Podcasts about your writing life

Intro Hi everyone and welcome to Books Between - a podcast for educators, librarians, parents, and everyone who loves middle grade books!  My goal is to help you connect kids between 8-12 with fantastic reads because I believe that a book can change the trajectory of a child’s life.  And I want to help you introduce kids to those amazing, life-shaping books and bring you inspiring (and fun!) conversations with the authors and educators who make that magic happen. I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a mom of two tween girls, a 5th grade teacher, and finally beginning my summer vacation!! Before we begin, I have a few quick announcements! First - a reminder that Monday nights are the #MGBookChat Twitter chats with some really amazing topics coming up this summer like STEM in Middle Grade, Inspiring Kids to Write, Grief in Middle Grade, and several Open Chats where you can bring your own topic to discuss. So if you are like me and have a tendency to forget those sort of things, set a reminder on your phone for Mondays at 9pm EST and check out #MGBookChat on Twitter. Second - I will be at NerdCampMI this July 8th & 9th - so if you are headed that way this summer, please please do say hi. And finally - I am really excited to tell you that I will be rejoining the All the Wonders team as their Podcast Network Developer to produce a new array of shows cultivating a wider variety of perspectives and stories in the world of children’s literature. First up is All the Wonders This Week -  a brief, topical show released every Tuesday where a guest and I will chat about all things wondrous and new in the world of children’s literature. So stay tuned for that this summer! But - no worries - Books Between isn’t going anywhere! This is episode #74 and today’s show features the Top 20 books that my students loved this year, a reflection on what went right and what went wrong for me this last school year, and a conversation with Rajani LaRocca - author of Midsummer’s Mayhem.   Top 20 Student Favorites Let’s start with the top 20 books that my 5th grade students loved and recommended this school year. Because it’s one thing for an adult to enjoy a book, but for it to really make an impact, it has to connect with its intended audience. There have been plenty of books that I loved, but for some reason didn’t seem to resonate with middle grade readers.  Honestly, I think THIS list is way more valuable than ANY list that any adult puts out.   I couple notes before we begin. My students have pretty much free choice to read what they want in class and for homework at night, but we did have two book clubs this year - one in the fall featuring immigrant and refugee experiences and then we just wrapped up our fantasy book clubs. So that context likely influenced what books they had most exposure to. Also - our four main read alouds this year were Home of the Brave, a non-fiction title called When Lunch Fights Back, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and The Thief of Always.  Only two of those made it into this Top 20.   And there are only six graphic novels on this list, which might surprise some adults who like to complain to me that “all kids read these days are those graphic novels”. (Can you hear my eyes rolling?)   I also want to be transparent about how I calculated this “Top 20”. So, at the end of the year, we did various wrap-up and reflection activities. In mid-June, I send out a quick survey one morning asking them for their top reads of the year. They also worked on an end-of-the-year reflection celebration slideshow and one slide was devoted to sharing their favorite books. Also, each student worked on a “Top 10 List” (or” Top 5 List” or whatever - an idea I got from Colby Sharp) listing their most highly recommended books of the year - recommended for their current class and to be shared with the incoming 5th graders. So… I tallied up each time a title was mentioned in any of those places. And here are the top 20 titles my 5th graders loved and recommended.   Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi This graphic novel is still a strong favorite with my fifth graders. Maybe slightly less so this year, but I think that’s because a LOT of them already read it in 4th grade.    Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney Still going strong! Admittedly, not every mention was book one, but the series is a perennial favorite among my students and one that they love to reread in between other books.    Ghost by Jason Reynolds The Track Series has gained a lot of momentum this year - and mainly through word of mouth. It was one of our school’s ProjectLIT selections so there was some buzz around that, but only one of my students was able to make it to those meetings so the popularity of this title is due strictly to kids recommending it to other kids.    Escape from Aleppo by N. H. Senzai This title was one of the immigrant /refugee themed book club selections from the fall and even though just four kids read it in that club, it was quickly passed around after that. If you know children who enjoyed books like Refugee or Amal Unbound, Escape from Aleppo is a great next book to introduce them to next.   Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes Every child that picked this book up and read it, ended up calling it a favorite.    The Books of Elsewhere by Jacqueline West This title was one of our Fantasy Book Club options and it really lends itself to fabulous discussions if you’re looking to round out that genre.   Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder I will admit - I was totally surprised this made the top 20. Not because I don’t like it - I LOVE this book, but I didn’t really witness it being read or talked about a lot past September or October. But clearly it made a lasting impact on those that did read it.   Dog Man by Dav Pilkey In the same vein as Diary of a Wimpy Kid, this series of books are the go-to rereads when a student isn’t sure what they want to read next. It’s one of those comfort reads that always winds up back in their book boxes.   Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol This graphic novel was passed from kid to kid this year with so many of them reading it multiple times.   Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin Which was a second shocker to me because this novel is a class read-aloud in 3rd grade. So all the love for this one came from students who remembered it fondly and reread it. Maybe because I happened to have a few copies in our room? Which reminds me to make sure to have those previous year’s titles available in our classroom library.   Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins Another one of our hot fantasy book club picks - this series is a winner. Year and after kids fall in love with the characters! And it will make you fall in love with a cockroach. That’s some powerful writing!   Smile by Raina Telgemeier Still…. after all these years. This book has that special spark.   Crush by Svetlana Chmakova  When this graphic novel came out in this past October, I bought one copy and immediately the kids grabbed a pen and paper and started their own waiting list.    The Strangers by Margaret Peterson Haddix  The credit for this book’s popularity falls squarely to a book trailer that our school librarian showed our class. It got us all sooo hooked that I splurged a bit and bought three copies for our classroom. And it just took off from there. In fact, I haven’t even read the darn thing yet because I could never get my hands on a copy. And actually, I think it’s the only title on this list that I haven’t read.    Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson Because…. of course!  And actually, our classroom copy of this book didn’t even make it past March. The spine cracked and then the pages started falling apart, so I’ve got to get another copy for the fall. It was clearly well-loved.    Blended by Sharon Draper Whoa did this novel take my class by storm!  And it wasn’t part of a book club, it wasn’t a read aloud, it didn’t have a snazzy book trailer - it just really resonated with kids. And they just kept recommending it to each other.   Front Desk by Kelly Yang This was THE hot title this fall!  It was one of the choices for our immigrant/refugee book clubs but unlike some of the other titles, this one had a huge resurgence after the clubs ended with kids rereading and passing it along to their friends all through the year. It was constantly in someone’s book box.    The Unicorn Rescue Society by Adam Gidwitz & Hatem Aly This was another fantasy book club option. And I think, the popularity of this book is really due to the fact that it had a phenomenal book trailer that hooked kids with it’s humor. It was also a shorter book with lots of great illustrations so kids quickly finished it, passed it along and were on to the next in the series.    Okay - we are down to the top two. And not surprisingly, they are both class read alouds. It makes sense that the books every child read or listened to would be high on a list of class favorites. But as I said before, two of our read alouds didn’t make the cut so these two truly did connect with the class.   The Thief of Always by Clive Barker Oh my word is this book amazing!  And for many students - it’s their first foray into horror. The chapter illustrations are gruesome and disturbing and wonderful…. If you know kids that like scary books with that paranormal twist… who like something a little weird - this book is perfect!  And it makes a really great read aloud.   Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling I added this one as a read aloud this year since it was the 20th anniversary, and I honestly wasn’t sure if the kids were going to like it.  That first book does have a slow start, but it was by far their top rated read aloud and the title most frequently found on their favorites lists and their recommended lists.  Harry’s still got the magic.   Reflection   One of the most important aspects of our last few weeks together at school is time for student reflection and feedback for me and my own reflection on what went well this past year and… what did not.    First, let me share with you 5 things that stood out in my students’ final feedback survey. And yes, this is information from a particular class, but I think you’ll find something useful to take away from their responses as well. When asked what they liked most about class, the top responses were Flash-light Fridays (where we turned off all the lights and they got to read with flashlights anywhere in the room), the read alouds, all the Harry Potter activities (house sorting, trying Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, I sent them acceptance letters to Hogawarts, etc.), and doing the one-pagers. When asked what changes I should make for next year, they suggested more book clubs, students getting to vote on our read alouds, and… many of them said they don’t like sitting in groups. That they wanted to be spread out more and have their own space. (Which is interesting - because a couple years ago I came REALLY close to doing away with individual desks and switching to tables and mainly flexible seating options that have been very popular and whenever I have brought that up, my students have consistently told me - they like their own desk and their own space.) When asked “Did you read more or less than last year?”, 33% said a little more and 50% said a lot more. And only one child said that they read less this year.  When asked how I could be a better teacher, the most common responses were to give more reading time, read more books aloud, and a suggestion to ask kids to read even more each night. When asked what books we should have more of in our classroom library, they wanted more scary books, more books with magic, more books in a series, more poetry, and of course, more graphic novels.   