Russell F. Hirsch
Imagine that! Opening and Closing Images
Great books begin with great openings. It’s our first taste of a story that will excite, move, and enthrall us. And endings are just as...
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Russell F. Hirsch
- Aug 16
- 2 min
Making Music With Words
Great writing has two main components: The “storytelling” component — big, structural things, like an exciting plot, good pacing, and...
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Russell F. Hirsch
- Aug 30
Imagine that! Opening and Closing Images
Great books begin with great openings. It’s our first taste of a story that will excite, move, and enthrall us. And endings are just as...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Aug 16
Making Music With Words
Great writing has two main components: The “storytelling” component — big, structural things, like an exciting plot, good pacing, and...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Aug 2
Setting the Scene
We’ve all heard of writers grappling with the blank white page. But sometimes, writers leave readers grappling with a frustrating...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Jul 18
Exposition 101 – SPELL SWEEPER
Today, we continue to unravel that most dreaded of all fantasy writing phenomena… EXPOSITION! Oh, so messy… Writers know that getting...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Jul 5
EXPOSITION 101 – Fablehaven
Exposition. Few words strike more fear into writers. Not exposition! Noooooo! Exposition is the explanatory stuff within a story. The...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Jun 21
How Gordon Korman uses 6 POVs!?!
With 100 published books (and counting!) Gordon Korman has delighted generations of readers with his signature blend of humor, adventure,...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Jun 7
The Best Action Writer in All of Kid-Lit…
Ten years ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing a great Canadian children’s author who described his books as full of “running and...
Russell F. Hirsch
- May 24
The Secret Genius of THE GIVER
THE GIVER is one of the most successful children’s novels of all time. Winner of the 1994 Newbery Medal, Lois Lowry’s tale still...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Jul 9, 2019
REVIEW: The Oddmire by William Ritter
Come with me and delve into the deep, dark woods of William Ritter‘s magical middle grade fantasy, The Oddmire, Book I: Changeling....
Russell F. Hirsch
- Apr 26, 2019
REVIEW: Seventh Grade vs. the Galaxy by Joshua S. Levy
This week, Storythreads takes to the stars with a review of Joshua S. Levy‘s funny, fast-paced middle grade sci-fi adventure, Seventh...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Mar 8, 2019
Podcast: Adapting Narnia
I rejoin Caitlin from the Words in Living Color podcast blog to chat about The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe–in its book form and as...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Feb 6, 2019
REVIEW: Harper and the Fire Star by Cerrie Burnell
Today, it’s my pleasure to shine a light on Harper and the Fire Star, a charming middle grade fantasy and the fourth book in Cerrie...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Jan 11, 2019
REVIEW: A Spark of White Fire by Sangu Mandanna
Today on Storythreads, the worlds of Indian mythology and space opera collide in Sangu Mandanna’s YA novel, A Spark of White Fire, the...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Nov 24, 2018
A Dastardly Plot by Christopher Healy (Guest Review for The Book Wars)
Twelve-year-old Molly Pepper and her mother Cassandra Pepper have inventions that could change the world! Except the World’s Fair won’t...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Nov 18, 2018
The YAK Speaks: Messy Rough Drafts
The YAK features articles devoted to Education, Writing, Children’s Literature, and Speech Arts. It is published by The Bolton Academy of...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Nov 6, 2018
Podcast: Adapting The Golden Compass
I rejoin Caitlin from the Bookology blog for her inaugural Words in Living Color podcast, wherein we nerd out over Philip Pullman’s The...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Oct 28, 2018
Horror for Kids – with booktuber Emily of Page Turns
Happy Hallow-week! With leaves falling, fireworks flaring, and pumpkins grinning, I’m very excited to welcome booktuber Emily of Page...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Oct 15, 2018
BLOG TOUR: The Flight of Swans by Sarah McGuire
Six years of silence. Magic as dark as black swan feathers. Sacrifice, struggle, and the interweaving of worlds. Today Storythreads hosts...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Oct 4, 2018
Adapting Books for Stage & Screen – with Caitlin Boyle
Today, I’m thrilled to present an interview with Caitlin Boyle, an expert on children’s book adaptations for stage and screen! You can...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Sep 27, 2018
BLOG TOUR: Open Mic Night at Westminster Cemetery
Pub date: Sep. 1, 2018 from Carolrhoda Lab (an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group) Available in Canada through Thomas Allen & Son Today,...
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