5 Tips on Where to Start When Writing Middle Grade Fiction

Writing middle grade fiction is like embarking on an exciting treasure hunt! You get to dive into the minds of young adventurers and explore their world. Here are five tips to help you navigate this creative journey:

Finding Fictional Role Models

When it comes to shaping young minds, few things are as influential as the characters they encounter in books. Fictional role models can inspire, teach valuable life lessons, and provide comfort in challenging times..

Why Fantasy Fiction is Important Reading for Middle School Students. 

Fantasy fiction is like a secret doorway for middle schoolers, whisking them away to magical lands where imagination runs wild. It's a ticket to dream big, think creatively, and discover a whole new universe beyond homework and chores...

The Magic of Bedtime Stories: Creating Lasting Memories with Your Kids

Bedtime stories are a wonderful way to connect with your children and create lasting memories. They offer a great opportunity to bond with your kids and spend quality time together. When you snuggle up together and read a book, you can share laughs, use your imagination, and feel the love.

CREATING MAGIC in your writing

If you're planning to create a magical system for a fantasy world, I'm here to help you out. There are some things you need to keep in mind to make your story engaging and coherent. Below are some tips that can assist you in developing a magical and captivating world that will enhance your writing...

Interactive Reading: Fun Ways to Engage Kids with Books

Interactive reading is an exciting journey that turns the act of reading into a dynamic and engaging experience for children. By incorporating interactive elements into reading time, your child can develop a deeper love for stories, enhance their comprehension skills, and boost their imagination. Here are some fun ways to engage your kids with books through interactive reading.

Writing While On The Move

Writing is a passion that requires time, space, and solitude. However, sometimes it's not easy to find a quiet place to write, especially if you're always on the go like me. But, don't worry because with a little bit of planning, you can still write while on the move. Here are some of my tips for writing on the road.

How to Create the Perfectly Imperfect Villain

Creating a memorable villain is an important aspect of any story. A great villain is not only terrifying but also adds depth to the plot and makes the hero's journey more challenging....

The Digital Age Dilemma: How Screens Affect Reading Skills and Comprehension

In today's digital age, screens have become an integral part of our lives, from smartphones and tablets to computers and e-readers.

Building Neurological Pathways While Reading

One fascinating scientific fact about kids who read is that their brains actually physically change as a result of reading regularly.

The Impact of Early Literacy: Why Reading Matters from Birth

In the journey of life, the love for reading begins not when a child starts school, but from the moment they come into this world.

Successful Authors Under The Age Of 25

It's amazing how some of the most famous writers achieved so much at a young age! Mary Shelley, Truman Capote, Zadie Smith, and Veronica Roth all wrote timeless stories that we still love today before they even turned 25...

The Rise of Graphic Novels

Creating Compelling and Complex Fantasy Characters

The Impact Of Technology On Young Readers

It's no secret that technology has changed the way young people read. We've gone from traditional books and newspapers to reading more online content on our smartphones, tablets, and e-readers...

Kurkle And The Band’s Favorite Songs

At the end of the book, as things are coming to a climax, the band is holed up in their safehouse and they are reminiscing about when they first got started. Some of their first gigs were in Putney, not far from Bishop’s Park. They remarked that back then they wanted to be “bigger than the Beatles.”...

5 Ways In Which Immersive Stories Will Take Over The World

It should be no surprise that we at The Color of Music, are passionate about the power of immersive storytelling. We believe that this exceptional and creative approach to enjoying books can truly transform the reading experience...

The Benefits Of Audiobooks For Young Readers

Did you know that listening to audiobooks can be super helpful for kids? It's true! For one, it can really improve their listening skills and help them understand the story better...

Interview With The Author PART TWO

‍Where Did You Get The Idea For The Color of Music?This story came out of a deep infatuation with The Beatles. I had the biggest crush on George Harrison at 12 years old, and I was obsessed with London...

Interview With The Author PART ONE

When Did You Start Writing?I started writing when I was 12 years old. I was living in Miami, Florida and “desperate” to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I was drawn to anything creative...

Three Unexpected Things You Didn’t Know About Asen

As I mentioned in my blog post about Esme, it’s so utterly cool when your characters assume a life of their own. Asen has had a complicated past. His family is just surviving above the poverty line, his mother has run away and his father died unexpectedly...

What Are The Books That Have Stayed With You

To be honest, I believe that there is something truly special about the books that we read during our teen years. Perhaps it's because we are at an age where we are still discovering ourselves and trying to make sense of the world around us...

Telling Your Own Story In Your Writing

Writing and sharing your personal story can be an incredibly powerful tool for growth, healing, and connection. Seriously, it can be life-changing. When you put your thoughts and experiences onto paper, you allow yourself to process and make sense of them in ways that you may not have been able to before...

3 Unexpected Things You Didn’t Know About Esme

When writing about a character a writer always has all the control. Or, so they think! As I write about various characters I sometimes find that they have a mind of their own and start doing things that I didn’t expect...

