Build A Monster

 Teachers and parents, looking for activities for your littles? New fun activities posted weekly!

You can download the full size PDF here!

Book Recommendation: Nimona 

The movie is out now on Netflix, but the book is even better!

***

Thanks for joining! Please feel free to pass this along to parents, teachers, or anyone else looking for some fun kids activities!

Sign up for my monthly newsletter, and preorder The Nightmare House today!

*The activities on this site are available for free download, and are to be used in educational and/or private settings. They may not be used elsewhere or for profit without written consent.

**The above contains affiliate links

Summer Reading Activity for (Spooky) Kids

Looking for reading activities for your summer? I hope to start posting weekly games and activities, starting with this! 

You can download the full-size PDF here!

Thanks for joining! Please feel free to pass this along to parents, teachers, or anyone else looking for some fun kids activities!

Sign up for my monthly newsletter, and preorder The Nightmare House today!

*The activities on this site are available for free download, and are to be used in educational and/or private settings. They may not be used elsewhere or for profit without written consent.

An Author's Many Hats

Happy Monday! And happy March! So glad to have January and February over and done with, yeah? I'm feeling the tireds and the winter-time blues, so let's see if we can push through together!

An Authors Many Hats: 

What other hats do we authors wear?

When Are You Gonna Write Real Books for Adults?

A Question For Teachers:

@sarahallenbooks Hey teachers! especially elementary and middle school teachers. I have a question for you. #teachersoftiktok #teacherlife #teachertok #teachertiktok ♬ Blue Blood - Heinz Kiessling

Book Recommendation: This book by Delilah Dawson is so well written and lots of good spooky fun! You and your upper-middle grade readers will love it.

 ***

Thanks for joining! 

Sign up for my monthly newsletter, and preorder The Nightmare House today!

How To Write A Query Letter

 I hope you've all had a great week! I spent most of mine working on some freelance writing work as well as the zero draft of my next middle grade novel--it's a monster book, and has been great fun to write! What are you all working on?

How To Write A Query Letter

Toast: A Poem

The 'I Don't Want To Write' Song:

@sarahallenbooks The surprise end of this song sponsored by my mom's pantry. Thank you for coming to my "I Don't Want To Write" concert. And thank you @literallyjohngreen and @hankgreen1 for the Tshirt. #writertok #writersoftiktok #authorsoftiktok #sillysong #songs #songwriter ♬ original sound - Sarah Allen | Author

Book Recommendation: One of my very favorites of recent years is Scary Stories for Young Foxes, by Christian McKay Heideker. I was so thrilled when it won the Newbery! Check it out! 

***

Thanks for joining! 

Sign up for my monthly newsletter, and preorder The Nightmare House today!

Teach Yourself Illustration and Cartooning

Teach Yourself Illustration and Cartooning

Hi friends! Are you at all interested in illustration or comics drawing? Personally, I'm a writer first and foremost, but I have always been interested in illustrated chapter books, picture books, and graphic novels. As writers, having those skills simply opens up additional opportunities, right? So the last few months I've really been diving in to it. I've never taken an art class and don't feel like I'm ever going to be a great artist, but here's the key to all this, that I learned from the amazing graphic novelist and illustrator, Jarod Rosello: your art doesn't have to be great, it just has to communicate. I feel like that idea freed me from the constraints of feeling like I actually had to be good at this, ha! And since then, I've been going through a lot of tutorials on the site 21-Draw, and they have been incredibly helpful. So if you're interested in being able to open more writing opportunities for yourself with some art communication skills, I recommend it to you!

Writing Villains: This is what always happens when I write villains--

My Kitty is Named After My Favorite Star Trek Character:

Book Recommendation: Speaking of Jarod Rosello, may I recommend to you his fantastic middle grade graphic novel series? It's adorable and so much fun!

***

Thanks for joining! 

Sign up for my monthly newsletter, and preorder The Nightmare House today!

