Author Archive - Stone Soup

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Complex relationships and why expectations matter

Post Published May 27, 2016 by Gerry Mandel

It’s a funny thing. If your friends, parents, and teachers expect you to accomplish something great, you very likely will. Not only do you want to please the people you care about, but their support...
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The Making of an Author: Evelyn Chen

Post Published March 1, 2016 by Gerry Mandel

Most of the writers we publish in Stone Soup are published only once. This is not a bad thing. Even some very famous authors, like Margaret Mitchell (Gone with the Wind) and Harper Lee (To Kill a Mock...
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Some Thoughts on Historical Fiction

Post Published January 4, 2016 by Gerry Mandel

We know from the letters we receive from prospective book reviewers that many of our readers enjoy historical fiction. That’s one reason we’re always on the lookout for good historical fiction to ...
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Can Boys Write About Girls, and Vice-Versa?

Post Published November 1, 2015 by Gerry Mandel

The standard advice for new writers — “Write what you know” — is good advice for all writers. When you write about what you know first hand, you have your own experiences to draw on.
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Using Silence to Create a Mood

Post Published September 1, 2015 by Gerry Mandel

Every once in a while a story comes along that is unlike any other. Dancing Birds, the featured story from our September/October 2015 issue, is such a story. What makes it so special?
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A Touching Story by a Boy

Post Published June 18, 2015 by Gerry Mandel

Maybe you’ve noticed. Stone Soup publishes more writing by girls than by boys. This is not intentional. We would love to include an equal number of contributions by boys and girls in every issue.
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Taking a Stand Through Fiction

Post Published April 29, 2015 by Gerry Mandel

Let’s say you have a strong opinion about something you see happening in the world. You know it is wrong, and you want to speak out. The most direct way to make your point would be through a nonfict...
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It’s All in the Details (engaging the senses)

Post Published February 28, 2015 by Gerry Mandel

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day on March 17, we chose “Leprechaun Rain” as the featured story from our March/April 2015 issue. This is not a complex story.
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Celebrating the Melting Pot

Post Published December 23, 2014 by Gerry Mandel

The United States is made up of people who immigrated here from all over the world. Some came a long time ago, some more recently. All of us are Americans, who have “melted” together into one cult...
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Breaking the Rules and Making Your Readers Think

Post Published October 28, 2014 by Gerry Mandel

Is it ever OK to break the rules? The two main characters in “Life Among the Whispers,” the featured story from the November/December 2014 issue of Stone Soup, make us think about this question.
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Twists and Turns

Post Published August 31, 2014 by Gerry Mandel

What makes a story interesting? Yes, it could be fun to read a story about a girl who spends two enjoyable weeks at summer camp, plays some archery, makes a few friends, and then goes home.
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Stone Soup Illustrator Audrey Zhang Wins Doodle 4 Google Contest!

Post Published July 21, 2014 by Gerry Mandel

Audrey Zhang, age 11, is a fantastic artist, so we were only a little surprised when we learned that she won this year’s national Doodle 4 Google contest. Go, Audrey!
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A Moral Dilemma

Post Published July 14, 2014 by Gerry Mandel

“Catching Mice,” by Eoin O’Mara, age 11, is the featured story from our July/August 2014 issue. It starts innocently enough. Eoin is visiting his grandparents in Colorado.
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Yes He Can! Challenging Stereotypes with Fiction

Post Published May 6, 2014 by Gerry Mandel

Can a boy dancer be cool? Yes he can! And yet Alex, the main character in “Standing Alone,” is teased mercilessly by his classmates because he likes to dance.
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Everybody Is Different: Varied Characters Make For Believable Characters

Post Published March 10, 2014 by Gerry Mandel

No two people are alike. For that matter, no two animals are alike either! One mark of a great story is believable characters, each with his or her own distinct personality and habits.
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Rich or Poor?

Post Published January 9, 2014 by Gerry Mandel

Sammy Westfall set her story, “More or Less” (the featured story from our January/February 2014 issue) in the Philippines, where her family lives part of the time.
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Realistic Storytelling

Post Published November 11, 2013 by Gerry Mandel

I don't know about you, but I like the characters in the stories I read to seem like real people. Realistic characters have strengths and weaknesses, they talk in everyday language, they joke with the...
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History Comes Alive

Post Published September 10, 2013 by Gerry Mandel

Many Stone Soup readers tell us that historical fiction is their favorite genre. We think we know why. Realistic characters, whose feelings and concerns are similar to our own, can bring the events of...
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Bullying Is Wrong

Post Published July 4, 2013 by Gerry Mandel

Bullying is just plain wrong. It hurts the person who is bullied, and the bullies usually live to regret their cruel behavior. No one wins. In “Sticks and Stones,” the featured story from the July...
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Equal Rights for Girls!

Post Published March 14, 2013 by Gerry Mandel

A girl growing up today can join a baseball team if she wants to. In the past, things were different. "Katie's League," the featured story from the March/April issue of Stone Soup, chronicles the stru...
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