Mandah Swift

10/14/2026

30 min sketch from tonight’s SCBWI Houston Lift Off meeting

I did the humor prompt: The monster under my bed is very sorry to bother me, but he was wondering if I could possibly hand him a tissue, if so would be so kind…

Some inspiration words: ooze, swoop, sizzle, crooked, lumpy, spiral, bounce, dare, scheme

I enjoyed seeing others art and hearing the short stories they came up with. It’s very inspiring! 😊💜

Message me if you want to come to the next one on November 12th at 1pm Central.

Houston SCBWI SCBWI SCBWI Central South Ohio

09/30/2026

Book lovers! Send in your application for this Pizza Hit Little Library! 📚 🍕

The company is launching “Little Hut Libraries” — miniature Pizza Hut restaurant replicas that double as neighborhood book exchanges. https://www.wfla.com/news/national/pizza-hut-launches-little-hut-libraries-and-you-can-apply-for-one/

09/21/2026

⚠️ I need your help! ⚠️

Which one is your favorite?

How much should I charge for them?

These are little wood magnets (2.5”x3.5”) I have hand painted this weekend for an upcoming author book fair and other local markets.

09/16/2026

You can donate books to a local children’s hospital here:

https://www.mandahswift.com/shop/p/tickle-book

(choose donate in the drop down and at check out)

Give Like Dolly Day is coming September 25!

Dolly Parton believed in giving back and helping children dream bigger—and this year, we’re celebrating that spirit through Give Like Dolly Day.

On September 25, we’re inviting communities all over the world to join us in giving back to children by supporting your local Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program. Your support helps make it possible for the children in your community to receive a free, high-quality book every month from birth to age 5.

Learn more and find the Imagination Library program serving your community: imaginationlibrary.com/check-availability

09/15/2026

FREE WEBINAR FOR AUTHORS & ILLUSTRATORS

This free webinar is meant to bring clarity to all of that and make social media feel more manageable.

In this session, authors/illustrators will learn how to:
- Clearly communicate who they are and what they write through their social media
- Create a simple content strategy that removes the “what do I post?” problem
- Understand what consistency actually means, without the pressure of daily posting
- Choose the platforms that make sense for them, and why one or two is often enough
- And more!

Register for free:
https://www.scbwi.org/events/ny-metro-stress-free-social-media-by-ceo-of-bookstr

09/12/2026

What a beautiful tribute to these brave heroes!

09/11/2026

I was in art class in my senior year of high school when the small tv that hung near the ceiling was turned on for us to watch the horrific news 25 years ago today. There are no words to accurately describe how one felt seeing it live for the first time.

That same art class had an assignment to create an impactful piece as a memorial or tribute to that day and the days that followed and I chose to draw two firefighters embracing one another in their grief that someone captured with a photo at ground zero. I attached a picture of my art piece. These two heroic and brave souls are likely no longer with us as many first responders died young from cancer and other health complications due to the toxic air they breathed as they helped look for survivors and to recover loved ones.

Never forget.