Alexis’s Bookdragon Podcast

A Conversation with Abi Cushman on her newest book, Flamingos Are Pretty Funky: A [Not So] Serious Guide

I have had the pleasure of drawing with Abi Cushman on Legit KidLit and she is both talented and a lovely human being. You can watch her in action here [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybdUGqJEAB4&pp=ygUZYWJpIGN1c2htYW4gbGVnaXQga2lkIGxpdA%3D%3D] and here [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIZBXqmMs4g&pp=ygUZYWJpIGN1c2htYW4gbGVnaXQga2lkIGxpdA%3D%3D]! But today, I get to celebrate her latest book, Flamingos are Pretty Funky! Flamingos are Pretty Funky: A (not so) serious guide by Abi Cushman Publication Date: June 4, 2024 Age Range: Picture Book Genre: Nonfiction-part of the series, A Not So Serious Guide Themes: Illustrated, Animal Point of View Take away: That flamingos, and nature, are seriously cool. And I hope you laugh! Publication journey This is the second book in the [Not So] Serious Guide books. Since it was two-book deal, the struggle was less in getting it published and more in figuring out how to write a sequel. I pitched some different animals that have really cool adaptations, and she picked flamingos. And then I decided to bring Joey the Snake back (from Wombats Are Pretty Weird), so there'd be a connecting string through both books. Just for Fun Abi’s Future is Bright! Check out what’s coming in March 2025! Visit Abi’s website to purchase her books and keep up with all that she creates. Thank you for reading Alexis’s Bookdragon Substack. This post is public so feel free to share it. Thanks for reading! Share something you loved about this post and make sure to give it a like. Are you an author or illustrator with a book publishing soon and would like to be featured? Sign up here! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mrsbookdragon.substack.com [https://mrsbookdragon.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Keeping It Simple

Knowing our lazy days are coming to an End, wE took a long drive to Pick up our favorite Ice cream (actually frozen yogurt) to louNged in the car to Gaze at the deliciousness In our hands. NexT we headed to a craft Store...and HALLOWEEN was out! We went wIld! So Many things to Paint and create-then we headed home to the caLming silence, together we sat, Enjoying our simple life. Reading Updates What a great reading week! I finished 6 books and picked up a lot of fantastic reads too. Here’s a glimpse at what I finished and what is up next and you can click on the image to read my official reviews. I also have them linked to Goodreads below the image. Books I Finished * MG: A WORK IN PROGRESS [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62919120-a-work-in-progress]by Jarrett Lerner * MG: THE BRAID GIRLS [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62874020-the-braid-girls]by Sherri Winston * MG: THE LOST LIBRARY [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63005200-the-lost-library]by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass * MG: JETT JAMISON AND THE SECRET STORM [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/138346475-jett-jamison-and-the-secret-storm] by Kimberly Behre Kenna * YA: ILLUMINAE [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23395680-illuminae] by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff * YA: DIVINE RIVALS [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62202008-divine-rivals]by Rebecca Ross What did you read recently? Want even more? Check out my vlog! It’s a longer one…but full of so much reading, book mail, library haul, and my disaster shelves. Goals and Option Pile I hope to finish up all of these books before I start work next week…except for Magic Words-that is my writing craft book and I am just going slow and reading it with my writing group. * YA: THE DAVENPORTS [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58469344-the-davenports?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=BlPvyQQtUm&rank=1] by Krystal Marquis * YA: YOUR PLANTATION PROM IS NOT OKAY [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62315609-your-plantation-prom-is-not-okay]by Kelly McWilliams * YA: THE GRACE YEAR [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59358823-the-grace-year] by Kim Liggett * YA: GEMINA [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36417356-gemina] by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff * YA: SHATTER ME [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13455782-shatter-me] by Tahereh Mafi * ADULT: MAGIC WORDS [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28789704-the-magic-words] by Cheryl Klein I also hope to read a book from my 30 books in 3 months aka NO BUYING BOOKS UNTIL YOU READ THESE challenge. Here’s how I am doing…not well… Help me choose my next read from this challenge! Vote on the poll below or comment one if it isn’t on the list! Writing Life In terms of writing life, things are still not really happening in terms of ACTUALLY WRITING, but I did do a few things writing RELATED… * I met with my writing group on Sunday and love talking books and life with them. We also started a new book to “consciously read” (Cheryl Klein)-Probability of Everything by Sarah Everett [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62870380-the-probability-of-everything?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=hLPibaE9z9&rank=1]. I’ve heard a lot of chatter on this one, so am excited to dive in. * Writing Craft book: MAGIC WORDS [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28789704-the-magic-words] by Cheryl Klein * I am on page 100! * Podcasts: * Savanna Gilbo: Fiction Writing Made Easy-A Week in the Life [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fiction-writing-made-easy/id1502307717?i=1000621698564] * Thriving Authors: Why Scheduling Your Writing Time is a Game-Changer (122) [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thriving-authors-podcast/id1493195810?i=1000622601830] If you have a podcast you love-share below! Any kind. Writing Goals * Write a poem a day * Beta read for a friend and blurb * Critique writing group member’s manuscript Creativity-More crochet! I finished 2 book sleeves and am on my 3rd! I am also making a cute apple amigurimi for my daughter and her aunt. Loving the crochet +audiobook life right now. And the cats! They were loving me making my bed…. How you can support me I love what I do, reading and sharing books, connecting with readers, educators, librarians, and authors/illustrators. My favorite thing is to be seen-so a comment makes my heart go all aflutter. Sharing my posts on social media is also so very much appreciated. If you are feeling EXTRA generous and want to show your appreciation, you are more than welcome to support my book buying with my list on bookshop.org [https://bookshop.org/wishlists/e5c5ce4ac8d970f1bbbcd0ed78b28ead61ab5d3e] (and after reading I am happy to donate to a little free library if you so choose) or gifting me a gift card to either Bookshop.org or Amazon! My email is in my Link Tree [https://linktr.ee/Mrsbookdragon]. Make sure to leave me a name or handle so I can shout you out and send you a thank you. Following me is also much appreciated. Happy reading everyone! Thanks for stopping by! Thank you for reading Alexis’s Bookdragon Substack. This post is public so feel free to share it! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mrsbookdragon.substack.com [https://mrsbookdragon.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Bookdragon Diaries #3

