Dani Terk

@dterkwrites.bsky.social

952 Followers 1298 Following

Mom of 2, Elementary Educator, & #Kidlit Writer Member of the MG Narwhal (MG Hub) rep: Nicole Eisenbraun https://danielleterk.wordpress.com (she/her)

Me wearing my NEVERTHELESS SHE PERSISTED sweatshirt, a black vest, safety goggles, and a pleased smile.
Black words on white background. Light-related lines are left-justified and dark-related lines are right-justified and bolded. "I’m a pirate. Well… becoming one. (It’s a work in progress) Pirates were the masters of navigating Two worlds at once. The light and the dark. The deck of ship is about as B R I G H T as can be. The radiant sunshine cascades from above and reflects back off of the shiny waves. But below deck, the light is shuttered. The belly of a ship is the dead of night compared to the decks above. But the pirates had a trick, you see. Cover one eye with a patch, and that eye is always in the dark Even when the blazing sun dazzles the other. When the hatch above closes, and the darkness of the hold rushes in, A pirate need only switch the patch to the other eye. The previously patched wastes no time adjusting to the world below, Ever ready to slip into shadow."
(White text on black background) I bite my lip, trying to choose my words carefully, as one rogue tear skates down my cheek. I wish I could be the baseball manager, kicking and spitting and putting on a scene at the plate. Angry crying doesn’t have the same effect. I pray Troy doesn’t notice. My prayers aren’t answered. “This is why girls don’t belong in the booth.” He laughs. “Too emotional. Must be that time of the month.” Crushes. Emotions. Periods. This boy uses anything to cut me down. It ends now.
“Don’t mention staying at your boyfriend’s apartment around Grandma and Pop Pop,” Mom says. Their house is adorned with Crucifixes, Virgin Marys, and framed pictures of Jesus, So I put on my best “good Christian girl” mask, (Even though I already am one.) I don’t mind. It’s only a few hours. But new times bring new masks. Beloved neighbors raise flags of hate So I don my “Everything is okay’ mask, while pulling the softer parts of me inwards For safekeeping, knowing It’s only for a few hours. Conversations draped in a black cape Punctuated with snip-snips of chestnut hair No longer pamper. I slip my mask over my disappointment And shrink into the elevated chair. It’s okay. It’s only for a few hours.
Dani, crouched on the ground against an upturned dog bed, looking through the camera at some unknown/unseen creepiness, smiling.
Haiku with black text on white background. "The hopeful green leaves / threatened by icy rain/ stretch toward brighter skies."
Miss 6 sitting at her easel with art supplies drawing her own characters.
Query Manager response: THANK YOU FOR QUERYING [redacted]. YOUR QUERY FOR [redacted] was received.
Me, wearing a huge smile and a commentary headset, broadcasting football games for my college radio station.
Goodreads review of DONT WANT TO BE YOUR MONSTER by Deke Moulton. 5 stars I don't typically read paranormal stories, but I'm so glad I read this one. Every single word of this book is carefully selected and intentional. It's brimming with compassion, raw honesty, nuance, family/found family, and the strength found in shared identity even amongst those that are otherwise strangers. DON'T WANT TO BE YOUR MONSTER celebrates Judaism while gently dismantling common anti-Semitic tropes, especially those prevalent in vampire-lore. But it's not just the Jewish characters that are celebrated--the cast of characters in DWTBYM is beautifully diverse and Moulton highlights our shared humanity at every turn of the page. This book grabs the reader by the heartstrings, then keeps them flipping the pages to solve the mystery. It's a must read.
Cover for IF PICASSO PAINTED A SNOWMAN by Amy & Greg Newbold. It features the happiest looking mouse with a navy and white striped shirt and a paintbrush in front of a snowman painted in the style of cubism. (The justaposition of the different boldly colored shapes that represent the snowman is quite jarring).
Picture book cover for STAY ANGRY, LITTLE GIRL, inspired by Madeleine L'Engle and Illustrated by Michelle Jing Chan. The cover features a little girl, with a Rosie-the-Riveteresque head band on her head with her hands confidently on her hips. She's standing in a library with signs that say READ and BOOKS UNITE US. CENSORSHIP DIVIDES US ontol of the shelves.
Cover for THREE, a picture book by Stephen Michael King. The illustration shows a nighttime city scene, with a white and orange dog with three legs under a spotlight in the center. The dog is adorable and seems quite happy! Clearly a good boy!
Cover of FINDING KINDNESS picture book, authored by Deborah Underwood and illustrated by Irene Chan. The cover shoes two girls with roller skates sharing a cookie on a bench whole a happy cat snoozes at their side.
Book cover for BYE FOREVER, I GUESS by Jodi Meadows, which features the main character and her two gaming buddies in their real life form and with their role-playing avatars.
Book cover for BYE FOREVER, I GUESS by Jodi Meadows, which features the main character and her two gaming buddies in their real life form and with their role-playing avatars.
Huge giraffe with immaculate eye lashes checking out the rear window of our pickup.
Creepy, glow in the dark teeth inserts for Jack-o-lanterns seen at a local farm and pumpkin patch, which reminded me of THIS APPEARING HOUSE.
Cover of DREW LECLAIR GETS A CLUE by Katryn Bury features the MC Drew holding a magnifying glass. The picture of Drew is a part of a crime board with red yarn connecting different clues to each other.
FEAR OF BEING ONE BOOK episode of WRITE WHERE IT HURTS podcast. Pink ribbon with podcast name across a pale blue heart with a pencil diagonal across the back.
Book cover for THE PROBLEM WITH GRAVITY by Michelle Mohrweis. Navy blue background with space objects in the background. In the foreground, a blonde character with an astronaut helmet holds hands with a brunette character holding a baton.
Grandma Annie with a huge smile and her hands clasped in front of her chest, her signature pose. She has short, brown hair, eye glasses on a chain, and small gold hoop earrings. She's wearing a red shirt and sitting in the kitchen, her favorite room in the house.