Carmela A. Martino
Writing teacher, freelance writer, and author of short stories, poems and novels for children/teens.

Carmela Martino wrote the middle-grade novel, Rosa, Sola (Candlewick Press), while working on her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College. The novel was a Booklist "Top Ten First Novel for Youth" and received a Catholic Press Association Book Award in the "Children's Books" category. Her second novel, the young-adult historical Playing by Heart (Vinspire Publishing), took first place in the Young Adult category of the 2013 Windy City RWA Four Seasons Romance Writing Contest. Carmela's credits for teens and tweens also include short stories and poems in magazines and anthologies. Her articles for adults have appeared in such publications as the Chicago Tribune, Catholic Parent, and multiple editions of the Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market.

Carmela has taught adult writing classes at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, IL since 1998. She also teaches writing workshops for both children and adults at the Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oak Brook, IL. She co-founded TeachingAuthors.com, a blog by six children's authors who are also writing teachers, where she posts regularly. For more information, visit carmelamartino.com, where you can also join her Creativity Newsletter mailing list.