So those were some big takeaways from the feedback from my students. And of course, as I reflect and revise and look for professional development opportunities over the summer, I pair their feedback with the things I saw going well and also things that did not. Here are some “wins” and some “fails” from this past year. A win - the book clubs centered around immigrant and refugee stories. Students learned a lot, had a new perspective on events they may see in the news, and bottom line - just really enjoyed those books.  Since many students requested more book clubs, I am considering adding another round or two - perhaps centered around neurodiversity and understanding ourselves and others.  A fail - not reading nearly enough poetry and nonfiction. So if I think about expanding book clubs, perhaps shifting a little to a poetry reading club or clubs that want to explore a particular nonfiction topic might be a way to go.  A win - read alouds kicked butt this year.  After three times reading aloud Thief of Always, I had the voices down, and I finally felt like I knew that story inside and out and could take them places this year that I never would have even realized the first time we read it together. That just reinforces to me how much can be gained be rereading a text multiple times.    A fail - not reading enough shorter texts - picture books and short stories. And also, every single one of our read alouds this year featured a male protagonist. And I am NOT letting that happen again next year. Or ANY year! Nooo way! A win - when a student told me she wanted to read books with gay, trans, and queer characters, within 3 minutes I was able to gather a huge stack from our classroom library to plop on her desk so she could find something that might appeal to her.  A fail - she didn’t know we had that many titles! I had book-talked many of them, but next year - maybe I’ll have a “Read with Pride” bin to rotate some of those titles in and out.  I want to be careful to not “other” those stories and separate all of them, but I do want students to be able to find them easily.  A win - students read far more diversely this year than any prior year. And I had many, many boys who without much reservation read Baby Sitter’s Club books, and books about girls getting their periods, and other novels with female protagonists that in year’s past might be met with push-back and laughter.  I am maybe seeing a possible cultural shift there. Maybe. I’m hoping.  A fail - not taking enough time to explicitly explore bias and structural racism, the impact of social norms and honestly - all the things that are tricky to talk about but that NEED to be talked about.  And that was better this year, but still not enough.   And I know this is not the work of a summer but the work of a whole career, a whole lifetime.    And as always, we are learning together so I’d really love to hear from you about any feedback you received from the children you work with, what your successes and misses were this past year, and what books your kids loved. You can connect with me on Twitter or Instagram - our handle is @books_between or email me at booksbetween@gmail.com and I’d love to share your ideas. Rajani LaRocca - Interview Outline   Joining me this week is debut author Rajani LaRocca! We chat about baking, Shakespeare, the novels that influenced her as a child, writing ideas for kids, her unparalleled skill at finding the perfect GIF, and  of course - her debut novel Midsummer’s Mayhem!   Take a listen.   Midsummer’s Mayhem   For our listeners who have not yet read Midsummer’s Mayhem - what is this story about?   You novel has so many elements that I love - a bit of mystery, a dash of earthy magic,  - it’s like The Great British Baking Show meets Shakespeare! And the recipes are so mouth-watering, so unique! Did you actually make all of the recipes in the book? Can we talk about Vik?!  I had no idea until the very end which way he was going to go. I love how you created this mystery surrounding him that was multi-sensory - not just visual, but musical, and the earthy scents of the forest….   Mimi is very inspired by Puffy Fay - her celebrity chef idol. Who is your celebrity writing idol?   A very important question - do you say “JIF” or “GIF”?   However you say it, you are the QUEEN of the Gif!!   Your Writing Life   You said recently, “Often when I sit down to write a chapter, something surprising happens, and things go in a completely different direction than I’d planned.”  What was one of those moments in Midsummer’s Mayhem?   My students and kids are always eager to hear writing advice from authors.  What’s a tip or trick that you’ve picked up along the way that has helped your writing?    What are you working on now?   Your Reading Life   You’ve mentioned before that the books you read as a child helped shape who you are today. What were some of those books?   What are some books that you’ve read lately that you’d recommend to our listeners?   Thank you!   Links:   Rajani’s website - https://www.rajanilarocca.com Rajani on Twitter - @rajanilarocca Rajani on Instagram - @rajanilarocca   Books and topics we chatted about: A Wrinkle in Time (Madeleine L’Engle) Meet the Austins (Madeleine L’Engle) The Arm of the Starfish (Madeleine L’Engle) The Westing Game (Ellen Raskin) The Chronicles of Narnia (C.S. Lewis) Amar Chitra Katha graphic novels The Simple Art of Flying (Cory Leonardo) Seventh Grade vs the Galaxy (Joshua Levy) Caterpillar Summer (Gillian McDunn) Planet Earth Is Blue (Nicole Panteleakos Super Jake and the King of Chaos (Naomi Milliner) All of Me (Chris Baron)   Closing   Alright - that’s it for our show this week. If you have a question about how to connect middle grade readers to books they will love or an idea about a guest we should have or a topic we should cover, I would love to hear from you. You can email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or message me on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between.   Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can find an outline of interviews and a full transcript of all the other parts of our show at MGBookVillage.org.  And, if you are liking the show, please help others find us too by telling a friend, sharing on social media, or leaving a rating on iTunes or Stitcher.   Talk with you soon!  Bye!  

