Hi Math is Everywhere Readers and Spring Fling Kidlit Hopefuls,
Today we have our thirteenth prize donor in our Prize Donor Feature Series. She is one of my kidlit heroes and an absolute master of rhyme–seriously, she can make ANYTHING rhyme with flawless meter–the brilliant, the inspring…

🎉Diana Murray🎉

Diana is offering a rhyming picture book critique.

• What is your favorite thing about spring?

The fact that it’s warm enough to sit outside on my patio to write again!

• Spring is full of surprises bursting forth, what’s something you’ve found surprising about the publishing industry?

How incredibly slow it is. The waiting never ends. First, you wait to see if you have an offer. Then you wait for the contract, and another 6 months go by. You wait to hear who the illustrator will be, for what seems like forever. Two years later, your book comes out (if it doesn’t get delayed). In the meantime, you’ve already been waiting for (and stressing about) reviews. And that’s really condensing it. That’s one reason I’m always writing and submitting something new. It helps ease the waiting.

• Can you tell us a bit about your books coming out this year?

In 2020, I have five books releasing, all rhyming. FIVE FUZZY CHICKS (Imprint/Macmillan, February) is a countdown, farm-themed bedtime story; GOODNIGHT VEGGIES (HMH, March) is a whimsical bedtime story set in an urban community garden; WILD ABOUT DADS (Imprint/Macmillan, May) is an ode to dads (both animal and human) and my first foray into a bit of nonfiction; DOUBLE THE DINOSAURS (Step-into-Reading/Random House, September) is a stage 1 early reader, math concept book. Finally, SLEEP LITTLE DOZER (Random House) has been delayed, so I’m not quite sure of the release date yet. It’s a truck-related bedtime tale, in which the mom has to work late, so the dad takes over the bedtime routine.

Diana’s Bio

Diana Murray is the author of over a dozen books for children, including GOODNIGHT VEGGIES (HMH, March 2020), a Jr. Library Guild Selection; FIVE FUZZY CHICKS (Imprint/Macmillan, February 2020), an Amazon Book of the Month; and UNICORN DAY (Sourcebooks, 2019), a National Indiebound Bestseller. Her poems have appeared in magazines such as Highlights, High Five and Spider, as well as many anthologies. Diana grew up in NYC and still lives nearby with her firefighter husband, two children, and a smarty-pants cockatiel named Bean.

https://www.dianamurray.com/
Twitter: @DianaMWrites
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diana.murray.718?fref=ts
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/dianamurraybook/

Diana is one of the 18 wonderful prize donors for the Spring Fling Kidlit Contest 2020 that starts on April 7th. Make sure to follow her on social media, read her books, and review them to show your support! And get gif-searching or creating!
In the comments, tell us your favorite Diana Murray book or which one you’re most looking forward to reading!
Sincerely,
Kaitlyn and Ciara

If you need more info on the Spring Fling Kidlit Contest, check here and make sure to share with all your writing and author-illustrator friends!