 *rubs hands together* I'm so excited for I AM DEFIANCE, releasing with Scholastic, and equally excited for the swag available for anyone (kiddos and adults!) who locks down a copy early. When you order through my indie bookstore Newtown Bookstore, you'll receive your copy autographed (and personalized, if you so choose) and also the following goodies: - an I AM ____ sticker to fill in. The sticker is vinyl so it'll be extra durable. - a Reading Challenge bookmark to make reading even more fun - a Crossword Scavenger Hunt. And what makes this baby so fun is that after solved, send a photo to me to be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift card! I'm also a total nerd and had so much fun making this, aligning each number clue with chapter numbers. Teachers, I hope you also just geeked out a little with me there. And yes, photocopied crosswords are totally cool to give out to students and for them to enter. No receipts or verification needed. If you order through the Newtown Bookshop, you'll receive all of the above via mail or in-store pickup after I AM DEFIANCE is released on February 2, 2021. Orders must be placed by February 7, 2021 to qualify. Thank you for the support! I hope you enjoy my story about a real-life youth resistance group in World War II Germany, and about the power of thinking for yourself in the fight against hatred.
 Words have power, an important theme in my forthcoming novel I AM DEFIANCE, about a real-life youth resistance group in World War II Germany and about the power of thinking for yourself in the fight against hatred. I've created these posters, which I hope will be an inspiration to our kiddos, and I'd love to gift a digital copy to you! If you'd like a poster for your school, your classroom, your library, or personalized with your kids' name, please fill out the form below. I'll personalize and email the digital poster over to you to print at your convenience (CVS, mpix, Walgreens are all wonderful options for online printing).
 I take every opportunity possible to work on my kindergartener's writing so... here she is helping to reveal the title of my next middle grade book... I AM DEFIANCE, where 12yo Brigitte, a member of the Hitler Youth, begins to question all she's ever known when anti-Nazi flyers begin to arrive in the mail from a resistance group called the White Rose.
She's releasing from Scholastic on February 2, 2021 and I'm so dang excited!! If you're on Goodreads, I'd be so appreciative of any adds to your TBR. And, if you're a teacher or librarian, I'll be starting a Street Team very soon. Stay tuned!  🎉 Book news! 🎉
I'm such a nerd for research and outlining so it's with immense pleasure that I get to say I've begun researching a new middle grade book and that I'll be contributing to Capstone Publishing's Girls Survive series! The Girls Survive series is for kiddos 8 and up that tells amazing stories of survival during events like the sinking of the Titanic, the San Francisco Earthquake, the bombing of Pearl Harbor and stories about the underground railroad, spying during the civil war and the Night of Broken Glass. My book -- which is coming Spring 2021 -- is about the London Blitz. It occurred during WWII when Hitler turned his attention away from bombing military targets and instead terrorized civilians in London night after night. For 57 days! I am very excited to be writing and sharing a young girl's story of survival during this time. Thank you to Capstone for the opportunity to contribute to this awesome series! I'm very excited to announce a new middle grade novel with Scholastic, inspired by a real-life resistance group in Nazi Germany! Stay tuned for updates. This beauty is planned to hit shelves in early 2021!
I'm excited to share that the ebook of BECOMING BONNIE is currently on sale for only $1.99 through the month of April! Download now from: Or wherever you purchase your ebooks! One of the really interesting aspects of writing BECOMING BONNIE was how both Bonnie and Clyde were musically inclined. Clyde played both the guitar and the saxophone (the later found in the back of the car they were killed in.) And, Bonnie was a singer, having sung in her church's choir. Bonnie was also known for her poetry. So taking into account their musical abilities and Bonnie's love of words, I thought it'd be really fun to include an original song in the novel, where Bonnie and Clyde write each verse as their story together grows and unravels. And, here's the scene where I began their song 🎶 Clyde’s head tilts down, and he looks up at me from under his lashes. “I started this here song a while ago, but she ain’t done,” he says. “Was hoping you’d help me finish her.” “Me?” His fingertips slide down the strings once, letting the soft sound vibrate ’round us. “You’ll see.” He goes back for more, a dark melody forming with each stroke, and moistens his lips. Clyde says, more than sings, “Death is a five-letter word, with a five- finger clutch.” His head stays down, his jaw relaxed, eyes closed. “It cornered him, pitting him against the bigger man . . . By the throat, edging closer, nearing Death’s final touch.” The rhythm quickens, the beat an unexpected surprise. “Then there she was, light in the dark, defying Death’s plan . . . She stared it down, held on tight, fired off a shot all her own . . . Ohh”—he draws out the word, as if taunting Death—“Oh, oh, oh, death for the boy has been postponed.” Clyde’s fingers shift to a higher pitch on the guitar. He smirks and sings from the corner of his mouth, “’Cause lean closer, listen close . . . How the story ends, no one knows . . . But one thing’s clear, you’ll see . . . Bonnie and Clyde, meant to be, alive and free.” That last line, that last note hangs between us. I forget how to breathe. “That’s all I got for now,” Clyde says softly. “Thought maybe we could do the next verse together.” “Together?” I wring my hands, staring into the eyes of Clyde Barrow, the criminal, the charmer, the . . . boy who wrote me a doggone song to show me how he cares. “Yeah, Bonnie. You and me. What do you say?” I hope you enjoyed the excerpt and I hope you'll download your copy of BECOMING BONNIE now -- for only $1.99!
Exciting news! The ebook of SIDE BY SIDE, which tells the story of Bonnie and Clyde through Bonnie's eyes, is on sale for only $2.99 and only until February 28th! If you've ever been fascinated with, intrigued by, or interested in the story of Bonnie and Clyde, then this book's for you -- and now's the time to snag it! "Jenni L. Walsh has written my favorite kind of novel. She's taken a name we're all familiar with and breathed life into the legend." - Ariel Lawhon "Compulsively readable" - Chanel Cleeton "Full of charm and sly humor" - Elise Hooper History, romance, crime and action – a great book." - Historical Novel Society, Editors' Choice Grab a copy for yourself or gift an ebook to your partner in crime!   While my writing career so far has included historical novels (and I'll have more to come!), I'm so thrilled to be adding children's books to my repertoire and I'm very excited to announce the launch of my new middle grade biography series with Scholastic, featuring true stories from heroic women who, at a young age, accomplished daring feats of perseverance and bravery. As a mama in the process of raising brave tiny humans, it's been so rewarding to bring to life these stories. With every word written I had my kiddos in mind. What would be appropriate? What would engage them? What would incite inspiration? I'm so excited for these books to release today as we kick off a brand new year -- and I hope the series will be an inspiration to your own tiny humans. About the books
Do you've have a kiddo in your life who you think may enjoy these books? They're available online, in store, and look for them at upcoming Scholastic book fairs! Happy 2019!!
SIDE BY SIDE was chosen as an Editors' Choice by the Historical Novel Society in their August 2018 issue. A very excitable thank you for the kind words! If you haven't read yet, pick it up to experience Bonnie and Clyde's story through Bonnie's eyes! I'm told it's riveting 😉🙌  Please read the full review here.
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