Author Guild Human Authored prompts an article by author Avi
If you write books the way I do, and you get them published through a traditional publisher the way I do, a fair amount of criticism will come your way.
Read "Human Authored": bit.ly/4rrk3Hs
March 9, 1862, marks the day of some epic Civil War action: history’s first battle between ironclad warships. Young readers eager to learn more about this trailblazing event can take a time-travel journey to “see” it themselves with my novel Iron Thunder. bit.ly/3VzAp0x
Avi's blog article From First to Last
What if I told you about a writer’s saying: “You can’t write a good first line until you write a good last line.” #amwriting #firstlines #lastlines
From First to Last: bit.ly/4smcxOX
Avi's book Lost in the Empire City will be available in paperback on March 3, 2026
“Avi is a master story teller and this book moves along quickly and has plenty of plot twists to keep the reader interested,” (Little Lights Bookshelf blog) New paperback edition on March 3! Little Lights Bookshelf blog: bit.ly/472ODzF Buy the book links: bit.ly/4qVLMiZ
Why do I use the thesaurus so often? Read on ... Looking for the right word? bit.ly/4tTuAxu
Quotations about writing
A few of my favorite quotes from writers of note ... You'll find them here: bit.ly/3ZGb4H2
“There are multiple benefits for participating in book clubs. They foster creative thinking, improved comprehension, greater discussion and a deeper engagement with stories.” Check out the Discovering Anew blog to learn how one children’s book club shared my title Poppy. bit.ly/4twLmlV
Stella, a young reader, recently wrote to me and asked: “I find it very hard to invent plots for my books. How do you do it?” Read my answer: bit.ly/3OxdTaM
Library of Congress resources to augment The Road from Nowhere
Are you sharing my new novel The Road from Nowhere with your students? You’ll find helpful background info, teaching materials, and photos at this Library of Congress site: “Children’s Lives at the Turn of the Twentieth Century.” LC: bit.ly/3ZdW1UF Book: bit.ly/3Mbfv9d
One of the key aspects of reading — and why I think the decline of reading is so alarming — is that reading helps to create greater empathy toward people and society. #empathy #reading This week's essay: bit.ly/4knEJhG
Need a book to get you through the coldest part of winter? Beth’s Biblio suggests Crispin: “I tend to reread this book during Arctic cold fronts and feel incredibly comfortable as serfs’ houses were cold, wet and drafty as they lacked doors, floors, chimneys and watertight roofs.” bit.ly/3NDmGro
You publish a book. Great. But many thousands of books are published each year. How do you get your book into the hands of readers? My essay, "Marketing and Publicity": bit.ly/4a0hVQe
If your students are reading my newest novel, The Road from Nowhere, you’ll want to check out this great resource on Colorado mining history, written by Dana Echohawk, from the Denver Public Library's digital collection. Colorado mining history: bit.ly/49MCCyW The Road from Nowhere: bit.ly/3Mbfv9d
In the age of computer writing, it is very easy to lose your text. Computer confusion. Power outages. Inadvertently flicking the wrong key. I’ve experienced it all. Read "Lost and Found": bit.ly/4a4CSus
Organize a virtual author visit this year for your students, giving them a chance to ask questions about their favorite book from my backlist or about my newest title, The Road from Nowhere. Helpful advice from the Staying Cool in the Library blog. bit.ly/4576SD9 Details on my site: bit.ly/3HVI9p9
A young reader recently wrote: “Avi, you publish a whole lot of books. Did it feel kind of ordinary to have a new one come out?”
My answer: bit.ly/4aYjtfQ
The Road from Nowhere by Avi is celebrating publication week.
Happy book birthday week to The Road from Nowhere, my newest middle grade novel, which launched on January 6! This old-west adventure is set in a small Colorado mining town and features unexpected surprises like a rattlesnake encounter and an ending that readers won’t see coming. bit.ly/3Mbfv9d
It's Publication Day! While The Road from Nowhere does portray many of the characteristics of the Old West, the book has most meaning to me as being about brothers and how their relationship evolves. #GreatSilverCrash #brothers
Behind the book: bit.ly/4jrODyj
The Road from Nowhere: bit.ly/3Mbfv9d
As a restless teenager, growing up in Brooklyn, New York, I often bolted out of my home, and without informing anyone (which is to say my parents or siblings) what I was doing, set off wandering. No one knew I had gone, which was very much what I wanted. bit.ly/4somQ5W
I admire the construction and pace—a perfect novella—which allows me to read it on a Christmas eve—the very best time to enjoy it. More on this meaningful book ... bit.ly/4j8RGvb
I’m so pleased to find my novels Gold Rush Girl, Sophia’s War, and The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle included with so many other fantastic choices on this list of “60 Mighty Girl Historical Fiction Novels for Tweens and Teens.” #historicalfiction #femaleprotagonist bit.ly/44svAO1
When it's necessary to go back ... bit.ly/4oYppsi
MG readers looking for an unexpected book? How about The Christmas Rat? Starred review, SLJ: “For readers who want a different kind of holiday (or anytime) novel, fast paced and mystifying, with juicy moral dilemmas underpinning the unique plot, this is a surefire selection.” bit.ly/41hCLFT
Not long ago, a publisher with whom I have happily worked asked me to submit a list of ideas for future books I might write ... Read on: bit.ly/4iP1FFJ
Starred review, SLJ, Marybeth Kozikowski reviewed The Road to Nowhere: "Avi is a master of historical fiction, addressing universal issues that transcend his novel’s setting and timeline. A first purchase." Thank you, Ms. Kozikowski! Available for pre-order, published Jan 6. Full rvw: bit.ly/3Mbfv9d
“This rousing historical novel highlights the Silver Crash of 1893, a consequential moment in American history,” says Publishers Weekly of my newest middle grade novel—The Road from Nowhere—publishing on Jan 6. Find the longer description (and the rest of the review) on my website! bit.ly/3Mbfv9d
I find all this Colorado history quite fascinating, so it has — no surprise — led me to write a number of works of fiction. The newest book, The Road from Nowhere, will be available on 4 Jan 2026. Writing about Colorado history: bit.ly/4pARR48
Avi why I write for children covers of Ragweed & Poppy and Iron Thunder
I’m looking back through my past blogs as I reflect on “why I write for children.” Here’s how I answered that question way back in 2012. Thanks for asking, Iva and Mary Rose, who are 13 years older now. I hope they continue to read enthusiastically.
Why I write for children: bit.ly/48k9eiD
As a writer, among those I need to give my deepest thanks are folks I don’t know and rarely meet: my readers. My thank you: bit.ly/44gyFR4
I’ve received many wonderful comments from educators who share my books, chapter by chapter, in their classrooms — a read-aloud practice that provides many benefits, as this post at the Walden University website describes. bit.ly/4i7rIaH My audio clips: bit.ly/3LOpkcQ
