My special
guest and I have a fun and exciting conversation about our love of writing
children’s books. Even though today’s episode is audio only for the most part,
I get so excited to show off a new toy I made, that I forget that I don’t have
my camera on, and turn it on for a brief second.so if you’re listening on
YouTube, please disregard my split second video shot. For those of you
listening, I’ll share the picture of the crocheted ice cream I talked about as
part of the show notes blogpost on my site.
TONYA DUNCAN
ELLIS is author of the award-winning, 13-book, SOPHIE
WASHINGTON children’s chapter series and THEY BUILT ME FOR FREEDOM
(HarperCollins, Balzer + Bray, 2024). She is a member of the Society of
Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Authors Guild, and the
Brown Bookshelf’s Highlights Foundation-sponsored Amplify Black Stories
storyteller cohort. Tonya has spoken and taught at writing conferences at the
Highlights Foundation and for SCBWI in New York City and for SCBWI Houston and
Austin, TX chapters. A former journalist and freelance magazine writer, she
holds a BA degree in French from Centre College of Kentucky and an MBA degree
from Washington University in St. Louis. Tonya is represented by Sara Megibow
of kt Literary. She
lives in Houston, Texas and is married with three children.
There are 13 books in the SOPHIE WASHINGTON chapter
series geared toward kids ages 8 to 12. African American preteen Sophie
Washington and her friends deal with common tween issues like fighting off
bullies, squabbling with siblings, managing social media and video games,
getting schoolwork done, fitting in, and puppy love, with a Texas-twist. Sophie
lives in the suburbs of Houston, Texas and sees alligators on neighborhood bike
rides, goes muttin’ bustin’ at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and
experiences flooding and hurricanes, which makes for all kinds of exciting
adventures. Books in the Sophie Washington series include Sophie
Washington: Queen of the Bee, Sophie Washington: The Snitch, Sophie Washington:
Things You Didn’t Know About Sophie, Sophie Washington: The Gamer, Sophie Washington: Hurricane, Sophie
Washington: Mission: Costa Rica, Sophie Washington: Secret Santa, Sophie
Washington: Code One, Sophie Washington: Mismatch, Sophie
Washington: My BFF, Sophie Washington: Class Retreat, Sophie
Washington: Lemonade Day, and Sophie Washington: Treasure
Beach. 
Connect with
Tonya at the following links:
Website: www.tonyaduncanellis.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/tonyaellisbooks/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/tonyaellisbooks/
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@tonyaellisbooks
 
 
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