News & More

Starting an MFA at JTS

I'm excited to share that I've just started an MFA program at the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS), initially focused on memoir writing. It's a new chapter alongside my picture book and middle grade…

Book Deal: Yingcheng's Two Hats

Thrilled to share that Yingcheng's Two Hats has been acquired by publisher Arthur Levine at Levine Querido. Book Details Author: Erica Lyons Illustrator: Sally Deng Publisher: Levine Querido…

Starred Review for Lily's Hong Kong Honey Cake

Delighted to share that Lily's Hong Kong Honey Cake has received a starred review from School Library Journal! It means so much to see this story find its way into…

Giving a Dead Manuscript Some Life

Rejection is an inevitable part of everyone's publishing journey at every stage. And with rejections come "dead manuscripts". Well, I've just decided to start giving my dead manuscripts some life…

Feeding Our Folktales to the Sea

Feeding Our Folktales to the Sea * Volumes and volumes of Jewish folktales line my shelves. I imagine my great-grandparents, who I never knew, chanting them in foreign tongues. In my imagination,…

Book Deal: Lily's Hong Kong Honey Cake

As reported in Publishers Weekly: Dena Neusner at Apples & Honey Press has acquired world rights to Lily's Hong Kong Honey Cake by Erica Lyons, illustrated by…

Kidlit Editor for Judith Magazine

I'm so pleased to announce that I'm the kidlit editor for Judith Magazine. Judith Magazine is a new online magazine that aims to help counter antisemitism in the literary world and also help spread…

Three Starred Reviews for Mixed-Up Mooncakes

Wonderful news to share: Mixed-Up Mooncakes has now received three starred reviews — from Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, and…

What Really Matters in a Broken World

What really matters in such a broken world? This was meant to be a big week for me. On the day the bodies of Hersh, Carmel, Eden, Ori, Almog, and Alex were found (1/9), just days after their…

Writing History While Living It

Writing history while living it summarizes my post-Oct 7 writing experience. I recently sent revisions of my middle grade novel back to my agent. While waiting is associated with the initial query…

Seeing Stars and Other Benchmarks

Seeing stars in kidlit announcements is one more thing that was never explained to me. Stars are awarded by the major trade reviewers: Kirkus, School Library Journal,…

Keeping the Historical in Historical Fiction

Historical fiction was the genre that made me fall in love with reading as a child. It's still one of my absolute favorites today so it shouldn't be surprising that I love writing it too. There…

Shhhhh - Secrets in Kidlit Posts

I've been thinking about all of the things that I have learned since signing my first picture book contract in 2021 for Alone Together on Dan Street (published in 2022 by Apples & Honey…

Researching Saliman's World

Every writer has a favorite (and least favorite) step in the process of creating a manuscript. For me, research is my clear favorite. Research starts the second after I have that 'lightbulb' moment.…

Finding My Way - The Artist's Way

The last six months have been tough, but I'm beginning to find my way, the artist's way. I've always had a million excuses not to write, but I now at least have a couple of valid ones. This war has…

Booked for the Hong Kong Lit Festival 2024

I'm booked for the Hong Kong International Literary Festival 2024! I'll be speaking about Zhen Yu and the Snake and Counting on Naamah throughout the week at various international…

Zhen Yu is a Sydney Taylor Notable

Zhen Yu and the Snake is a Sydney Taylor Notable! I am thrilled. There were so many great books out these this year. Also, there were 2 books honored this year that celebrated the Chinese…

When Did Writing Jewish Kidlit Become an Act of Resistance?

When did writing Jewish kidlit become an act of resistance? What's the value of Jewish narratives at a time when it feels like no one is listening? Since 7 October it feels like, as Jewish creatives,…

2 Books/ 3 Listings in 31 Days/ 31 Lists

Great news for both Counting on Naamah and Zhen Yu and the Snake! There's a whole lot of numbers in 2 Books/ 3 Listings in 31 Days/ 31 Lists so this first bit of news adds up.…

You Wrote - You Deserve an Award!

The end of the Western calendar year, always means 'Best of'' lists. It can be an exciting time and it can also be a disappointing time too. I was very grateful to have both Zhen Yu and the…

Hadassah Says Counting on Naamah is for Perfect for Hanukkah!

According to Hadassah Magazine, in These Kids Books Make the Best Presents for Hanukkah 2023, Counting on Naamah is an "amusing midrashic reimagining" and the perfect Hanukkah gift.…

Rejections Are Sometimes Bittersweet

Rejections are sometimes bitter, but rejections are sometimes bittersweet. Today I got a long awaited response to a picture book exclusive submission. An exclusive is when an acquiring editor/…

Bookazine (Hong Kong) Sunday, October 22

I'll be reading Zhen Yu and the Snake and Counting on Naamah at Bookazine on Sunday, October 22, 2023 at 10am in their Prince's Building shop. There will be cookies! Please RSVP:…

Books of Wonder (NYC) on Sunday, October 15

I'll be signing books, reading from Zhen Yu and the Snake, and participating in a panel at Books of Wonder in NYC on October 15, 2023 at 1pm at their 17th Street shop. It's my first NYC…

NYC Area Author Visits (October 9-20)

When You Wish You Had a Shoestring

Lately, I've been preoccupied with trying to market my books and I find myself wishing that I had more than just a shoestring budget. I have 2 new books (PB #2 and #3 for me) out in little over a…

Working on any new projects?

When people ask me if I'm working on any new projects, I don't always know how to answer this. Which also makes the question, how is your book coming difficult to answer too. I'm always working on…

Maybe Not a Review - This May Be New

This might be a review or it might be old news, but there is much to learn about publishing. When I was a child, my mother was a US history teacher. She had a graduate degree in United States…

Picture Books Aren't Just for Kids

Picture books are for kids, but they aren't just for kids. While picture books are short and presumably written in language that is fairly accessible, they're deceptively complex. They are…

Learning the Business Side of Publishing

When I finally decided to try to start a career in children's books, I imagined a rich and rewarding creative life of long walks where I do my best thinking and then school visits and brainstorming…

Time to Accept That Publishing Isn't a Quick Process

Book publishing isn't a quick process. I don't think there's another industry like it. Many years ago, I was a lawyer. It's not hard to imagine what the response would have been been had I adopted…

Imposter Syndrome is Real in Kidlit

Imposter syndrome is real and I feel it acutely now. I've volunteered to be a mentor for PB Rising Stars! I'm really excited, but considering I signed my first PB contract (first kidlit contract) in…

On Changing Book Titles: Part of the Process

Book titles change at various stages of the publishing process. I love coming up with titles. I like to think that I'm good at it. After all, I titled (or was the final say on) most article as the…

Podcast Appearance: Know Your Niche

I appeared on the All the Write Marketing podcast to discuss Knowing Your Niche. The interview was great fun and we covered a ton in a short time. I talked about finding my niche and writing in it…

Do Something You're Not Good At

When I was little, there were lots of things that I knew that I wasn't good at and it really bothered me. The only thing that I thought that I was maybe a little good at was writing, but this wasn't…

Mock Sydney Taylor Book Award Winners Announced!

Being very new to publishing, I admittedly never heard of the Sydney Taylor Book Award or really any kidlit writing award other than the Newbery and the Caldecott from library displays that I had…

Finalist for the National Jewish Book Awards

Alone Together on Dan Street was selected as a Finalist in the 72nd National Jewish Book Awards! I'm so grateful to Behrman House/ Apples & Honey Press for taking a chance on a debut…

At My Desk, but Off and Running: Writing and Editing

It's only been a few days with the kids back to school (4/1), but I'm off to a running start. I pressed SEND on my MG manuscript. I'm a'frayda'a what my agent is going to say. Just…

Looking Forward and Looking Back 2022

It's that time of the year for looking back and forward to see what progress I've made in my new kidlit career. Looking back: 2022 wasn't the year I thought it would be. I ended up getting so much…

Kidlit from Passover Past (Behrman House 1952)

My mother saved two books from her childhood: The Passover Story and The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám. My copy of The Rubaiyat is in NY so I can't revisit that now,…

Kidlit Author Mission Statement to Help You Grow

I spend lots of time listening to podcasts. Many of those podcasts are focused on kidlit (or other writing and creativity). On my Friday morning walks, it's time for Book Friends Forever…

Preparing for School Visits and Festival Presentations

Right now I'm preparing for an upcoming literary festival and related school visits. After, I'm traveling to New York for more author visits. The New York trip is perfectly timed to highlight a story…

Book Deal Announcement: ZHEN YU AND THE SNAKE

It's official! I've seen the artwork and it's absolutely beautiful! So excited to make this book with Kar-Ben Publishing and illustrator Renia Metallinou.

Tablet Magazine's Best of Children's Books 2022

I'm thrilled to announce that ALONE TOGETHER ON DAN STREET was chosen as one of Tablet Magazine's Best Jewish Children's Books of 2022. I'm so grateful to Apples & Honey Press (Behrman…

Save the Cat and My Manuscript

My cat is fine. My manuscript isn't. There are reasons for this. Here is goes... I don't outline. I don't write character worksheets. I don't plot. I don't plan. I have no pre-writing system. I write…

New Book: GROWING UP JEWISH IN INDIA

Our new book is out! Growing Up Jewish In India, ed. Ori Z Soltes, Niyogi Books, October 2021, is a collection of essays and over 150 images that explore how Indian Jews retained their unique…

Not a Muse: The Inner Lives of Women, a World Poetry Anthology (Shoebox of My Life)

Though I'm very kidlit focused these days, I've been a part of many incredible projects over the years. I just pulled this wonderful anthology off my shelf, Not a Muse: The Inner Lives of Women,…

Book Deal Announcement: ON A CHARIOT OF FIRE

I am so excited to tell the story of the legendary origin of the Bene Israel Jews of India along with Bene Israel artist Siona Benjamin.

Alone Together: The Making of a Picture Book Debut

On 1 June, 2022, Jen Jamieson (illustrator) and I will talk about creating our PB debut: Alone Together on Dan Street. We'll discuss all the steps that went into the making of the book…

Book Deal Announcement: MIXED-UP MOONCAKES

Panelist for SCBWI Israel event

I didn't make the flyer, but I will be a panelist for this thought-provoking event.

From Publishers Weekly: Kids' Titles That Put the 'Holy' in 'Holiday'

Alone Together on Dan Street is included in Publishers Weekly's Kids' Titles That Put the ‘Holy’ in ‘Holiday’…

Book Deal Announcement: ZHEN YU AND THE SNAKE

I have a new book deal! From Publishers Marketplace: Erica Lyons's ZHEN YU AND THE SNAKE, pitched as a retelling of the famous story of Rabbi Akiva's daughter and the snake from the Talmud,…

What To Expect When You Have a Publishing Offer

You have a publishing contract. Now what? Can someone please write this guide? I'm one year in since the sale of my first manuscript (Alone Together on Dan Street, Apples & Honey Press)…

Read 100+ New Picture Books: Easier Said than Done

The idea that picture book writers should read 100/300/500 new traditionally published picture books to improve their craft is great advice, essential even. With envy, I view social media pictures of…

How I Found My Agent (Part 3/3: Finding My Way)

My pandemic writing woes were answered in January 2021. I finally discovered STORYSTORM. This was perfect! I could easy jot down an idea even with the chaos of a city in extended lockdown mode (still…

How I Found My Agent (Part 2/3: Getting Directions)

How I Found My Agent (Part 2/3: Getting Directions) In 2015, I decided to do just that, learn how the industry operates. I joined SCBWI and joined an incredible SCWBI Hong Kong critique group.…

How I Found My Agent (Part 1/3: Lost)

This post is long overdue (and long). I had a number of false starts to my KidLit career and learned many lessons along the way. In 2015, I participated in NaNoWriMo. I had recently decided that I…

Business Cards

I held my debut picture book (Alone Together on Dan Street) in my hands and then also realized that it was on pre-order online! I'm going to have actual readers soon! It might not seem…

My First Published Piece

My debut picture book is out this March (Alone Together on Dan Street, Apples & Honey Press, March 2022) and this has been making me think about my writing journey. I recently found my…

It's Been Another (Gregorian calendar) Year

As I prepare to say goodbye to 2021 (likely a bit earlier for me in this part of the world than for most), there's so much to reflect on, but I'll focus on writing in this space. 2021, despite the…

Once Upon a Quarantine

Once upon a time, I imagined that one day there would be a table at a favorite coffeeshop where I would sip Americanos and nibble on scones and write. I would then be able to point to this table and…

Shavua Shorts

It has been a few weeks since my last post. Ok. It's been a month, but I've been busy with family and friends, the beach and eating. We all traveled to Israel to see my daughter. I also had the…

Coming Soon!

Alone Together on Dan Street, Apples & Honey Press, March 2022 (PB) Counting on Naamah: A Mathematical Midrash on Noah’s Ark, Intergalactic Afikoman, 2022 (PB)

Changemakers: Jewish Federations of North America (15 June 2021)

As the founder of Asian Jewish Life, I'll be speaking with Changemakers Fellows about my story and the impact I'm making on the Jewish community and through a Jewish lens. This event is…

My Grief is Real - Now I'm Writing it

My grief is now real. My mother is gone. Now I need to try to do something with it. I guess writing it is the answer. My grief hits me every quiet moment that I manage to find for myself. Traveling…

Shavua Shorts: More Writing About My Mom

This week was mostly focused on trying to pack away some of my mother's things. It's been over a year, but everything was left just as it was the day she fell. She was disorganized and accumulated…

Signed with an Agent!