The Inspiration Behind The Soundtrack For The Color of Music

It was over tea and a long conversation about our shared love for fantasy fiction that author Valerie first shared with me the story of The Color of Music. When I first read the story of Esme, Kurkle, and the whole band, I was immediately transported...

Writing Prompts To Get Your Child Or Student Started

Encouraging students to participate in creative writing is an excellent way to help them develop their communication and critical thinking skills. Creative writing provides an opportunity for students to express their thoughts and ideas in a unique and imaginative way...

Tips To Make Reading FUN!

Are you looking for ways to make reading more fun? Well, you're in luck because we've got some great tips just for you!...

Writing Fan Fiction - It’s Not Just A Hobby

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase before, “All art is derivative.” It sounds like a negative statement but actually, for writers and creatives that are just starting out, this can be freeing! What a great way to learn your craft, by being inspired and studying the work of those who have gone before you...

Tips For Creating Immersive Worlds For Fantasy Writers. 

The Importance of Diversity

Diversity in the young adult fiction world has become increasingly important in recent years. Reading has always been more than just a pastime, it’s a passport to other cultures and experiences...

The Perfect Reading Spot

I’ve recently moved house and so I’ve got to find a new place for everything. Where does the frying pan go? Where does the cute coffee table book look best?...

Top 5 Writing Competitions For Young Writers 

At around 12 years old - although I had a hard time concentrating, my mom and teacher encouraged me to start writing. I loved art: dance, painting and film, and so for me, creativity was the very best way to transcend everything that was mean and ordinary in life....

The Impact of Art on a Young Mind

Have you read Charlie Mackesy’s book, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse? It’s such a beautiful story of endurance, love and kindness revolving around 4 unlikely friends. Recently it was adapted into an animated short film that won best animated short film at The Oscars. ‍

3 Books That Were Inspired By Music 

You might have guessed it from the title, but that's right, The Color of Music was hugely inspired by music. Author Valerie was particularly inspired by the bands of her youth like The Beatles when creating her fictional band, The Black Hats.

Practice Writing With These 6 Exercises

How do you become a great writer? Like any craft, it requires PRACTICE. You’ve got to put in your 10,000 hours. So with that in mind, here are 6 writing exercises that you can do whether you are well-practiced or just starting out. Use these as weekly or monthly habits or to get you started on a brand new idea. 

5 Ideas To Get Your Students To Fall In Love With Reading

1. Involve students in the selection of reading materials. Allowing them to choose books that interest them will help them to stay engaged with the material. Stay up-to-date with what books are trending on #BookTok and present the best options to your class...

Readers Make Good Writers

It’s true! If you want to be a good writer you need to read. There is a simple principle behind this. The more you practice the better you will become at anything. Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers looked at the phenomenon of the 10,000 hour rule...

Book Characters As Role Models

How important are books for helping our children learn about themselves and the world around us? As a writer I am biased, but I think book characters can be powerful influences for good...

Is #BookTok Worth The Hype?

If you are in the literary world right now, likely you would have come across BookTok. But for those who might not be familiar, #BookTok is a popular hashtag used on TikTok...

Positive Screen Time

There is a lot of well-founded chatter about the negative effects of screen time for kids, but how about viewing screen time through a more positive lens?...

What Is Better? The Movie Or The Book?

One of the coolest things that happened to me when I was around ten-years-old was the introduction of a free movie night at the local library. I can still remember...

Reading And The Senses

Sight, sound, smell, touch, taste. The 5 senses, each one as important as the next. If you had to lose one, it would be incredibly hard to choose. Books, though static in nature, have long lent a sensorial experience through the imagination. Gifted writers have helped us disappear into other worlds...

Encouraging Your Child To Read

When I was eight years old my mother read ‘The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe’ to me and my siblings. We were enchanted! She was a good reader, and the story was pure magic...

5 Books To Read If You LOVED The First Chapter Of The Color of Music And Can’t Wait For More. 

1. A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle , 2. Somewhere Around The Corner by Jackie French. 3. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black. ...

Discovering Reading With Dyslexia

Always been a big lover of reading, in particular reading fantasy. I started reading Lord Of The Rings at age 10 and my favorite teacher in primary school was the librarian who introduced me to Harry Potter. So I always imagined myself finding a partner who would share my love of reading...

Overcoming The Stigma of ADHD as a Young Reader

According to the CDC, ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors or be overly active...

How To Write a Hit Song

When I first came up with the idea of Klyde Kurkle and his band from the ‘60s I had fallen in love with the Beatles. My mother was pretty sure it was an obsession and forbade me from over-indexing on listening to their music, and voraciously reading books about their reign at the top of the pop charts...

Meet Gaby

Gaby (pictured left) is 15, lives in Miami, and is passionate about writing music. She reads all her books online and has a great sense of humor...

Is Empathy a Superpower?

She felt a desire in her, growing in her heart – something bigger than herself. We all know what it’s like to be young, looking out at a world that is both frightening and exciting...