Leslie Eva Tayloe
Award Winning Picture Book Author
Author Note, October – December, 2025
**** I’m offering a book bundle giveaway. Share a positive note about what you’re grateful for this season, and you’ll have a chance to win a bundle of both used and new books—plus one of my signed picture books. Send your note to me at leslieevatayloe.com/contacts page.
Picture Book Showcase:
Millie Fleur’s Poison Garden
By Christie Mandin
Orchard Books 2024
Christie is so talented! This story shines with themes of individuality, acceptance, creativity, weirdness, and a love of nature and gardening. Some people fear what’s different, but the story reminds readers that once you take the time to understand something unfamiliar, it’s often not so scary after all. The invented plant names add humor and charm—I laughed out loud more than once! The back matter is a great bonus, perfect for STEM and gardening tie-ins. If you haven’t read it yet, pick up a copy!
Every house, every garden looks the same—except the old house on a hill where Millie and her mom move in. Millie plants a wild, odd garden of plants with names like “Fanged Fairy Moss” and “Sore Toothwort,” much to the dismay of the neighbors’ “Rosebud Club” who deem it “poisonous.” Millie insists it isn’t poisonous, just not like theirs. Eventually, she invites peers and the teacher to visit her garden, and little by little the town begins to embrace “wonderfully weird” gardens.
November and December are busy months—both personally and professionally. I’m planning Thanksgiving dinner, and even though we’re empty nesters, I still love cooking a big holiday meal. Between my partner, three grown children, and five grandchildren (with another on the way), there’s plenty of shopping and Christmas Eve and Day planning to do. My brother and his family are also visiting from Australia in December, which makes the season even more special.
Professionally, I have events lined up almost every weekend through November and December, hoping to close out the year by meeting new friends and sharing my three picture books with more readers.
Author Events this Quarter:
October 2-3, 2025, SCBWI MidAtlantic Participant at the Virginia Library Association’s Annual Conference, Richmond, VA.
October 4, 2024, Signing at Turn the Page Bookshop, Williamsburg, VA. 12-4.
November 1, 2025, Brooke Point Craft Fair, Stafford, Virginia, 9:00 – 2:30.
November 6, 2025, Speaker for SCBWI Pennsylvania West, Virtual, 7:00pm EST, Presentation includes: Preparing Submission: What a writer needs to do before submission; Record keeping: How to organize and track your submissions, Finding Publishers: Where to search, Submitting your work: Best practices, The query letter.https://www.scbwi.org/events/scbwi–pa–westpresents–helpful–tips–on–querying–a–publisher–with–leslie–eva–tayloe
November 8, 2025, Bell Creek Holiday Craft Show, American Legion Auxiliary, 8700 Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville, VA, 9-4. CANCELLED
November 15, 2025, Holiday Bazaar and Craft Show, Mechnicsville, VA 9-2.
November 29, 2025, 2025 Small Business Saturday at Hardywood RVA, vendor booth.
December 6, 2025, Christmas Festival, On the Bluffs of the Mattaponi River, Locust Grove, 590 Locust Grove Lane, Walkerton, VA, 10-4. Various artists will display their crafts.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and a Happy Holiday!
~a book is a wonderful gift for anyone, a library, or a school~
See you in 2026!
Best,
Leslie
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OCTOBER’s AUTHOR’S NOTE (July – September 2025)
Book giveaway winner for October is Natasha Hester from Virginia! Congrats.
Happy Book Birthday to The Attic Door! 🎉
The Attic Door was published in September, 2024. It’s a suspenseful, slightly spooky, and a funny story that ultimately reminds kids that curiosity leads to discovery, and sometimes what feels scary at first isn’t scary at all.
My inspiration came from my 2nd grade bedroom, living in Chicago, where I had a full-length door that led into an attic. The door would shake during windy and wintery nights. I was happy to change rooms with my younger brother.
I’m so grateful for the journey that brought this book to life. It has won two awards: The Story Monster Approved Award and the Literary Titan Book Award.
Drafted New Stories – 5
Revisions – 1
Participated in Festivals – 5
Conducted Read Alouds/Crafts – 2
Critiqued Writers’ Manuscripts – 18 picture books plus one middlegrade story
Traveled to Italy for 10 Days! (Rome, Montepuliciano, Cinque Terre)
Oldest granddaughter visited in July for a week.
Enrolled in a 2 ½ day workshop with Bushel and Peck Publisher.
Free Book Giveaways – 3
Upcoming Events in October, November
October 2-3, 2025, SCBWI MidAtlantic Participant at the Virginia Library Association’s Annual Conference, Richmond, VA.