Intro Hello and welcome to Books Between -  a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love. I’m your host, Corrina Allen - 5th grade teacher, a mom of two girls (10 and 12), and muddling through some allergies. So if you are wondering why I sound “off” - we can blame all those plants trying to have babies!  A quick reminder before we get started that you can find transcripts and interview outlines of every episode - along with lots of other great middle great content over at MGBookVillage.org. This is episode #73 and today’s show starts off with a discussion about strong endings to the school year and then I share with you a conversation with Tina Athaide- author of Orange for the Sunsets. Main Topic - Finishing the Year Strong Our main topic today is ending the school year with your students with strength and purpose. And wrapping up those final weeks together in a way that allows for both reflection on their reading lives and a way to step forward into a summer that builds on the successes of the previous year. It’s like the school year is the runway and the summer is the solo flight after take-off! If you haven’t been building those reading habits all year long, then… well that lift off is going to fall flat.  But - there are some things that we can do to plan for a strong transition from that supportive classroom reading community to a strong independent reading life. For me, my school year up here in New York doesn’t end for another five weeks but lots of my friends are already wrapping up their school year so I thought it would be a good time to discuss this topic. And whether you are a parent, or a librarian, or a teacher there will be something in today’s show that you will find useful. First, we’ll talk building in time for reflection and what that can look like. Then, I’ll discuss some ways for students to celebrate and share the reading they’ve enjoyed during the past school year. And finally, I’ll chat about how to usher them into summer with a solid reading plan and hopefully some books in their hands. Reflection One of the most effective ways to cap off your school year is with some time for reflection and feedback. And there are a few options for you to consider. A student survey for YOU to grow as a teacher. So this would involve asking your students questions to help get feedback to help you improve. These  questions might be - What was your favorite read aloud this year?  What strategies helped you grow the most as a reader? Did you prefer partner reading or book clubs and why? What types of reading responses helped you get the most of your reading?  Should we read more nonfiction? What books should we get for our classroom library? Pernille Ripp uses these types of surveys exceptionally well, and I’ll link to her website to get some ideas for you to try and to tweak. It’s also really important that students get the opportunity to write about and discuss their own reading habits and growth - for their own self-reflection. In that case, since the purposes are very different, the questions you ask your students will be different. And if you’ve helped them build that habit of keeping good track of their reading, this will be a thousand times easier. These questions might be along the lines of - How many books did you read this year? How does that compare to last year?  Of the books you’ve read, how many were non-fiction? How many were graphic novels? Written by a person of color? Written by a man? Were historical fiction? What was your favorite book you’ve read? How many books did you abandon and why? Those questions that dig a bit deeper are so powerful - especially when given the opportunity to share those thoughts with others. Another way that you can have your students doing some powerful thinking and reflection about the books they are offered is by guiding them through a diversity audit of your classroom collection or library. If you want details about this, I’ve discussed it in more depth in episode 28 (which I will link to in the show notes), but I highly recommend you try this at least one time with your class. And it doesn’t have to be an analysis of all the books in your library. Maybe it’s just a 15 minute check of the biographies together with two or three guiding questions.  At the end of the year -it’s all about using the time you have flexibly and well. A great self-reflection method I just bumped into again recently was Pernille Ripp’s post (called “On Reading Rewards”) about having students create an award for themselves to celebrate their own achievement - whether that’s reading 35 books, or discovering a new genre, or just finding one book they really liked. I’ll link to her post with the full description and to the site where you can get those free Reading Certificate templates for students.   Celebration & Sharing Along with opportunities for self-reflection and thinking about their own reading accomplishments during the previous year, I think it’s also so important to give students a chance to show off those accomplishments! One educator that I follow on Twitter (Cassie Thomas - @mrs_cmt1489), had her students gather a stack of every book they’ve read during the year and took a picture of them with that book stack! What  powerful way to see how what a year’s worth of reading looks like! Another popular (and powerful) way to have students both reflect on their reading and share it, is to have them create a top ten (or so) list. I’ve absolutely modified that to a Top 5 or Top 3 list for those kiddos who were rather daunted by coming up with ten titles.  