Laura Shovan
@laurashovan.bsky.social
(she/her) Poet, Educator, Middle Grade Author. Vermont College of Fine Arts WCYA faculty. WELCOME TO MONSTERVILLE is out now!
I'm so excited to host National Book Award finalist Hannah V. Sawyerr and award winning middle grade author Ronald L. Smith at Wilde Readings -- Howard County's longest running literary reading series.
Tuesday, 10/14 at Queen Takes Book independent bookstore in Columbia, Maryland. 7 pm
Tuesday, 10/14 at Queen Takes Book independent bookstore in Columbia, Maryland. 7 pm
October 7, 2025 at 4:02 PM
I'm so excited to host National Book Award finalist Hannah V. Sawyerr and award winning middle grade author Ronald L. Smith at Wilde Readings -- Howard County's longest running literary reading series.
Tuesday, 10/14 at Queen Takes Book independent bookstore in Columbia, Maryland. 7 pm
Tuesday, 10/14 at Queen Takes Book independent bookstore in Columbia, Maryland. 7 pm
It's been on my author bucket list to participate in the Chappaqua Children's Book Festival. I'm heading up to New York State to be part of this celebration of children's literature on Saturday.
I grew up just an hour away from Chappaqua -- in northern NJ. Can't wait to be back in the area!
I grew up just an hour away from Chappaqua -- in northern NJ. Can't wait to be back in the area!
September 25, 2025 at 4:24 PM
It's been on my author bucket list to participate in the Chappaqua Children's Book Festival. I'm heading up to New York State to be part of this celebration of children's literature on Saturday.
I grew up just an hour away from Chappaqua -- in northern NJ. Can't wait to be back in the area!
I grew up just an hour away from Chappaqua -- in northern NJ. Can't wait to be back in the area!
Join us as we kick off Wilde Readings Season 10 with two phenomenal authors, Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson and Danuta Hinc.
The event is 7:00 p.m., Tuesday September 9th, at Queen Takes Book in Columbia Maryland. Open mic follows the reading.
#wildereadingseries #hocoarts
The event is 7:00 p.m., Tuesday September 9th, at Queen Takes Book in Columbia Maryland. Open mic follows the reading.
#wildereadingseries #hocoarts
September 3, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Join us as we kick off Wilde Readings Season 10 with two phenomenal authors, Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson and Danuta Hinc.
The event is 7:00 p.m., Tuesday September 9th, at Queen Takes Book in Columbia Maryland. Open mic follows the reading.
#wildereadingseries #hocoarts
The event is 7:00 p.m., Tuesday September 9th, at Queen Takes Book in Columbia Maryland. Open mic follows the reading.
#wildereadingseries #hocoarts
It's time to reserve your spot in my fall session of Poetry Techniques for the Verse Novelist! Send me a DM or visit my website for more information. www.laurashovan.com
September 2, 2025 at 10:54 PM
It's time to reserve your spot in my fall session of Poetry Techniques for the Verse Novelist! Send me a DM or visit my website for more information. www.laurashovan.com
New publication -- coming this fall! Thanks to Jona Colson and Caroline Bock at Washington Writers' Publishing House for another incredible anthology: America's Future.
Look for my poems "Demolition" and "The Botanist." "The Botanist" is a sci fi Golden Shovel, using the first line of "Ozymandias."
Look for my poems "Demolition" and "The Botanist." "The Botanist" is a sci fi Golden Shovel, using the first line of "Ozymandias."
June 17, 2025 at 6:26 PM
New publication -- coming this fall! Thanks to Jona Colson and Caroline Bock at Washington Writers' Publishing House for another incredible anthology: America's Future.
Look for my poems "Demolition" and "The Botanist." "The Botanist" is a sci fi Golden Shovel, using the first line of "Ozymandias."
Look for my poems "Demolition" and "The Botanist." "The Botanist" is a sci fi Golden Shovel, using the first line of "Ozymandias."
Tuesday is the grand finale of Wilde Readings Season 9. Our featured authors are poet Leona Sevick and Howard County Maryland's inaugural youth poet laureate, Mai-Anh Nguyen.