Hello Book Nerds! Thanks for stopping by to hear my ramblings about the books I read last week. I would love to hear what you read! Here are the books I finished with links to Goodreads so you can add them to your shelves. * Nimona by ND Stevenson [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19351043-nimona] * The Jump by Brittney Morris [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61273087-the-jump] * Forever is Now by Mariama J Lockington [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61418420-forever-is-now] * Sybil by Flora Rheta Schreiber [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/67920.Sybil] * Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48590315-age-of-vice] * Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All by Laura Ruby [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41716278-thirteen-doorways-wolves-behind-them-all] My 30 books in 3 months challenge: (black and white = unread) Thank you for reading Alexis’s Bookdragon Substack. This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mrsbookdragon.substack.com [https://mrsbookdragon.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Bookdragon Diaries #2

Howdy book nerds! I have another episode up for ya! I tracked the number of pages I read last week and also did a readathon! It was a really great reading week. This episode is not the same as my booktube [https://youtu.be/DbkgkJt5XIk], so feel free to watch my vlog there as well! My blog [https://www.mrsbookdragon.com/2023/07/26/imwayr-july-17-26/], vlog, and all the other things are in my link tree, which I will post below. Here are all the books I mentioned in the episode and links to Goodreads so you can add them to your tbr. I always rate books 5 stars…don’t come after me, but I can promise they were good. * Mom Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind by Misa Sugiura [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61421552-momo-arashima-steals-the-sword-of-the-wind] * My Dear Henry by Kalynn Bayron [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60316904-my-dear-henry] * We Don’t Swim Here by Vincent Tirado [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61756671-we-don-t-swim-here] * Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59808050-daisy-darker] * This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59089704-this-time-tomorrow] * Forever is Now by Mariama J Lockinton [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61418420-forever-is-now] * Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48590315-age-of-vice] * Nimona by ND Stevenson [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19351043-nimona] * Illuminae by Amie Kaufman [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23395680-illuminae] * Sybil by Flora Rhett Schreiber [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/67920.Sybil] * Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52439531-the-inheritance-games] * City of Speed by Alex London [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58874673-city-of-speed] * Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All by Laura Ruby [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41716278-thirteen-doorways-wolves-behind-them-all] * Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62202008-divine-rivals] My Link Tree [https://ugc.production.linktr.ee/UjEGKntnQR6K560pkyWs_cU6nmdaw4v9HtWFg] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mrsbookdragon.substack.com [https://mrsbookdragon.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Bookdragon Diary #1

Before I begin, let me tell you that I have no idea what I am doing, so if you see errors or have recommendations-I WOULD LOVE THEM! You can also find images of the books mentioned and links to my blog and other things below! Reading Updates Last week I finished four books and you can read more of my thoughts and reviews on each book by clicking the image below to visit my blog. Goodreads links to the books I mentioned: * If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55660420-if-the-shoe-fits] * If You Read This by Kareen Getten [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59689469-if-you-read-this] * The Vanquishers: Secret of the Reaping by Kaylyn Bayron [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65215355-the-vanquishers] * Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58684524-part-of-your-world] * Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind by Misa Sugiura [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61421552-momo-arashima-steals-the-sword-of-the-wind] * Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48590315-age-of-vice] * Dear Henry by Kaylyn Bayron [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60316904-my-dear-henry] * The Grace Year by Kim Liggett [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43263520-the-grace-year?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=7B954xSj6i&rank=1] * The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58885776-the-dead-romantics?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=xf6ERj1xTe&rank=1] * The Magic Words by Cheryl Klein [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28789704-the-magic-words] My favorite read is a tough one…but I guess I will say If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy because I could not keep myself from reading it and gushing over it. But, they were all fantastic reads, really. I have a lot of books I want to finish this week, including the three in the image above (Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor, Momo Arashima by Lisa Sugiura, and My Dear Henry by Kaylynn Baryron) and two books that are due to the library…TODAY. All that to say, who knows what will happen. I started The Magic Words by Cheryl B Klein and I am so excited for this book. I always struggle with craft books because I never know if I should stop reading and start doing the exercises immediately or if I should mark them for later…it kind of stresses me out! What do you do when you read a craft book? Do you do the exercises right then? What have you been reading? What I Watch on Bookish YouTube: * Jaime’s Library: 24 hour readathon [https://youtu.be/szw0sV_esX4] * Alexa Raye’s MidYear Book Tag [https://youtu.be/JaAE9_KCQ60] * Cassandra Lynn’s Cozy Vlog [https://youtu.be/RBrF9ijk0us] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mrsbookdragon.substack.com [https://mrsbookdragon.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]