In grad school, at Minnesota State University, Mankato, friends and I would hit Mavericks’ hockey games whenever we got the chance. As students, we got in free, which was about all we could afford at that time in our careers. While I can’t claim to be a huge hockey fan, the games were a blast,… Continue reading The Science of Hockey
Author: Blake Hoena
Jack and the Beanstalk
I was recently sent proofs of my fractured fairy tale, choose your path adaptation of Jack and the Beanstalk. Now I’ve been a fan of this tale since way back before I wrote a graphic novel about Jack’s adventures. It was a childhood favorite of mine growing up. So it’s a story I know and… Continue reading Jack and the Beanstalk
Out in the Woods
Last weekend, I headed home for a nephew’s high school graduation. And while I could have crashed on somebody’s couch or stayed in a hotel, my first instinct is always to look for a place to camp. Camping and fishing were some of my favorite summer activities as a kid. Heck, I used take my… Continue reading Out in the Woods
Do You Know The Muffin Man
Starting to see artwork for my Tangled Tunes—adaptations I wrote of classic songs. Here is an interior spread for The Muffin Man, which follows the Muffin Man as he opens up his shop on Drury Lane and bakes some tasty treats. Luke Flowers is the illustrator, and his take on my story in amazingly fun.… Continue reading Do You Know The Muffin Man
School Tour — Day 2
Wow! I was greeted by a wall full of aliens when walking into the media center at Reede Gray Elementary this morning. It was so fun to see, especially since I center my presentations around the space alien duo of Eek and Ack. They are fun, silly, a little disgusting, and always a hit with… Continue reading School Tour — Day 2
School Tour — Day 1
Headed out this morning, bright and early, armed with a thermos of coffee, and left my home in St Paul to visit the students at Minneota Public School (Go Vikings!). It’s the first stop on my tour of SW Minnesota schools. I always enjoy walking into a school’s media center and seeing my books on… Continue reading School Tour — Day 1
Everything Birds of Prey
My fourth book in the National Geographic Kids Everything series is out this month. And like all my books, I’m proud of the work I did on this one. It took a lot of research to nail down some of the facts. But also, I have an ornithologist in the family. One of my uncles… Continue reading Everything Birds of Prey
Heavyweight Takedown
So I’ve written books on football, skateboarding, and soccer. All of which are sports that I either follow or take part in. But my newest book, Heavyweight Takedown, focuses on a sport I haven’t tackled yet. And while I can’t claim to be a wrestling fanatic, it holds a soft spot in my heart. I… Continue reading Heavyweight Takedown
Peter Pan — retelling
Every now and then, my editors send me teasers of the books I’ve written, whether it’s sketches of the illustrations or a mock up of the cover. I always enjoy seeing my books come to life through the art work, so it’s great to get a glimpse into how things are progressing. Early last year,… Continue reading Peter Pan — retelling
What I’ve Been Reading
It’s been a while since I’ve post anything about what I’ve been reading. But that doesn’t mean that I haven’t been cracking open a book here and there. Aside from actual writing, reading is probably the most important thing I do to hone my craft. It allows me to see how other authors use words… Continue reading What I’ve Been Reading