It could be something as simple as the Top 10 Books I’ve Read This Year. Or maybe Top 5 Sports Books, 7 Books To Make You Laugh, Top 8 Books That Made Me Cry, Top 10 Books If You Like History - really the options are endless! And lend themselves well to having those quick finishers make a couple of them. In a recent video by Colby Sharp, he mentioned that he has his class share the lists with him in a Google doc where he complies them, prints out all the lists, and then sends the lists home with the kids for the summer!  So if they are ever looking for a book suggestion, they have a ton of options from their classmates right on hand. I’m definitely doing that this year! (I’ll link to Colby’s video so you can check out his other ideas.) A third way to celebrate and share their reading? One-pagers! If you have not tried these yet - the end of the year is the perfect time!  Essentially, students go into greater depth with one of their favorite books by creating a one-page presentation. Typically they are very colorful and include strong visual elements to illuminate aspects of the book like drawings of symbols, characters, or representations of the book cover.  And the sections depend on your goals - often things like a character analysis, favorite quote, rating, or summary. My students really loved doing these and even had the idea of hanging some in our local public library. And I recently came across a great episode of The Cult of Pedagogy Podcast with guest Betsy Potash that offers some great tips and templates to use. I’ll also include a link directly to Betsy’s site if you want to see those great examples and snag those templates. One other idea to help students celebrate and share their reading is to harness the technology skills they’ve already practiced during the year for that purpose. For example, if your students are already using Flipgrid, have them use that tool to do a book talk for a favorite book, share their top ten list, or discuss patterns they noticed about their reading during the past year. If the kids are more comfortable with SeeSaw, they could do similar things with the video tool or do some annotating of their favorite books and make booksnaps about favorite books or characters.  Powerpoint or Google Slides has some cool features - especially to make charts and graphs. One piece of advice here - use technology that they are already familiar with and can work independently on. That way, while they are working, you can take care of those important, time-consuming end-of-the-year tasks like conducting final running records on each student or wrapping up some final scoring on assignments.   A Plan & Books in Their Hands The final - and maybe most important thing that you can do to better your odds at a successful launch from the supported reading life you’ve provided to your students to  taking their reading life into their own hands is to actually have them leave you with something in their hands. Namely - a plan and at least one book. A summer reading plan: Let’s talk about the plan first. This could be a formal, written plan - but honestly, at the end of the year that might be just a little too structured for summer. Instead, I like to share various ideas and options for kids to boost their reading life over the summer. And then have us all share with each other how to overcome some common obstacles. So here’s what that will look like for our class over the next couple of weeks before school ends: Creating their summer TBR list. Maybe this is based on the Top 10 Lists your class presented or maybe they build a TBR list during a trip to the library, but having that piece of paper is really helpful. Invite our wonderful children’s librarian from our local public library to come in and share with our class the awesome summer programs they have planned.  If the timing doesn’t work out for them to travel, a virtual Google Hangout visit or Skype could work, too. Our local library also used to allow for off-site library card sign-ups so check into that as well. Give the kids a list of any summer reading programs or activities you can find in your community.  Does your local bookstore have any cool book signings or summer events planned? Is there a Children’s Book Festival happening?  Does your community have a traveling library? Is there a summer book club offered at your school? Where are the locations of the Little Free Libraries in your  area? Will the local library have a booth at the Pride Festival this June? (Mine will!!!!) Introduce them to some virtual spaces where they can get reading ideas and share their reading life.  If they are old enough for social media (13 years old) - perhaps share some accounts to follow. Or encourage them to sign up for a Goodreads account. But honestly - they are most likely going to be on YouTube. So a list of great YouTubers to follow would probably be the most appreciated and actually used by your students. And if you think your students would use it, you could set up a summer reading Fligrid or SeeSaw or other digical space to them to share. I tried this last year and it was a bit of a bust, but maybe I’ll give it another go.   