Hope to see you at @queentakesbook in Columbia, MD, 7 PM, Tuesday May 10th.
Hope to see you at @queentakesbook in Columbia, MD, 7 PM, Tuesday May 10th.
June 4, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Tuesday is the grand finale of Wilde Readings Season 9. Our featured authors are poet Leona Sevick and Howard County Maryland's inaugural youth poet laureate, Mai-Anh Nguyen.
Hope to see you at @queentakesbook in Columbia, MD, 7 PM, Tuesday May 10th.
Hope to see you at @queentakesbook in Columbia, MD, 7 PM, Tuesday May 10th.
The May issue of my newsletter for readers and writers is out now!
This time, it's all about prompts. Do you love or loathe writing prompts? What's one of the best writing prompts that you've ever worked with?
Want to subscribe? Send me a DM.
This time, it's all about prompts. Do you love or loathe writing prompts? What's one of the best writing prompts that you've ever worked with?
Want to subscribe? Send me a DM.
May 12, 2025 at 7:46 PM
The May issue of my newsletter for readers and writers is out now!
This time, it's all about prompts. Do you love or loathe writing prompts? What's one of the best writing prompts that you've ever worked with?
Want to subscribe? Send me a DM.
This time, it's all about prompts. Do you love or loathe writing prompts? What's one of the best writing prompts that you've ever worked with?
Want to subscribe? Send me a DM.
Wilde Readings' May event is going to be 🔥🔥🔥!
Join us May 13, 7 pm at Queen Takes Book as we host Derrick Weston Brown and Carla du Pree.
If you'd like to feature at a future Wilde Readings, we encourage you to attend an event, meet the hosts, and read at our open mic.
Join us May 13, 7 pm at Queen Takes Book as we host Derrick Weston Brown and Carla du Pree.
If you'd like to feature at a future Wilde Readings, we encourage you to attend an event, meet the hosts, and read at our open mic.
May 10, 2025 at 12:39 AM
Wilde Readings' May event is going to be 🔥🔥🔥!
Join us May 13, 7 pm at Queen Takes Book as we host Derrick Weston Brown and Carla du Pree.
If you'd like to feature at a future Wilde Readings, we encourage you to attend an event, meet the hosts, and read at our open mic.
Join us May 13, 7 pm at Queen Takes Book as we host Derrick Weston Brown and Carla du Pree.
If you'd like to feature at a future Wilde Readings, we encourage you to attend an event, meet the hosts, and read at our open mic.
See you Saturday, May 10, Books In Bloom -- Columbia MD.
I'm performing at Spilled Milk: A Storytelling Event About Motherhood.
A diverse lineup of storytellers shares unfiltered experiences—beautiful, messy, heartbreaking, and hilarious.
Free registration cultureandquill.com/spilled-milk/
I'm performing at Spilled Milk: A Storytelling Event About Motherhood.
A diverse lineup of storytellers shares unfiltered experiences—beautiful, messy, heartbreaking, and hilarious.
Free registration cultureandquill.com/spilled-milk/
May 7, 2025 at 9:05 PM
See you Saturday, May 10, Books In Bloom -- Columbia MD.
I'm performing at Spilled Milk: A Storytelling Event About Motherhood.
A diverse lineup of storytellers shares unfiltered experiences—beautiful, messy, heartbreaking, and hilarious.
Free registration cultureandquill.com/spilled-milk/
I'm performing at Spilled Milk: A Storytelling Event About Motherhood.
A diverse lineup of storytellers shares unfiltered experiences—beautiful, messy, heartbreaking, and hilarious.
Free registration cultureandquill.com/spilled-milk/
The Neurodiverse Kidlit collective is holding its first auction! There are lots of great things on offer. If you buy or win one of the items, the money will go to a neurodiverse creative scholarship fund at The Highlights Foundation.
Auction closes April 30.
www.ndkidlit.org/fundraising-auction/
Auction closes April 30.
www.ndkidlit.org/fundraising-auction/
April 22, 2025 at 9:35 PM
The Neurodiverse Kidlit collective is holding its first auction! There are lots of great things on offer. If you buy or win one of the items, the money will go to a neurodiverse creative scholarship fund at The Highlights Foundation.