October 4, 2024, Signing at Turn the Page Bookshop, Williamsburg, VA. 12-4.
November 1, 2025, Brooke Point Craft Fair, Stafford, Virginia, 9:00 – 2:30.
November 6, 2025, Speaker for SCBWI Pennsylvania West, Virtual, 7:00pm EST, Presentation includes: Preparing Submission: What a writer needs to do before submission; Record keeping: How to organize and track your submissions, Finding Publishers: Where to search, Submitting your work: Best practices, The query letter. https://www.scbwi.org/events/scbwi-pa-west-presents-helpful-tips-on-querying-a-publisher-with-leslie-eva-tayloe
November 8, 2025, Bell Creek Holiday Craft Show, American Legion Auxiliary, 8700 Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville, VA, 9-4.
November 15, 2025, Holiday Bazaar and Craft Show, Mechnicsville, VA 9-2.
November 29, 2025, 2025 Small Business Saturday at Hardywood RVA, vendor booth.
Until Next Month!
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PICTURE BOOK SHOWCASE – September, 2025
Do you remember the first book
you bought at the beginning
of your writing journey?
This was mine!
Billy Monster’s Daymare
By Alan Durant, Illustrator by Ross Collins
Tiger Tales Publisher
Copyright 2007
This fun, spooky story flips things around—it’s about a little monster who’s afraid of children! Billy Monster has scary daymares of kids popping up everywhere. Daddy Monster is there to help, peeking under the bed, behind the curtains, and inside the cupboards, gently explaining that children aren’t real—they’re just make-believe. By the end, Billy learns a surprising secret: if children were real, they might be just as scared of monsters!
I love this book. It’s been on my bookshelf for years, and I still reread it often because it makes me laugh. This silly, sweet story helps kids (and adults) giggle at their own fears and realize that sometimes things aren’t always so scary at all.
I’m giving away one free copy! Yes—I found one. Send a message to my contacts page at leslieevatayloe.com, by Saturday morning, 6:00am, EST., to enter giveaway. U.S. residents only.
Cheers!
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AUGUST PICTURE BOOK SHOWCASE
Do You love lighthouses?
A while back I visited several lighthouses up north with my family. This picture book sits on my bookshelf—I absolutely adore it.
Hello Lighthouse
Written and Illustrated by Sophie Blackall
Genre: Picture Book | Ages: 4–8
Awards: 2019 Caldecott Medal Winner
I love Hello Lighthouse because it reminds me that beauty often lives in the quiet moments. The rhythm of the text, like the sea itself, feels comforting and timeless. The illustrations pull me in—I find something new every time I read it. But what stays with me most is the feeling: a deep respect for hard work, aloneness, love, and the passage of time. It’s amazing that this book shows that even a single place—a lighthouse—can hold a whole world of emotion. It’s the kind of book that lingers long after the last page, like the light from the tower still shining out to sea.
The reader steps into a tall, white lighthouse that sits on the edge of the sea. The author’s lyrical writing, and rhythm is beautiful. “The sky grows dark, and the waves rise and crash. Hello! Hello! Hello.” The text describes the daily life of the keeper, the visit with his wife, the birth of his baby, and his departure from the lighthouse. But even after the departure, the light in the lighthouse continues to shine! The book is beautifully illustrated and provides the reader with more insight into how the keeper lives. Each level of the lighthouse there is a room—a bedroom, an office, a family room, ect. I wonder whether or not I could live there for months on end?
Today, most lighthouses are automated, and only a few in the United States still require keepers. Yet their historic significance remains. Hello Lighthouse (ages 4–8) is perfect for classroom discussions about the past, changing technology, or a read-aloud that inspires curiosity
I’m giving away one free copy to someone who sends a message to me at leslieevatayloe.com, contact me page, by Monday, midnight EST. U.S. residents only.
KENT MCGROATY from New Jersey won the giveaway!
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Leslie Eva Tayloe
Award Winning Picture Book Author,
Author Note, April – June 2025
Awards: I’m thrilled The Attic Door won its 2nd award.
2025 Literary Titan Gold Award
How Do I Keep the Momentum Going?
Keeping the momentum going isn’t always easy. Most days, I have to push myself, but making a to-do list the night before helps. Whether it’s long or short, checking items off gives me a sense of satisfaction—and that satisfaction keeps me moving forward.
Revising stories also energizes me. I usually have six or seven in rotation, and jumping from one to another keeps things fresh and exciting.