Alright, so…. Ideally, I’ll have those resources and ideas compiled into one document for students to take home at the end of the year. And then we’ll have a quick discussion together about which ones they want to participate in, and what are going to be obstacles.   Perhaps they can share a brief and flexible plan in their reading journal or on SeeSaw or Flipgrid. Getting books in their hands: And finally - the all important getting books in their hands before they leave for the summer! There are a few ways to do this. Have your end-of-the-year gift be a book. Right now I am in a self-contained class and have 21 students. So I can swing this by saving up Scholastic points and entering a lot of giveaways on Twitter and Goodreads.  Next year I’ll be teaching all the 5th graders, so this option might be less doable. One idea I’ve considered instead of selecting a new book for each child based on what I know of their reading life, is to let them pick out one book from our classroom library to take home to keep. Another option is to suggest your PTO/PTA give the graduating class a book as they leave the school. My PTO has done this for the last few years. And it sends a powerful message about what is important and what is valued in our school. Last year is was 365 Days of Wonder and this year will either be New Kid or a picture book like Rock What Ya Got. Another idea that I have seen be very successful is to have a book swap by encouraging families to bring in gently used books for kids to exchange. Our middle school kept them all in a brightly colored kiddie pool with a beach chair next to it. More and more libraries are doing summer check out - which I LOVE!!  So if your school is not yet one of those, maybe arm yourself with some great research and start putting a bug in the ear of the powers-that-be to make that change. Allow kids to check out books from your classroom library is another way to get books in their hands for the summer. My 5th graders are leaving to a new school. So instead, at the end of the year we had an opportunity to meet our incoming 4th grade class. And after some quick introductions, I let each child pick 2-3 books they wanted to take home and read over the summer.  Before they left, I just took a quick picture of them with their stack so I knew which books were out. But other than that, there was no check-out procedure. I like this for a few reasons. One, it shows them right away that our classroom library is the heart of our class and that I want to get to know them as people and as readers. And that whatever book they picked was fine by me. It’s all reading. Also - we’re starting from a place of trust. I trust them to take those books home and return them.  And sure, some didn’t come back. But as Donalyn Miller has so often said, “I’d rather lose a book than lose a reader.” I hope that no matter if you are a teacher, a librarian, or parent that you have found something useful in today’s discussion that will help you foster more independent readers. And no matter what time of year you may stumble across this episode, building in time for reflection, celebrating and sharing our reading lives, and making plans to read more on our own is always a great idea.   And as always, we are learning together so please share with us your ideas and successes for ending the year strong. You can connect with me on Twitter or Instagram - our handle is @books_between or email me at booksbetween@gmail.com and I’d love to share your ideas. Tina Athaide - Interview Outline This week I am thrilled to bring you an interview with debut author Tina Athaide! We chat about her research process, the novels that influenced her as a child, writing tips to pass along to the young authors in your life, and of course - her debut historical novel set in 1970s Uganda -  Orange for the Sunsets. Take a listen. Orange for the Sunsets Welcome! I’d like to start by giving you an opportunity to introduce yourself to our listeners…   I’m an educator by day and writer by night. When I started teaching in Southern CA, I was amazed how little information my students had about other cultures and ethnic groups and always thought they could learn so much from books. Thankfully these days we are seeing an increase in books written about marginalized groups by marginalized writers.   What is Orange for the Sunsets about? It set in 1972 and tells the story of Asha-an Asian Indian girl and her best friend Yesofu a Ugandan boy and how their lives are turned upside down when President Idi Amin announces that Indians have ninety days to leave the country.  Asha comes from a life of privilege, but even then it isn’t as privileged as the Europeans. Yesofu’s family works for Asha’s parents. They are servants in their own country. Idi’ Amin’s expulsion means different things for these two characters, which creates a conflict that threatens to tear apart their friendship.  This was a period in history that very few people knew about, especially here in North America and I felt it was important to share this story.   