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Elise Howard

@elisehoward.bsky.social
2.7K followers 1.3K following 249 posts

Literary agent and author. Was editor and publisher. www.defliterary.com/agents/elise-ho… New! PLANT THIS, NOT THAT tinyurl.com/Plant-This-Not-That W/ Amy Gash: BELIEVE IN THE WORLD: WISDOM FOR GROWNUPS FROM CHILDREN'S BOOKS

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kelly jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
I've launched a new limited-run podcast. Liberating Lit brings to listeners the advocacy origin stories of the people who have been defending the right to read and championing literature, with the goal to inspire new advocates and refill the cups of those feeling depleted.
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Hmmm. Seems legit. Too bad it’s for a different FE Howard.
Page one (!) of a letter to FE Howard, author of the novel “Smothered Fires: She Survived the Hardship of War, But Can She Survive Desire?” from the CEO of Springer Nature Book Publishing, including a summary of the plot that I couldn’t bring myself to read.Page two, in which this erudite person of letters asks how I might be approaching publication opportunities for my already published book and expresses interest in adding my future historical romances, westerns, or other works to the Springer Nature list and offers to advise me.
Cover of SMOTHERED FIRES, by FE Howard, featuring the tagline, “She survived the hardship of war, but can she survive desire?” and a painted image of a foregrounded white woman with long red hair, hands clasped, in a deep green cape, standing in front of two white American Civil War soldiers on horseback, one in a Union uniform and the other Confederate.
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Elle Cordova @ellecordova.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Rough Draft vs Final Draft
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Soraya Nadia McDonald @soraya.press · 25/08/2026
NYC, if you, like me, are grieving Dolly and want to commit an act of service in her honor, might I suggest volunteering with Reading Partners? 💗 readingpartners.org/get-involved...
Our Programs
Our direct tutoring model includes high-impact, one-on-one tutoring for students in both in-person and online formats. 

Our volunteer-driven model engages community volunteers to support students in developing mastery of key reading skills. Volunteers are trained to implement our evidence-based curriculum rooted in the Science of Reading.

Our Powered by Reading Partners programs meet students where they are in the community. 