On tough days when writing doesn’t flow, I turn to other parts of my author journey. I might spend time marketing myself and my books or connecting with others. These tasks keep me engaged and productive. Critiquing others’ work gives me inspiration and admiration for those who’ve written wonderful stories.
And if nothing else works, I take a two to three-mile walk each morning. I love nature—watching, listening, observing—and being outside often inspires new story ideas. Even a quick draft keeps my momentum going.
How do you keep the momentum going?
Some Accomplishments this Quarter:
Drafted New Stories – 4
Critiqued Writers’ Stories – 22
Participated in Bookfairs, Craft Fairs – 
Provided Library Presentation – 1
Provided a School Read Aloud – 1
Hosted SCBWI Mid-Atlantic Meet and Greet Roundtable.
Monthly Author Interviews and Book Give Aways – 3
I was interviewed at https://literarytitan.com/2025/05/23/the-attic-door/
Upcoming Events in July, August, September
July 5-6, 2025, Vendor at 2025 Blue Crab Arts & Crafts Festival, Hartfield, VA, 10-4.
July 19, 2025, Christmas in July Show, On the Bluffs of the Mattaponi River, Locust Grove, 590 Locust Grove Lane, Walkerton, VA, 10-4. Various artists will display their craft.
August 2, 2025, Book Event, Tapp House, Warsaw, Virginia.
August 14, 2025, Read Aloud & Craft, Colorful Creations Arts & Craft Studio, 10880 General Puller Highway, Hartfield, VA., 2 classes available 10:00am or 1:00pm, Registration Required: Call 804-450-0600, $
September 20, 2025, Vendor at Gloucester VA Wine Festival, Gloucester, VA.
September 21, 2025, Vendor at 2025 Fall Artisan Market at Hardywood RVA, 2410 Ownby Lane, Richmond, Virginia, 12-5.
September 28, 2025, Vendor at Wilderness Fall Festival, Wilderness Presidential Resort, Spotsylvania, VA. 11-4.
Critique Service:
Are you a writer or author that need another pair of eyes on your work? Well. . .I offer a critique service. You can read more about what I offer at leslieevatayloe.com/contact page.
Thanks for being a part of my journey. Go to leslieevatayloe.com to read interviews from various authors and a chance to win free books.
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READ AUTHOR INTERVIEWS :
Leslie Eva Tayloe’s Quarterly Newsletter
Interview Dylan West: https://bit.ly/41JfPAM
Interview Christine Alemshah: https://bit.ly/3JDQLoy
Interview with Marie Prins: https://bit.ly/4lBR7JR
Interview with Cynthia Mackey: https://bit.ly/4izRTW2
Interview with Namita Moolani Mehra: https://bit.ly/42PWf5S
Interview with Ronesha D. Dennis http://bit.ly/3WE4TSI
Leslie Eva Tayloe Award: http://bit.ly/4gnFi7v
Emily Dangremond https://bit.ly/4gyJbYd
Emily Peace Harrison http://bit.ly/41P3hc5
Laurie Carmody https://bit.ly/3XIVmtb
Susan Cornell https://bit.ly/3Y1ebJk
Mona Voelkel: https://bit.ly/4brSllG
Leslie Eva Tayloe: Thank You to All the Pop-Pops: https://bit.ly/3RJzs7x
Interview with Medeia Sharif: https://bit.ly/3P16fm
Interview with Heather Cole: https://bit.ly/3VKrPhQ
Interview with Elizabeth Young: https://bit.ly/3UtNyM1
Interview with Adele Gardner: https://bit.ly/47Z0Nan
Interview with Alise Curran: https://bit.ly/3SeSDoA
Interview with Keka Novales: https://bit.ly/45LhIwB
Interview with Kimberly A. Gordon Biddle: https://bit.ly/47Ez8g9
Interview with Gabriella Aldeman: https://bit.ly/3qBuTRl
Interview with Ronaldinio Stickley: https://bit.ly/3NlG3Tk
Interview with Illustrator, Lisa Wee https://bit.ly/40DXtxX
Interview with Karen Patricia Nespoli http://bit.ly/3J4aNol
Interview with Tarja Nevala https://bit.ly/3YhmNsK
Interview with Leslie Eva Tayloe https://bit.ly/3js7w9P
Interview with Renee Bolla https://bit.ly/3DI6hKC
Interview with Marie Prins https://bit.ly/3DEC0MI
Interview with Mona Voelkel https://bit.ly/3Ym8V0k
Interview with Dianne Pede https://bit.ly/3Ht4OZy
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Leslie Eva Tayloe 