Dragon Biography

December 21, 2025December 22, 2025 ~ Kana Smith ~ 16 Comments

Yesterday morning I saw this writing-prompt: "Would you rather have a pet dragon the size of a cat, or a cat the size of a dragon?" As I read the responder's list of advantages to cat-sized dragons, I realized I was grinning. I have lived with a cat-sized dragon! When my son was an infant, … Continue reading Dragon Biography

A Virtual Sit-Down with Author Keshav Porwal

boy with a superhero cape triumphantly raising a book, a map of India in the background

November 22, 2025November 23, 2025 ~ Kana Smith ~ 16 Comments

I've been undecided as to whether I should begin with or finish with this author's age. Because here's the thing: his writing is GOOD. No qualifiers needed, this guy writes well. And what makes it all the more extraordinary (ah, I've made up my mind) is that he's only fourteen years old. The reason I … Continue reading A Virtual Sit-Down with Author Keshav Porwal

A Virtual Sit-Down with Author Dan Beachy-Quick

writer in a whaleboat with a book, drifting on a calm ocean

November 20, 2025November 20, 2025 ~ Kana Smith ~ 4 Comments

Usually, when you read a book, it's easy to tell how far along you are, and how much you have left. Not so with Dan Beachy-Quick's A Whaler's Dictionary---at least, not if you follow its instructions. Usually, when you read a book, you don't need instructions, but this one comes with a "How to Use … Continue reading A Virtual Sit-Down with Author Dan Beachy-Quick

Waiting for Godot

cartoon of the writer waiting for a mail delivery

November 18, 2025November 18, 2025 ~ Kana Smith ~ 30 Comments

Yesterday I was put in mind of a play I had to read for my Irish Literature class. You may have heard of it, though I kind of hope (for your sake) that you've never had to read it. Waiting for Godot is an entire play's worth of dialogue between two guys who are waiting … Continue reading Waiting for Godot

The Lost Map

watercolor map of the world, with pins in many countrires

November 15, 2025November 16, 2025 ~ Kana Smith ~ 22 Comments

WordPress used to have a widget I loved. I love maps in any case---I'm a certifiable cartophile, and this map I loved in particular. A blogger could put this widget on the side of the page, and its map showed all the countries in which the blog had been read. SO cool. I can still … Continue reading The Lost Map

A Reading Proposal for You, Reader:

October 24, 2025October 25, 2025 ~ Kana Smith ~ 5 Comments

For those of us writers who are working outside the realm of big publishing-houses, we have to jump-start and generate our own publicity for what we write---so I have a proposal. For anyone who is game for posting a book review (on your blog or vlog or podcast or FaceBook, or wherever-it-is that you post … Continue reading A Reading Proposal for You, Reader: