Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 3/20
S. J. (Sam) Taylor
@jsamtaylorauthor.bsky.social
Author of fantasy steeped in folklore | Up Next: HELGA THE FAIR (Atheneum, Summer 2026) | Out Now: MADSI THE TRUE, BEING ACE, WE ARE THE FIRE (as Sam Taylor) | Repped by Sandra Proudman of Gallt Zacker Literary Agency | 🖤🩶🤍💜 www.sjtaylorbooks.com
There's a meme going round that begins: "Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you..." My challenge to you now, is to imagine how different your life might be if you'd never read them, and share _that_. These are the futures we're robbing from kids every time a book is banned.
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 2/20
'Tis a wonderful time of year to help kids having a rough time feel the love. You can buy gifts for: Children of incarcerated people: vat.angeltreetool.org/cc0893aa-581... Foster kids: www.onesimplewish.org Kids living on Pine Ridge Reservation: www.onespiritokini.org/okini-page/h...
Posted this to my Instagram yesterday; sharing here now: My open letter in response to the rising concerns of authors as we face the next US presidential administration and the Project 2025 policies tied to it. I’ll copy the text of the letter below.
It’s time for my ever-growing thread of tax write-offs for authors & illustrators to keep in mind as we head into year-end. ✨ Book-related travel ✨ New computer/equipment ✨ Internet / office space ✨ Paper, office stuff, packaging items, stamps ✨ Software like Word, Scrivener, Canva Pro etc.
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 1/20
Book haul from #NCTE2024! MG: - Library Girl by Polly Horvath - A Song for You & I by K. O’Neill - Vanya and the Wild Hunt by Sangu Mandanna - The Storm Singer by Sawat Chadda - Family Week by Sarah Moon (queer MG!) YA: - Giddy Barber Explodes in 11 by Dina Havranek - Nahia by Emily Jones
25% of kids in the US are Latinx, so here’s your Latinx KidLit starter pack and make sure to read, boost, and support Latinx stories all year long! go.bsky.app/CGXLiaz
Fun so far at #ncte2024! Yesterday I got to sign copies of MADSI THE TRUE. Brought my author copies—this seemed a great opportunity to get them into the hands of teachers and librarians (along with the educators’ guide I’ve created). Brought 20 copies of each; they were gone in 24 minutes.🤯
Delightful morning meet-up with middle-grade bookish folks!
What a fun (and early) morning meeting up with members of the #ForTheLoveOfMG group. @laurastegman.bsky.social @baronchrisbaron.bsky.social @kchowrites.bsky.social @danakramaroff.bsky.social @jsamtaylorauthor.bsky.social @lauraparnum.bsky.social @nancytandon.bsky.social @alysawishingrad.bsky.social
Me: Ugh, my hips are really sore and achy today, I wonder why? Me, Yesterday: [in an hour-long aerial yoga class] Me: I can’t possibly understand why…
Cover things are happening for MADSI (stay tuned stay tuned!!!) so that meant it was time for an updated author photo. What do you think??
*waves* Hi friends, professional writer person here. Even for mid-list, mid-career authors, things are pretty bad right now. A lot of my colleagues are looking for day jobs & cutting back/quitting creative writing. Soooooo…I present: 3 free things you can do to help writer whose work you like.
Morning, all: It's another call for people to mask up again.
It may be time to break out the masks against Covid, some experts say | CNN
If you’re at high risk of serious illness or death from Covid-19, it’s time to dust off those N95 masks and place them snugly over your nose and mouth to protect yourself from a recent uptick of t...
cnn.com
Scene: About to read Little T a book Grandma sent, THE NIGHT BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE Little T: I’m shy of this book. Me: Are you nervous about starting first grade next week? Little T: It’s… just… [points to the girl’s hand on the peanut butter] How is she keeping her hand clean??
Little T: My work is playing! Me: And what’s my work? Me: [silently] Please, PLEASE don’t say dishes, laundry, cooking, or any other of those endless chores. Little T: Your work is writing books! Me: 😏 Me: Good answer.
I’ve donated a query critique and a signed copy of WE ARE THE FIRE to the Books for Maui fundraiser. Bid on those (or lots of other awesome items!) here: https://www.32auctions.com/BooksforMaui
Kirkus reviewed BEING ACE! "Readers hungry for intersectional ace (and frequently also aro) representation will be pleased to see a range of queer identities, racial backgrounds, and disabilities.”
Me, after finding out that Moira Quirk is one of the narrators for the audiobook of @hmlong.bsky.social’s DARK WATER DAUGHTER. (Even though I already own the paperback.)
Posting my magazine cover from the trend over on IG because why not.
Last night I dreamed I submitted my newest WIP for an editor manuscript consultation. The editor hated everything about it and gave me a 0.5% (like they were grading it, I guess?) I… might be anxious about some things I have coming up. 😅 (Also: the editor in my dream was NOT my current editor!)
As a general rule, if you need an onset after too much Online Bookworld Feelings, try talking about it from the beginning with non-Bookworld people. Ask them if they ever read Goodreads, or know what it is. Ask if they've ever read a trade review in their lives. How often they check an imprint name.
I’m here! I’m also *not* writing this post while I hide in my office for a few minutes from my kids. 😆 Writer of words, lover of Nordic folklore, avid knitter, and mom of two smol boys. Come join me!