Writing Lesson from the Super Bowl

Writing Lesson from the Super Bowl

 

What a game! That's about as tight as it gets. Ups and downs, twists and turns, cheers and heartbreak for both sides. So what can we writers take from that game?

It's not over till it's over.

I think in a lot our writing lives, we might feel like Chief's fans at halftime. Down ten points, and our QB has a bum ankle. Maybe this is us when we think we're finally getting that agent offer, but it's a no go. Maybe this is after we've published a few books and things start to fizzle. Maybe this is our editor leaving the business. So what do we do? Come out after half-time with throwing arms cocked and ready and a determination nothing can stop. Keep on keeping in. It's not over until you say it's over.

When Social Media feels like a Heartless Void

   

When Your Muse Leaves You To Work By Yourself

@sarahallenbooks What, does the muse just expect us to KEEP GOING??? Like this is our JOB or something??? #writertok #writersoftiktok #authortok #booktok #authorsoftiktok ♬ original sound - FJerry

Book Recommendation: This absolute stunner by Cindy Baldwin comes out next week, so preorder yourself a copy now!

***

Thanks for joining! 

Sign up for my monthly newsletter, and preorder The Nightmare House today!

Turner Syndrome Awareness Month

 Hey friends! February is Turner Syndrome awareness month. It's a great time to pick up a copy of WHAT STARS ARE MADE OF if you haven't already!

@sarahallenbooks February is Turner Syndrome Awareness Month! I never saw myself in books as a kid. When this mom sent me this video I basically dissolved. This THIS is exactly why we write. #turnersyndrome #disabilitytiktok #disabilityawareness #disabilityrepresentation ♬ original sound - Sarah Allen | Author

Self Care: What are your preferred self care activites?

 

Teaching myself to draw comics:

Book Recommendation: The Nest by Kenneth Oppel is one of my favorite middle grade horror novels. It's got all the best stuff, and plenty of heart!

***

Thanks for joining! 

Sign up for my monthly newsletter, and preorder The Nightmare House today! 

Dealing with 1 Star Reviews

 How to Handle 1 Star Reviews:

@sarahallenbooks This is now the official anthem of 1⭐ reviews. #writertok #writersoftiktok #author #authortok #authorsoftiktok #authorsofbooktok #booktok ♬ I Dont Care - garlandgays

Sleep Styles of a Cat Lady:

 

He's a Ten, But...MASH edition:

Book Recommendation:

Huge congrats to all the American Library Association award winners this morning! I'm off to get my hands on a copy of the newest Newbery winner, FREEWATER!

***

Thanks for joining! 

Sign up for my monthly newsletter, and preorder The Nightmare House today! 

Are You Good Enough to Be A Writer?

 Weekly Roundup 1/23/23

The Writing Process in 15 seconds:

January Ghosts:

Are You Good Enough to Be A Writer?

@sarahallenbooks How do you know if you're good enough to be a writer? #writertok #writersoftiktok #authorsoftiktok #authortok ♬ original sound - Sarah Allen | Author

Book Recommendation:

***

Thanks for joining! 

Sign up for my monthly newsletter, and preorder The Nightmare House today! 

When An Author Doesn't Match Their Book

 Weekly Roundup: 1/16/23

The Author vs. The Book:

I made a little comic about when an authors look, personality, and vibe doesn't at all seem to match their book. This is in contrast to some authors *ahem* Stephen King *ahem* who really, really DO seem like the kind of person who writes the books they do. This may or may not have been inspired by the middle grade horror I have coming out in August. You can find the original comic here. 

Why I Write Kids Books:

 

Click here for original video

The Saiga Song:

Book Recommendation:

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day! The book recommendation for this week is Dear Martin by Nic Stone. Definitely an important and worthwhile read, if you haven't already checked it out. 

Thanks for joining! 

Sign up for my monthly newsletter, and preorder The Nightmare House today!