We provide community partners with engaging, high-quality educational materials and extensive training to implement effective literacy tutoring with students.
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
I usually just sigh and give up about words the 🐝 doesn’t accept, but how is MUNTIN not OK? 🤓😠
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Listen to Kelly and her doctors. Get the test; take care of yourself; do not believe in your own exceptionalism when it comes to health. The world needs you.
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
When Amy Gash and I collected the quotations in BELIEVE IN THE WORLD: WISDOM FOR GROWN-UPS FROM CHILDREN'S BOOKS, we began with the category "Kindness," and we opened with these words from ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE, by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. RIP
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EMILY WILSON @emilyrcwilson.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
There is a lot to say about the Nolan Odyssey movie. But one point that I think has not been emphasized enough is: this is a film about living in LA, as Nolan, my erstwhile British compatriot and age mate, has done for years. I gather it’s a strange place.
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Cheryl B. Klein @cherylklein.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Hey! Workman Kids is hiring for a senior designer position. If you know anyone who might be interested, please pass the word along? We have a fun team and a bunch of awesome picture books coming up to work on . . . jobs.jobvite.com/hachette-int...
jobs.jobvite.com
Hachette Book Group is looking for Senior Designer, Workman Publishing, Children's.
Hachette Book Group is looking for Senior Designer, Workman Publishing, Children's. Learn more or Jobvite a friend.
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SCBWI @scbwi.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), and the children’s book world, is saddened by the news that author, mentor and friend, Jane Yolen, has died. She was 87 and her loss cannot be measured. Please find the full obituary here: www.scbwi.org/remembering-...
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
A love letter(space) to my book friends…
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Can someone explain what this ad is supposed to mean and how anyone in a position to approve it ever thought it was a good idea? @mayor.nyc.gov @council.nyc.gov @cndelarosa.bsky.social
A New York City bus shows and ad for composting, featuring a city compost bin lying on its side with big cartoon eyes and a cartoon mouth and slender female legs, one bent over the other, clad in stockings and high-heeled pumps with text reading: "Building won't compost? Call 911" and "Scrappy knows good compost*" above the legs and "*(and isn't afraid to ask) below.
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Interrupting Criminalization @interruptcrim.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
We need more young artists affected by policing/criminalization to apply for this grant. They could get up to $2500 to work on an art project! The deadline is Monday; please spread the word!
interruptingcriminalization.com
Stevie Wilson DIY Young Artists Residency — Interrupting Criminalization
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Kai Ryssdal @kairyssdal.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
Zero. Sympathy. They did this to themselves. Oh, and also? There definitely is an easy answer.
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Susan Wroble @susanwroble.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
An incredible opportunity for MG #Kidlit writers: author @jewellparkerrhodes.bsky.social has established a $10,000 fellowship for emerging voices. Deadline 4/17. www.hachettebookgroup.com/landing-page...
hachettebookgroup.com
Jewell Parker Rhodes Fellowship for Emerging Voices
Submissions are Now Open February 25, 2026 – April 17, 2026 Enter Below The Jewell Parker Rhodes Fellowship for Emerging Voices will award an annual $10,000 grant to an unpublished or self-pu…
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
Featuring my new book: PLANT THIS, NOT THAT: OVER 200 NATIVE PLANT SWAPS FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE, POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY GARDEN
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Literary analysis of the day, from the summary judgment dismissing a YA lit plagiarism case, as reported in @publisherslunch.bsky.social : "Hot, sexy, dangerous boys—central to virtually all young adult romance novels—cannot be copyrighted," the court notes.
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
So happy to speak with Margaret Roach on her "A Way to Garden" podcast about PLANT THIS, NOT THAT: OVER 200 NATIVE PLANT SWAPS FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE, POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY GARDEN awaytogarden.com/plant-this-n...
awaytogarden.com
'plant this, not that': swapping in more natives, with elise howard
YOU’VE SEEN and heard the list of no-no plants that were showy longtime nursery and garden standards, but have proven invasive and need to go. Yes, we can yank out the barberry and butterfly bush
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
One was a rambling man who made machines that were used in glass factories. (My dad lived at least 10 places, including KS, OK, & CA, by the time he was 14 & we had had lots of paperweights around the house.) The other was a moonshiner who had 10 kids and multiple, um, adventures with the law.
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
Thrilled to celebrate pub date for my new book, Plant This, Not That: Over 200 Native Plant Swaps for a More Sustainable, Pollinator-Friendly Garden. Buy it from your favorite bookseller! #nativeplants #gardening www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/elise...
hachettebookgroup.com
Plant This, Not That
A comprehensive guide to creating a native plant garden anywhere in the contiguous United States, with an easy-to-follow, "this, not that" format. "A timely,...
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Celeste Ng @pronounced-ing.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
Call your reps about this. Every time a book ban has been overturned or shut down, it's because the vast majority of people who believe in the freedom to read spoke up. Find your reps' info at reps.fyi.
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
More great work on the ever-increasing threat of book bans and censorship from our own federal government from @heykellyjensen.bsky.social. TL; DR: The house is on fire. Call your reps, especially if they are inclined to support anti-LGBTQ and censorship laws. bookriot.com/hr7661-book-...
bookriot.com
A Nationwide Book Ban Bill Has Been Introduced in the House of Representatives
Hours after the State of the Union address, House republicans introduced legislation banning LGBTQ+ books from public schools nationwide.
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kelly jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
Following the lies and hatred targeting trans folks during the State of the Union Address, numerous republican House representatives introduced a bill that would create A NATIONWIDE BOOK BAN. Here's what it is and what to do: bookriot.com/hr7661-book-...
bookriot.com
A Nationwide Book Ban Bill Has Been Introduced in the House of Representatives
Hours after the State of the Union address, House republicans introduced legislation banning LGBTQ+ books from public schools nationwide.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 09/02/2026
1/ ProPublica collected handwritten letters in mid-January from children held at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, the same facility where 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos was taken. Hundreds of kids are still detained. We’ll let the children’s words speak for themselves. 🧵
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kelly jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
I'll be live with Sabrina Baeta of PEN America for a Red, Wine and Blue event 2/19. We're talking the trends in book censorship and where/how you can get involved in pushing back right now. Register for the free event here --> go.redwine.blue/0219tt-bookr...
go.redwine.blue
Want to learn how to recognize and fight the latest tactics in book banning? Sign up here!
Book bans aren’t slowing down — they’re evolving with a sneakier strategy that often flies under the radar. Join us as we discuss the newest trends and tactics driving today’s book bans and how commun...
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kelly jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
Grant Guidelines for Libraries and Museums Take “Chilling” Political Turn Under Trump Thank GOD some other outlets are finally talking about this. www.propublica.org/article/inst...
propublica.org
Grant Guidelines for Libraries and Museums Take “Chilling” Political Turn Under Trump
Former Institute of Museum and Library Services leaders from both political parties expressed concern that the new funding guidelines could encourage a more constrained or distorted view of American h...
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
Reminder than instead of Amazon, you can use bookshop.org, instead of Kindle you can use Kobo, and instead of Audible, you can use Libro.fm. And if you are lucky enough to have a local indie bookstore, please shop there!
bookshop.org
Bookshop.org: Buy books online. Support local bookstores.
A better way to buy books online. Every purchase financially supports local independent bookstores.
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
As much as I hate this news, it fills my heart somehow to see reports beginning "Home Alone actress...," "Schitt's Creek actress...," "Beetlejuice actress...," "Best in Show actress..." Weren't we lucky to have had her among us? www.tmz.com/2026/01/30/c...
tmz.com
Catherine O'Hara Dead at 71
Catherine O'Hara -- famous for her work in "Schitt's Creek," "Home Alone," and "Best In Show" -- is dead ... TMZ has learned.
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
This is an amazing opportunity!
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Martha Mihalick @marthamihalick.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
Hey friends! Would you like to hash out world building details for your next manuscript with me and bestselling author Rae Carson? You can bid on just that in this auction to help raise funds for orgs in MN! www.32auctions.com/organization...
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Ed Markey @edmarkey.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
Right now, Democrats have the power to defund and abolish ICE. We should do it. This is about right and wrong—and the murder we are seeing on the streets is just plain wrong. Anyone who supports funding DHS and ICE is supporting the murder of Americans. We can stop this.
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
Even in the darkest times, human creativity and community cannot be suppressed.
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Kelly Barnhill @kellybarnhill.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
Good morning friends! Some things to remember when you call your senators today: 1. Renee Good's killer is still at large and has not faced justice 2. Alex Pretti's murderers are still at large, unnamed and still working on our dime. 3. 35 people died in ICE custody last year. 35 shattered families
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
First review, an ALA BOOKLIST star! "We need reliable, relatable information that will activate a dramatic shift in our landscapes from largely non-native to native plantings. Howard rises to that challenge... The book's power is in its concision, clarity, and ease of use." #nativeplants #gardens
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Bill Kristol @billkristolbulwark.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
Also, may I say that I don’t agree with people saying ICE and CBP need “more training.” They’re doing exactly what this administration has trained them to—impose a reign of fear in blue cities. They don’t need more training. They need to be ripped up root and branch.
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Roxane Gay @roxanegay.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
I don’t want to hear anything from an elected official unless it’s a plan to defund the DHS and impeach Noem, Bovino, etc. No texts. No emails. No talk about the economy. Step up or step off.
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
All gratitude to, love for, and solidarity with Minnesota and my courageous friends and every person standing up to ICE.
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Maris Kreizman @maris.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
I would absolutely love to give you a personalized book recommendation if you promise that tomorrow, not today, you purchase from Bookshop.org to benefit a Twin Cities bookstore.
Here's a very small thing you can do to send a little love to Minneapolis bookstores in the meantime. Search by state on Bookshop.org to support a particular independent bookstore, and rather than choosing your favorite local shop this week to receive a profit share, pick one that's in Minneapolis. Some favorites include Magers & Quinn, Moon Palace Books, Comma, Strive, and Wild Rumpus.