What was your research process like to make sure you were getting not only the history correct, but the 1970’s details accurate?   Without dating myself, I have to confess that I have personal connections to this story. I was born in Entebbe, but my family left just before the expulsion.. Growing up I heard many stories about life in Uganda and subsequently the horrors of the expulsion. Early drafts were solely from Asha’s point of view. Yesofu had a role in the book, but I never delved into what the expulsion meant for him. An editor that was interested in the story actually recommended that I write the book from both Asha and Yesofu’s POV.   BACK TO THE DRAWING board and revisions. Actually...rewriting the entire book!   I was Asian, writing about the Asian Indian experience. I had some knowledge about the Uganda experiences, but not enough to really give Yesofu an authentic and honesty voice. That involved research.   I spoke to Indians and Ugandans about their experiences during that period of history, beyond just family and friends. I wanted to know their opinions about Idi Amin’s expulsion, how their lives were affected.  I travelled to Kenya and spoke to Kenyan and Ugandan Africans about this time period.   What was also very helpful wasI read articles written during those ninety days from newspapers around the world. When Idi Amin originally expelled Asians, he kicked out those Indians holding British passports and citizenship.  But when he ordered all Asian Indians out of the country, the UN asked countries to open their borders and accept refugees....That included the United States. Although your story is set over 40 years ago and in a country across the globe, it has so many parallels to what’s happening in America now with the rise of populist anti-immigrant sentiment that veers in violence. Did you intentionally want to capture some of those similar sentiments?   It saddens me that in this day and age there are such close parallels between the story in Orange For the Sunset and the strong rise of anti-immigrant sentiment across the globe.  It wasn’t intentional on my part to capture those similarities, but that period of history with Idi Amin and the brutality toward Indians unfortunately mirrors current sentiments. **BONUS SPOILER SECTION: We discuss the ending of the novel, and if you’d like to hear that conversation, I moved that part of the recording to after the end credits of today’s episode at the 38:12 mark.   How has this book changed from your earlier drafts to this final version?   Were there parts that you loved but you had to edit out? Your Writing Life   What are you working on now? I have a picture book coming out in 2020 about a young child, Sita and her grandfather, Gandhi. She is spirited and full of vigor and he teaches her to give how slowing down opens you up to see and appreciate so much more in life.   I am working on a MG fantasy book about a young boy who is destined to be keeper of the Pancha Maha-Bhoota–the five great elements of nature. It weaves in elements of Hindu mythology with flying garuda and naga cobras. What is most exciting is the character travels through time to real places in India so readers will get to visit these spectacular sites.   My students and kids are always eager to hear writing advice from authors.  What’s a tip or trick that you’ve picked along the way that has helped your writing? When I finish writing the rough draft, I go through the manuscript and use different colors to highlight emotional points, plot points, dialogue.  Then I will read through the story focusing on each color and it give me a narrow and wide lens as I revise.   Your Reading Life   What are some books or authors that influenced you as a child? Growing up, there were no books in the local library or school library with people of color, so l went on adventures with Trixie Belden, Anne of Green Gables, and Anastacia Krupnik. Each in their own way those writers influenced me, even if it was to show me how books took you places different from your own world.  I loved the Narnia series by CS Lewis and Harriet the Spy and the Outsiders.   What are some books that you’ve read lately that you’d recommend to our listeners? Book Uncle and Me by Uma Krisnaswami The Bridge Home by PadmaVenkatraman The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani Drama by Raina Telgemeier   Thank you!   Links:   Tina on Twitter - @tathaide Mae on Instagram - @tinaathaide Closing   Alright - that’s it for our show this week. If you have a question about how to connect middle grade readers to books they will love or an idea about a guest we should have or a topic we should cover, I would love to hear from you. You can email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or message me on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between.   Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can find an outline of interviews and a full transcript of all the other parts of our show at MGBookVillage.org.  And, if you are liking the show, please help others find us too by telling a friend, sharing on social media, or leaving a rating on iTunes or Stitcher.   Talk with you soon!  Bye!  

