Podcasts about jolly fish press

Send us a textIn this episode of Writers with Wrinkles, Beth McMullen and Lisa Schmid talk with Meg Gaertner, managing editor of fiction at North Star Editions. Meg shares insights into middle grade and young adult publishing, the acquisitions process, and trends shaping the industry.Guest BioMeg Gaertner is the managing editor of fiction at North Star Editions, acquiring titles for the Jolly Fish Press and Flux imprints. She is passionate about publishing books that expand perspectives, increase representation, and tackle complex topics with nuance. Her authors have received starred reviews, won awards, and made a lasting impact on young readers.Key Discussion PointsMiddle Grade Market Trends: The growing demand for books targeting 13- to 15-year-old readers, the dominance of graphic novels, and the push for shorter middle grade books to compete with screen time.YA Market Trends: The continued popularity of "romantasy," the possible resurgence of dystopian fiction, and the enduring appeal of thrillers.The Acquisition Process: A deep dive into how North Star Editions evaluates and selects books, from submission to final approval.The Importance of Query Letters: Meg emphasizes the value of a well-structured query and how it signals an author's professionalism and commitment.Marketing & Author Collaboration: Why North Star Editions treats every book as a lead title and how an author's engagement can impact promotional support.Advice for Writers: “Less is more”—Meg encourages authors to streamline their writing to enhance pacing and emotional impact.ConclusionMeg Gaertner provides a rare behind-the-scenes look at the publishing process, offering invaluable advice for aspiring and experienced authors. From market trends to acquisition strategies, her insights help demystify the path to publication.Mentioned LinksLearn more about North Star Editions: northstareditions.comConnect with Writers with Wrinkles: writerswithwrinkles.netFollow Beth McMullen and Lisa Schmid on social media for updates and Q&A opportunities. Support the show Visit the WebsiteWriters with Wrinkles Link Tree for socials and more!

Writer Cliff Lewis, native of NEPA, speaking about his recent young adult novel titled, "We the Future," centering on the climate crisis. The book has been issued by Jolly Fish Press. (www.jollyfishpress.com/) For more information: www.heyclifflewis.com/

Melissa Hope and I discuss her popular YouTube channel for authors, HOPEFUL HAPPENINGS, and how it paved the way to publish her debut novel, SEA OF KINGS. We chat about how she taught herself to write, collaborating with her marine biologist husband, working with Jolly Fish Press, finding beta readers, scheduling time to read while raising three kids, music to write to, and more. Melissa also shares how she found herself represented by an untrustworthy agent and how other writers can avoid finding themselves in a similar situation. Please note, there was a slight broadcast delay when we recorded, so we occasionally interrupt each other. Melissa Hope earned her degree in English and is passionate about sharing her knowledge to help writers improve their craft and connect with the writing community. She escaped the frostbite normalcy of Canadian winters to live in Florida with her family, bipolar cat, and growing collection of scuba gear. Visit her website www.authormelissahope.com to watch free writing tutorials. Here are links to the soundtracks we discussed: The Grey Lady by Alexandre Desplat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDZTsLouf-E Fireworks by Nicholas Hooper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRjjq9dR7R4 Noon by Éric Serra: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qc6e8NOswOg Melissa's Playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7ulqYBRUUjzwoo8rwTUfxQ?si=fa18aef7bc544a48

Today’s guest is Tara Gilboy who holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia, where she specialized in writing for children and young adults. Her middle grade novel, Unwritten, was published by Jolly Fish Press just this month. She teaches creative writing in San Diego Community College’s Continuing Education Program and for the PEN Writers in Prisons Program.  Tara joined me today to talk about selling her book without an agent, and how to process criticism from critique partners. Also Covered: exercises to help you capture middle grade voice, and how to find critique partners both online and in real life. And, can writing be taught or is it intuitive?   Links for Tara: Site Twitter   Ad Links:  The Wood by Chelsea Bobulski  Sleight by Jennifer Sommersby

In this episode I talk with Mia Siegert and we talk about Olympic Horse Jumping, MFA's, Adjunct Professors, professional hockey, internet hook ups, and other things. Jerk Bait Even though they're identical, Tristan isn't close to his twin Robbie at all—until Robbie tries to kill himself. Forced to share a room to prevent Robbie from hurting himself, the brothers begin to feel the weight of each other's lives on the ice, and off. Tristan starts seeing his twin not as a hockey star whose shadow Tristan can't escape, but a struggling gay teen terrified about coming out in the professional sports world. Robbie's future in the NHL is plagued by anxiety and the mounting pressure from their dad, coach, and scouts, while Tristan desperately fights to create his own future, not as a hockey player but a musical theatre performer. As their season progresses and friends turn out to be enemies, Robbie finds solace in an online stranger known only as "Jimmy2416." Between keeping Robbie's secret and saving him from taking his life, Tristan is given the final call: sacrifice his dream for a brother he barely knows, or pursue his own path. How far is Robbie willing to go—and more importantly, how far is Tristan willing to go to help him? Mia Siegert received her MFA from Goddard College and her BA from Montclair State University where she won Honorable Mention in the 2009 English Department Awards for fiction. Her debut JERKBAIT will be released May 2016 by Jolly Fish Press. Siegert has been published in Clapboard House, Word Riot, The Limn Literary & Arts Journal, as well as a few other small presses. Siegert currently works as an adjunct professor and a costume designer. She enjoys riding horses and watching hockey.

This was originally going to be a test episode, but I really liked it! This episode is with my wife, Kelsy Thompson. Kelsy is an Acquisitions and Managing editor at Jolly Fish Press, the Managing editor of Weber the Contemporary West, Weber State University's professional literary journal, as well as doing her own creative writing and freelance work. Jolly Fish Press- jollyfishpress.com Weber the Contemporary West- weber.edu/weberjournal Transistion sounds come from BlinkFarm Follow me on Twitter: @oaf_eric Instagram: oaferic Follow the Ogden Arts Festival on Facebook! Thanks for listening!

In this episode I interview Ryan Dalton about his about-to-be-released novel, "The Year of Lightning". Here's a link to the book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Year-Lightning-Time-Shift-Trilogy/dp/1631630504/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452142410&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Year+of+Lightning www.ryandaltonwrites.com Author BioRyan Dalton is author of the young adult Time Shift Trilogy. His debut novel THE YEAR OF LIGHTNING will be released on December 8, 2015. Ryan splits his time between writing books during the day, fighting crime at night, and hanging out in his awesome underground lair. Please do not tell anyone he's Batman. It's a secret. Welcome, People of Earth! I’m Ryan Dalton, author of the young adult Time Shift Trilogy. My debut novel THE YEAR OF LIGHTNING is a sci-fi mystery, and it will be released through Jolly Fish Press on December 8, 2015. The sequel THE BLACK TEMPEST will be released in Fall 2016. I write things, and I’m a geek. Yes, both at the same time. I also have thoughts about writing, geek culture, and other random things that may or may not be relevant (Spoiler Alert: they’re not). Welcome to my corner of the Interwebz, and when the fancy strikes I will post anything like tips on writing believable dialogue, the current state of comic books, and who would win in a fight between Abe Lincoln and an ill-tempered ham sandwich. So buckle up, Jack! (that’s right, I’ve renamed you all Jack) Want to reach out to me? Find me on social media (links are on the front page, at the bottom) or email me at RyanDaltonWrites@gmail.com