The Missouri Reader Vol. 38, Issue 1 | Page 6

Wordsmith: A Creative Writing Course for Young People

Wordsmith Apprentice

Wordsmith Craftsman

The Playmaker

The True Prince

My Friend, the Enemy

The Middle of Somewhere

When I began teaching Children's Literature in 2002, I never would have dreamed a real, live children's book author would walk into my office and ask if she could come speak to my students, but that is exactly what happened! Janie B. Cheaney introduced herself and shared a bit about her currently published books, The Playmaker and its sequel The True Prince. We got our calendars together, and she left me with a copy of her books. Between the covers of those two books, I discovered mystery, intrigue, history, passion, suspense, and excitement.....just to name a few!

Since then, I have invited Janie to visit my students each semester. Over the years, I have witnessed ideas take place in her mind, turn into rough drafts, and become new books I've added to my shelves. I have shared in the sorrow of rejection letters and ideas scrapped. Yet, I have also shared in the triumphs of seeing her book in the Scholastic book orders, being the first to snatch an Advanced Reader Copy at an IRA conference, and watching her grow as an author and presenter. However, my biggest honor was when Janie asked me to read and offer feedback on her latest project---actually, my husband and I both had the opportunity to get an advanced sneak peek. I will tell you that we both loved it and thought it was by far the best book she had ever written and among the top books I've every read. I told her then that it was going to be published and it was going to be a SUCCESS!

Janie has invited me to be a part of the journey from the rough draft, to the design of the cover art, to sharing about getting invited to IRA this spring to promote the book. I have been so fortunate to be a part of the journey, and I just couldn't keep it to myself! Therefore, reader, I invite you to meet J. B. Cheaney and share in this adventure with us!

Julie: Tell us a little about yourself.

J. B.: I was born in Dallas, Texas, and grew up as a shy, skinny kid who loved reading and spent way too much time imagining myself as somebody else. (Or rather, imagining myself as me, in much more dramatic and exciting circumstances.) I dropped out of college to get married, had a daughter and a son, spent almost 12 years home-educating them, and finally developed a full-time writing career once the kids graduated from high school. I currently write regular print and online columns for WORLD, the nation's largest Christian news service, and co-publish RedeemedReader.com, a website for all things relating to children's literature. That's the exterior version of me. Inwardly, I lead an extraordinarily exciting and dramatic life (don't we all?), which helps to feed my fiction-writing habit.

Julie: When did you begin writing?

Check out

J. B.'s books!

Invaluable Invitation

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