I think I'm meant to write one of those long 'how I found my agent' posts because I'm now officially represented by Caryn Wiseman of the Andrea Brown Literacy Agency! I'm so excited to begin to work…

The Vaccine Wasn’t Ready in Time to Save Mom (published on Modern Loss)

It’s Sunday, April 11, 2021. Two days from now, it will have been one year since my mother passed away, according to the Gregorian calendar. The yahrzeit, or anniversary on the Hebrew calendar, has…

Publishing Filled With Losses and Wins

Publishing is filled with losses and wins though this week it was mostly wins. My piece for Modern Loss was published so I suppose that is a publishing win. It was about receiving the COVID…

Ways to Give Aid for COVID Relief in India

The Jewish community of India is very dear to my heart. India is undergoing a major COVID crisis right now. If we have all learned anything from COVID, it is that we are all in this together. If you…

Shavua Shorts (Spring Fling Win!)

Writing can be slow and solitary. This turned out to be a pretty exciting week in my writing world. I was a winner of the Spring Fling KidLit Contest for my story The Art of the Park. I…

Writing, Editing, Querying, Repeat

It was more writing, editing, and querying. Repeat. I'm still determined to get a piece into Tiny Love - one day. I wrote and then revised a picture book manuscript based on a story from Talmud. I'm…

WJC Plenary: Diversity in Jewish Leadership – Pathways & Opportunities for an Inclusive Future (13 May 2021)

On 13 May 2021, 09:00 (New York), 15:00 (Brussels), 16:00 (Jerusalem) at the WJC Plenary, I will participate in a panel discussion on Diversity in Jewish Leadership – Pathways &…

A Rollercoaster: Ups & Downs of Covid Writing

Back on the rollercoaster of publishing (and life) ups and downs. It was the 1st yahrzeit (anniversary on the Hebrew calendar) of my mother's death. I ordinarily sleep for 5-6 hours. I slept for 12.…

The Art of the Park: An Insider’s View for Spring Fling 2021

The Art of the Park: An Insider’s View Word count: 150   On Mondays Ari drew Josh playing soccer. On Tuesdays he painted Lilah feeding the ducks. On Wednesdays he…

Adoption and Fostering in Jewish KitLit

There are very few books on adoption or fostering in Jewish kidlt. This list is an ongoing list (hopefully) that I will continue to update, and a topic that comes up often in my family. It's…

Shavua Shorts: A Rollercoaster of Emotions

It's been a BIG week and a rollercoaster of emotions. Yes, again. Vaccine (2nd dose) UN -booked (by the government)! There were alleged irregularities with the packaging of the BioNTech vaccine and…

The Call (Agent Offer): Saying No

It's been a BIG week and a rollercoaster of emotions. Vaccine booked! Two days before the first yahrzeit (anniversary) of my mother's death, I will be fully vaccinated against the disease that killed…

Jewish Asian/ Asia (Far East) KidLit

This is an ongoing list that I will continue to update, but a topic that comes up often in my community. This list is part of a larger conversation about what qualifies as Jewish literature and what…

I'm a KidLit Author: My First Book Contract!

It's official! I'm an author! I was offered my first book contract for a picture book manuscript. Before I open the champagne, there are two things standing in the way of my celebration. Firstly, I…

Twitter on Publishing

If Twitter was actual publishing, I could confidently say that I'm extremely prolific, but, then again, it were life, I could say that I'm social. For all the negativity that people associate with…

Storystorm (Chapter 2)

Though January is long gone, Storystorm isn't – at least for me it's not. I have made additional copies of the pages I used in January and taped them into my notebook. While I'm still inconsistent…

Shavua Shorts

Happy Lunar New Year! Kung Hei Fat Choi! It was a strangely quiet, but beautiful holiday this year. With much of the city shutdown, we missed out on large scale celebrations, but we enjoyed some…

Storystorm: Challenge Completed (Chapter 1)

Of all the virtual writing community events, Storystorm perhaps requires the smallest time commitment (and no financial commitment). Participants write down one potential picture book idea each day…

How to Measure Progress and Success

It's a slow start to the new year in terms of progress and I think that I have to look at success differently in what amounts to an extended pandemic lockdown. Some days, just helping my youngest try…

A Year in Review

This year, there are plenty of things that I didn't get done: deadlines that weren't met, trips not taken, and occasions not celebrated. While it's easy to focus on loses, I'd like to try to end this…

Text Message from Mom

Text Messages from Mom   I woke up today to three new text messages from my mother. We buried her in April, but apparently not her phone. “There’s a logical explanation,” says my husband, “Call…