Read to Write When Natalie Babbitt was asked for her advice to writers, her answer was: “Read.” On August 1, join me for a FREE online study of Natalie Babbitt’s Tuck Everlasting. Within a few words, we’ll discover that Babbitt follwed her own advice. In many ways, Tuck Everlasting is a tribute to Ray Bradbury’s…
Category: Donkey’s Song
Tuck Everlasting August 1 – A Celebration of Time and Nature — A Celebration of Life
On August 1, I will begin what I plan to make an annual tradition. I’ll begin a deep dive into Natalie Babbitt’s Tuck Everlasting. Tuck Everlasting is a Celebration of Time–Time as it relates to the Seasons and the Seasons of Life–and TIme as it relates to the clock. Most people are deeply aware of…
The Truth about Writing Picture Books When You Are Past Your Prime
Perhaps it’s my bucket list, but I have recently jumped into a flurry of production that I only wish I had jumped into 50 years ago. But at that time, I was marrying the wrong person, trying to be a decent single parent, trying to survive doing anything I thought might earn a dime. I…
Jacki Kellum Talks about the Light, about Her Paintings, and about Her Picture Book The Donkey’s Song
Note: This is a presentation that I did for a groups of kids at a church’s Bible School Art Camp: Today, I’m going to talk to you about the importance of light. I’ll tell you about how I rely on light in my art and writing, but first, I simply want to talk about light….
Advent Day 3 – The Terrible Lie – A Bible Story and Some Activities for the Family
Activities for Advent Day 3 Let’s Draw and Shade an Apple: God told Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit of one tree, but the snake tempted Eve, and she sinned. Adam followed. Most people think that the fruit they ate was an apple. Let’s Create an Apple Design Our story today does not…
In Genesis, We Are Told that God Created the World — What Does that Say about God?
Last year, in honor of the publication of my debut picture book, The Donkey’s Song, I launched an Advent program that I hope to enlarge every year. Very briefly, Advent is a way of preparing for Christmas–one day at a time–and it begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. People celebrate Advent in several ways….
Harvest Your Past Challenge – 31 Days of Free Writing Prompts to Help You Write Your Own Memoir
Some people know me as the author of the picture book The Donkey’s Song, The Donkey’s Song – A Picture Book Written by Jacki Kellum Illustrated by Sydney Hanson Published by Doubleday for Young Readers at Penguin Random House And some people know me as an artist, but a few people also know that I…
How My Intuition Wrote My Picture Book The Donkey’s Song
When I am painting and when I am writing, I consider it a great day when something within myself takes over and essentially completes my project for me. This gentle urging is intuition. It is the spark that helped Michelangelo release his sculptures from a piece of rock. Janis Joplin – Jacki Kellum Watercolor My…
#14DayPBChallenge – Day 1- February 2023 – Start Planning Your Picture Book
Today’s Priorities: Learn How to Plan Your Picture Book Writing Project Understand the Importance of Reading Picture Books Written by Other Authors Learn to Use the Ideas Sheet [After you begin a regular writing routine, you will be flooded with tons of new ideas] Learn to Use the Reading Log A List of Books We’ll…
Take the #14DayPBChallenge – Write, Revise, & Submit Your Picture Book for Publication
Let’s Get Ready for my new #14DayPBChallenge. During the next 2 weeks, I plan to complete at least one new picture book manuscript, and I am also challenging myself to begin my search for an agent. I plan to do the process publicly–here on my blog. Join Me: Take the 2023 #14DayPBChallenge. It’s Free. Every…