Cynsations: Guest Post: Varsha Bajaj on Finding Your Book at T...

Cynsations: Guest Post: Varsha Bajaj on Finding Your Book at T...: By Varsha Bajaj  for Cynthia Leitich Smith 's Cynsations On November 9, 2016, I was at my local Target store. I had bought milk, eg...

HAWK OF THE CASTLE! Interview with author Danna Smith

What inspired the idea for your picture book HAWK OF THE CASTLE.


Believe it or not, The Hawk of the Castle is based on a true story. This book is about a little girl who goes out with her father, the falconer at a medieval castle, to train his hawk. My father was a falconer, and I was fortunate to learn the ancient sport first-hand from him. I chose to place the story in medieval times to add interest and additional opportunity for learning about the history of falconry.

Share a memory of your favorite teacher or librarian?


At age seventeen, I knew that one day I wanted to write picture books. My high school creative writing teacher complimented my budding talent and encouraged me to follow my dreams. I still remember feeling so proud that my teacher believed in me!

What advice would you give to a new writer?


Read. Write. Learn and repeat. The more you read in the genre you want to write, the more you practice writing, and the more you learn about the craft of writing the closer you will come to achieving your goal.

Share something most people don't know about you.


I can ride a unicycle.