Auction closes April 30.
www.ndkidlit.org/fundraising-auction/
Auction closes April 30.
www.ndkidlit.org/fundraising-auction/
Supreme Court rally with Authors Against Book Bans!
April 22, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Supreme Court rally with Authors Against Book Bans!
I'm thrilled to share that I am now represented by @literarylesliez.bsky.social at Open Book Literary!
Can't wait to dig in and get to work on new projects together.
Can't wait to dig in and get to work on new projects together.
April 18, 2025 at 6:58 PM
I'm thrilled to share that I am now represented by @literarylesliez.bsky.social at Open Book Literary!
Can't wait to dig in and get to work on new projects together.
Can't wait to dig in and get to work on new projects together.
Spotted at the Bologna Book Fair!
Thanks to @pjlibrary.org for featuring A Place at the Table, by me and Saadia Faruqi. It's so great to see that our book about cross-cultural friendship continues to speak to young readers.
Thanks Sandra Feder for snapping the photos!
@harperkids.bsky.social
Thanks to @pjlibrary.org for featuring A Place at the Table, by me and Saadia Faruqi. It's so great to see that our book about cross-cultural friendship continues to speak to young readers.
Thanks Sandra Feder for snapping the photos!
@harperkids.bsky.social
April 8, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Spotted at the Bologna Book Fair!
Thanks to @pjlibrary.org for featuring A Place at the Table, by me and Saadia Faruqi. It's so great to see that our book about cross-cultural friendship continues to speak to young readers.
Thanks Sandra Feder for snapping the photos!
@harperkids.bsky.social
Thanks to @pjlibrary.org for featuring A Place at the Table, by me and Saadia Faruqi. It's so great to see that our book about cross-cultural friendship continues to speak to young readers.
Thanks Sandra Feder for snapping the photos!
@harperkids.bsky.social
Wilde Readings is celebrating National Poetry Month!
Join us Tuesday April 8, 7 pm at Queen Takes Book in Columbia MD.
I'm hosting authors Jennifer Keith and Nishi Chawla. Bring a piece for the open mic.
www.facebook.com/share/164NmY...
Join us Tuesday April 8, 7 pm at Queen Takes Book in Columbia MD.
I'm hosting authors Jennifer Keith and Nishi Chawla. Bring a piece for the open mic.
www.facebook.com/share/164NmY...
April 4, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Wilde Readings is celebrating National Poetry Month!
Join us Tuesday April 8, 7 pm at Queen Takes Book in Columbia MD.
I'm hosting authors Jennifer Keith and Nishi Chawla. Bring a piece for the open mic.
www.facebook.com/share/164NmY...
Join us Tuesday April 8, 7 pm at Queen Takes Book in Columbia MD.
I'm hosting authors Jennifer Keith and Nishi Chawla. Bring a piece for the open mic.
www.facebook.com/share/164NmY...
It's National Poetry Month! Treat yourself to my private class, "Poetry Techniques for the Verse Novelist."
This six session course covers:
· Word & Line
· Form & Stanza
· Meaning
· Internal/External Plot & Dialogue
· Building a Scene with a Suite of Poems
· Building a Manuscript
DM me for info.
This six session course covers:
· Word & Line
· Form & Stanza
· Meaning
· Internal/External Plot & Dialogue
· Building a Scene with a Suite of Poems
· Building a Manuscript
DM me for info.
April 3, 2025 at 8:23 PM
It's National Poetry Month! Treat yourself to my private class, "Poetry Techniques for the Verse Novelist."
This six session course covers:
· Word & Line
· Form & Stanza
· Meaning
· Internal/External Plot & Dialogue
· Building a Scene with a Suite of Poems
· Building a Manuscript
DM me for info.
This six session course covers:
· Word & Line
· Form & Stanza
· Meaning
· Internal/External Plot & Dialogue
· Building a Scene with a Suite of Poems
· Building a Manuscript
DM me for info.
