Tilbury House books.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2025/04/scbwi-mi-spring-conference-presenter_0366685763.html 

Kelly Dipucchio

Kelly is a prolific picture book writer with an animated series on PBS.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2024/08/writer-spotlight-kelly-dipucchio.html 

Rick Lieder

Rick is a renaissance man, a macro-photographer and artist.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2024/09/featured-illustrator-rick-lieder.html 

Helen Frost

Helen teamed her nature poetry with Rick's close-up photos in a number of well-loved books.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2024/08/writer-spotlight-helen-frost.html 

Rhonda Gowler Greene

Rhonda is a veteran picture book writer with dozens of titles.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2024/10/writer-spotlight-rhonda-gowler-greene.html

Matt Faulkner

Author/illustrator of picture books and graphic novels

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2024/05/authorillustrator-spotlight-matt.html 

Kristen Remenar

Author of several books and former children's librarian

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2024/05/writer-spotlight-kristen-remenar.html 

Lynne Rae Perkins

Lynne is the author/illustrator of picture books and middle grade novels

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2024/04/writer-spotlight-lynne-rae-perkins.html 

Jeff Stone

Jeff wrote two middle grade series 

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2024/03/writer-spotlight-jeff-stone.html

Lisa Wheeler

Prolific author of dozens of picture books.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2024/02/writer-spotlight-lisa-wheeler.html 

Heidi Sheffield

Award-winning author/illustrator who overcame cancer.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2024/01/authorillustrator-spotlight-heidi.html 

Leslie Helakoski

Leslie is an author and illustrator with many picture books.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2025/04/featured-illustrator-leslie-helakoski.html 

and also

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2020/03/writer-spotlight-leslie-helakoski.html 

Darcy Pattison

Darcy is an author, runs Mim's House Publishing, and does presentations with Leslie.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2025/05/writer-spotlight-darcy-pattison.html 

Carrie Pearson

Carrie, former SCBWI-MI RA and multi-published pb writer.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2025/04/scbwi-mi-spring-conference-presenter_0252828794.html 

and also

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2023/05/writer-and-regional-advisor-spotlight.html 

SCBWI-MI 2013 Weekend Retreat

I was co-chair of this unusual conference.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2023/09/the-2013-scbwi-mi-conference-or-what.html 

Conference Attendees Remember--

Stories from those who were there

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2023/10/attendees-remember-2013-conference.html 

Conference Faculty Remember--

Deborah Halverson and Audrey Vernick recall our 2013 conference

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-presenters-speak-2013-conference.html 

Audrey Glassman Vernick

Author of middle grade novels and picture books 

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2023/12/writer-spotlight-audrey-glassman-vernick.html 

Deborah Halverson

Deborah writes, edits, and presents. 

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2023/12/writer-spotlight-deborah-halverson.html 

Debbie Gonzalez

Deb is a native Texan, published author and Pinterest Queen 

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2025/03/scbwi-mi-spring-conference-presenter.html

Lindsey McDivitt

Lindsey has written several books.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2025/01/writer-spotlight-lindsey-mcdivitt.html

Lori McElrath Eslick

Author and illustrator Lori Eslick fought back from an aneurysm to win art awards.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2025/01/featured-illustrator-and-author-lori.html

Isabel Estrada O'Hagin

Isabel is an author and a music teacher.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2025/03/writer-spotlight-isabel-estrada-ohagin.html

and also

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2022/04/writer-spotlight-isabel-estrada-ohagin.html

Maria Dismondy

Maria is an author and publisher of Cardinal Rule Press.

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2025/04/scbwi-mi-spring-conference-presenter_069644112.html