Fuck ICE forever.
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Maureen Johnson @maureenjohnsonbooks.com · 16/01/2026
As of right now, the murder's go fund me has raised over $757,000 dollars for his disgusting ass. The food bank is at $81,000. The food bank needs to come out on top. Give for good. Give for spite because there is no way that piece of shit should get anything at all, certainly not ten times as much.
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Kelly Barnhill @kellybarnhill.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
Friends, please take a moment and read this piece by poet, children's book author (and fellow South High grad - go Tigers!) Bao Phi. It's wonderful and moving and necessary. time.com/7345628/anti...
time.com
Why Minnesotans Fear ICE
The weight of state violence isn’t abstract, it’s personal, argues Minneapolis poet Bao Phi.
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🌠🐻 Margaret Abberley🌻🧩 @berryfields.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
She did write a glorious and beautiful book - a best seller, even.
Cover Art - THE OGRESS AND THE ORPHANS by Kelly Barnhill (c) 2022
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 04/01/2026
Organize a needlework night at your local cafe. Join the [whatever-it-may-be] group you’re invited to join. Deliver food to your community fridge. Help distribute food at your community fridge. Smile at the stranger you regularly pass, who will then no longer be a stranger. Follow @kellybarnhill…
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 02/01/2026
2 months till publication of “Plant This, Not That: Over 200 Native Plant Swaps for a More Sustainable, Pollinator-Friendly Garden”! Features native range, growing requirements, ecological benefits, and color photos for every plant. Plus resources and advice for starting and maintaining your garden.
Book cover for PLANT THIS, NOT THAT: OVER 200 NATIVE PLANT SWAPS FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE, POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY GARDEN illustrated by echinacea (recommended) and buddleja (not recommended!).
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
A picture of the book Believe in the World: Wisdom for Grown-ups from Children's Books, collected by Amy Gash and Elise Howard, illustrated by Eleanor Davis. Below the book is a Polaroid image of Amy Gash and Elise Howard. In the next column are quotes: "I love love love this little book. It is just the book we need right now." - Julia Alvarez, author of In the Time of the Butterflies; "A treasure trove of beautiful, thought-provoking quotations." - Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project; "This collection shows how the edifying power of children's literature continues well into adulthood." - Publishers Weekly
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Maureen Johnson @maureenjohnsonbooks.com · 09/12/2025
Any journalists covering @governor.ny.gov--please ask WHY SHE HAS NOT SIGNED THE NY FREEDOM TO READ ACT. The hard part is done! SHE JUST HAS TO SIGN IT. This is genuine absurdity.
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
Today! Arrive between 3:30 and 4, pedestrian plaza in front of B&N. See you there #booksky!
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Maureen Johnson @maureenjohnsonbooks.com · 02/12/2025
Will YOU be in NYC next Monday? WE NEED YOU! Come to Union Square at 3:30 for your rally to get the governor to sign the NY Freedom to Read Act. This is a joint effort with several organizations (including @authorsabb.bsky.social) and we need it to be BIG and LOUD! Please share!
Teen Activist Project Freedom to Read Act Read-In at 3:30, December 8th, Union Square, NYC. Please come!
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Elise Howard @elisehoward.bsky.social · 06/12/2025
New York, I'll see you there! 📚💙 #kidlit
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nicole brinkley | bookseller @nebrinkley.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
shop at your indie bookstores, not barnes & noble. shop at your indie bookstores, not barnes & noble. shop at your indie bookstores, not barnes & noble. shop— www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/01/c...
chicagotribune.com
A year after Barnes & Noble opens in Wicker Park, nearby indie bookstore forced to close
Volumes Bookcafe, which has been open for a decade, immediately saw a “significant” drop in sales after Barnes & Noble moved into the century-old Noel State Bank building in October 2024.
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