FREE event! Reimagine the Rainbow conference at Howard County MD's Centennial HS, April 25.
Kidlit folks, come out and support Phil Bildner and Ellen Oh, who will be the keynote speakers. I will be part of a breakout session -- see the graphic.
sites.google.com/hcpss.org/hc...
Kidlit folks, come out and support Phil Bildner and Ellen Oh, who will be the keynote speakers. I will be part of a breakout session -- see the graphic.
sites.google.com/hcpss.org/hc...
April 2, 2025 at 2:57 PM
FREE event! Reimagine the Rainbow conference at Howard County MD's Centennial HS, April 25.
Kidlit folks, come out and support Phil Bildner and Ellen Oh, who will be the keynote speakers. I will be part of a breakout session -- see the graphic.
sites.google.com/hcpss.org/hc...
Kidlit folks, come out and support Phil Bildner and Ellen Oh, who will be the keynote speakers. I will be part of a breakout session -- see the graphic.
sites.google.com/hcpss.org/hc...
Guess who's coming to Wilde Readings for National Poetry Month? It's Jennifer Ciattei and Nishi Chawla!
I'm excited to be hosting this event at Queen Takes Book in Columbia, MD. April 8th, 7:00 p.m. . There will be an open mic so bring a short piece to read. See you then!
I'm excited to be hosting this event at Queen Takes Book in Columbia, MD. April 8th, 7:00 p.m. . There will be an open mic so bring a short piece to read. See you then!
March 27, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Guess who's coming to Wilde Readings for National Poetry Month? It's Jennifer Ciattei and Nishi Chawla!
I'm excited to be hosting this event at Queen Takes Book in Columbia, MD. April 8th, 7:00 p.m. . There will be an open mic so bring a short piece to read. See you then!
I'm excited to be hosting this event at Queen Takes Book in Columbia, MD. April 8th, 7:00 p.m. . There will be an open mic so bring a short piece to read. See you then!
I'm offering my private poetry class again!
This 6 session course is for people who would like to write a verse novel but ... 1. aren't confident in their poetry skills or 2. have strong poetry skills but haven't worked on an extended narrative in verse.
Reserve your spot now!
This 6 session course is for people who would like to write a verse novel but ... 1. aren't confident in their poetry skills or 2. have strong poetry skills but haven't worked on an extended narrative in verse.
Reserve your spot now!
March 18, 2025 at 3:31 PM
I'm offering my private poetry class again!
This 6 session course is for people who would like to write a verse novel but ... 1. aren't confident in their poetry skills or 2. have strong poetry skills but haven't worked on an extended narrative in verse.
Reserve your spot now!
This 6 session course is for people who would like to write a verse novel but ... 1. aren't confident in their poetry skills or 2. have strong poetry skills but haven't worked on an extended narrative in verse.
Reserve your spot now!
Did you know that I co-founded and co-host a local literary reading series?
March 11th Wilde Readings welcomes poets Ashley Elizabeth and Sue Ellen Thompson.
Visit Wilde Readings on FB for more information. Or check out our sponsor @hocopolitso.bsky.social's website for details about the event.
March 11th Wilde Readings welcomes poets Ashley Elizabeth and Sue Ellen Thompson.
Visit Wilde Readings on FB for more information. Or check out our sponsor @hocopolitso.bsky.social's website for details about the event.
March 7, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Did you know that I co-founded and co-host a local literary reading series?
March 11th Wilde Readings welcomes poets Ashley Elizabeth and Sue Ellen Thompson.
Visit Wilde Readings on FB for more information. Or check out our sponsor @hocopolitso.bsky.social's website for details about the event.
March 11th Wilde Readings welcomes poets Ashley Elizabeth and Sue Ellen Thompson.
Visit Wilde Readings on FB for more information. Or check out our sponsor @hocopolitso.bsky.social's website for details about the event.
Are you verse curious? Join me, @medenkuyatt.bsky.social and Hannah V. Sawyer for an introductory course at @highlightsfound.bsky.social!
Registration is open now at the Highlights website.
Registration is open now at the Highlights website.
March 1, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Are you verse curious? Join me, @medenkuyatt.bsky.social and Hannah V. Sawyer for an introductory course at @highlightsfound.bsky.social!
Registration is open now at the Highlights website.
Registration is open now at the Highlights website.
Congratulations to newsletter subscriber @karenkrossing.bsky.social !! Karen's name was drawn at random. I'm excited to send her a copy of Shifa Saltagi Safadi's National Book Award winning novel in verse, Kareem Between.
Subscribe to Some Type of Magic & you'll be entered in the next giveaway.
Subscribe to Some Type of Magic & you'll be entered in the next giveaway.
February 28, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Congratulations to newsletter subscriber @karenkrossing.bsky.social !! Karen's name was drawn at random. I'm excited to send her a copy of Shifa Saltagi Safadi's National Book Award winning novel in verse, Kareem Between.
Subscribe to Some Type of Magic & you'll be entered in the next giveaway.
Subscribe to Some Type of Magic & you'll be entered in the next giveaway.
As fun as it was to create a mini author zine, The Azure Snail was so much work.
I'm switching to an e-newsletter. Sign up at my website. Each edition will have a mini craft essay for your writer's toolbox, a classroom friendly writing prompt, news and info about upcoming classes.
I'm switching to an e-newsletter. Sign up at my website. Each edition will have a mini craft essay for your writer's toolbox, a classroom friendly writing prompt, news and info about upcoming classes.
February 14, 2025 at 7:18 PM
As fun as it was to create a mini author zine, The Azure Snail was so much work.
I'm switching to an e-newsletter. Sign up at my website. Each edition will have a mini craft essay for your writer's toolbox, a classroom friendly writing prompt, news and info about upcoming classes.
I'm switching to an e-newsletter. Sign up at my website. Each edition will have a mini craft essay for your writer's toolbox, a classroom friendly writing prompt, news and info about upcoming classes.
Thanks to the online lit mag New Verse News for this terrific honor. My poem "Heat Dome Forecast as a Scene from a Romance Novel' is a Pushcart Prize nominee.
I'm so grateful to editor James Penha for recognizing my work. 2nd time being nominated!!
newversenews.blogspot.com/2024/11/our-...
I'm so grateful to editor James Penha for recognizing my work. 2nd time being nominated!!
newversenews.blogspot.com/2024/11/our-...
November 17, 2024 at 4:12 PM
Thanks to the online lit mag New Verse News for this terrific honor. My poem "Heat Dome Forecast as a Scene from a Romance Novel' is a Pushcart Prize nominee.
I'm so grateful to editor James Penha for recognizing my work. 2nd time being nominated!!
newversenews.blogspot.com/2024/11/our-...
I'm so grateful to editor James Penha for recognizing my work. 2nd time being nominated!!
newversenews.blogspot.com/2024/11/our-...
Friday, 3:30 pm at NCTE. Join me, @triciaspringstubb.bsky.social, and Michelle Houts for a #BuildYourStack about books that celebrate nature.
#amreading #booksaboutnature #bookrecommendations #ncte2024
#amreading #booksaboutnature #bookrecommendations #ncte2024
November 15, 2024 at 5:23 PM
Friday, 3:30 pm at NCTE. Join me, @triciaspringstubb.bsky.social, and Michelle Houts for a #BuildYourStack about books that celebrate nature.
#amreading #booksaboutnature #bookrecommendations #ncte2024
#amreading #booksaboutnature #bookrecommendations #ncte2024
Last year, Danielle Du Puis, my school system's LGBTQIA+ initiatives specialist, reached out about a teen author mentoring program she was developing with a student - a safe space for young writers who identify as being marginalized.
Learn how your school can replicate Navigating the Margins.
November 15, 2024 at 12:47 AM
Last year, Danielle Du Puis, my school system's LGBTQIA+ initiatives specialist, reached out about a teen author mentoring program she was developing with a student - a safe space for young writers who identify as being marginalized.
Learn how your school can replicate Navigating the Margins.