Intro Hi everyone and welcome to Books Between - a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love. I’m your host, Corrina Allen - an elementary school teacher in Central New York and mom of two daughters - a 9 year old and a just turned 12 year old. Yesteday we celebrated her birthday with the most amazing cake - white with whipped cream frosting and layers of cannoli filling and raspberry filling inside. And just in case you are wondering - no, I did not make it.  But if you live near a Wegmans, you can order one! This is episode #71 and oday and I’m sharing with you a conversation with Alyson Gerber - author of Braced and the recently released Focused. Her latest novel is about a gutsy, chess-loving, 7th grader named Clea who is learning to cope with her ADHD. So....do you know that slightly disorienting feeling you have when you are looking out a window & suddenly the lights shifts, your perspective shifts, and you realize you are seeing your OWN reflection? That is the experience I had when reading Focused.  Like so many other people, Dr. Rudine Bishop’s analogy of books as mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors has always resonated with me.  And I picked up Focused anticipating that I would get a window into the experiences of a young girl with ADHD - that it would help me become a better, more empathetic teacher. And while Focused absolutely did that - it also helped dispel a lot of the misconceptions I had about ADHD, particularly how it tends to manifest in girls and women.  And launched me on a path to discovering that I have ADHD. I opened Focused thinking I was reading a window book - and it turned into a mirror book for me. I know that books can change minds and can change lives. But rarely has a novel changed my life for the better so completely and so soon. And by extension - the lives of my family and students. And when that happens - you just have to let the author know! And so, I emailed Alyson and thanked her and asked her to come on the show to talk about Focused, chess, her experiences with ADHD, her writing process, and so so much more. Take a listen. Alyson Gerber - Interview Outline Focused   For our listeners who have not yet read the Focused, can you tell us a bit about it?   In what ways is Clea’s situation and experiences similar to your own and in what ways did you angle her story so that it was different from your own?   Another thing that I think you do masterfully in Focused is how you show Clea’s relationship with her therapist evolving over time from her denial and distrust to an eventual positive relationship. I think so many kids can benefit from that peek inside a therapist’s office...   Is the testing you describe Clea doing things you’ve experienced or did you do some research to get those aspects of the story right?   One of the other parts of the story that really rang true were the conversations around medication...   One of the things that made me fall so hard for this book was the CHESS! My husband and daughters are all big chess players though not competitively.  Do you play?   So.... there is some romance in this story!!   Your Writing Life   What are you working on now?   My students and kids are always eager to hear writing advice from authors.  What’s a tip or trick that you’ve picked along the way that has helped your writing?   Is there a piece of feedback that you got that changed Focused?   Your Reading Life   One of the goals of this podcast is to help educators and parents inspire kids to read more and connect them with amazing books.  Did you have a special person who helped launch your reading life as a child? And if so, what did they do that made such a difference?   What have you been reading lately that you’ve liked?   What do you hope that readers take away from reading Focused? Thank You! Links:   Alyson’s website - http://alysongerber.com Alyson on Twitter - @AlysonGerber Alyson on Instagram - @alysongerber Alyson on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AlysonGerberBooks   Resources about ADHD: https://chadd.org https://www.understood.org/en   Books & Authors We Chatted About:   The Science of Breakable of Things (Tae Keller) Barbara Cooney Merci Suarez Changes Gears (Meg Medina) New Kid (Jerry Craft) The Serpent’s Secret (Sayantani DasGupta) Eventown (Corey Ann Haydu)   Closing Thank you so much for joining me this week.  You can find an outline of interviews and a full transcript of all the other parts of our show at MGBookVillage.org.   And, if you have an extra minute this week, reviews on iTunes or Stitcher are much appreciated. Books Between is a proud member of the Lady Pod Squad and the Education Podcast Network. This network features podcasts for educators, created by educators. For more great content visit edupodcastnetwork.com Talk with you soon!  Bye!  

How do you turn a situation into success? If there are hurdles in writing your book, do you just give up or does it become an opportunity to grow? In this episode, Erika Grace, as she introduces her book, Turning Situation into Success and how she was able to finish writing this book, despite the different obstacles she had to overcome throughout her writing journey. Watch my new webinar “Write Now: Removing the Obstacles to Your Writing Life” here: https://www.facebook.com/authoraudience/videos/2066247406965697/ =============================================== Thank you for listening to my podcast, Author Audience, where I share training, motivation, inspiration, real lessons learned the hard way, Q&A, and more shared in real time. I truly do appreciate the time you spend with me each week and would love to hear from you! Please leave a review on iTunes to let me know how the podcast is helping you. This episode is sponsored by www.AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. Author Audience Academy is my signature program that provides you with the training, tools, and coaching you need to create a powerful book, find your audience, and grow a profitable business or impactful ministry. You can learn more and join our growing community at AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. CLICK HERE for more FREE Training www.trainingauthors.com/free LET’S CONNECT ONLINE! Connect with Shelley on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authoraudience Follow Shelley on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/shelleyhitz Visit Shelley on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyhitz And subscribe for my latest video training here: http://www.youtube.com/shelleyhitztv FOR MEETING PLANNERS If you want your audience to be inspired to take action while they learn, let’s talk! I speak on the topics of writing, publishing, and book marketing. My workshop style events are very popular because the participants take action and get results during our time together. Click here to book me for your next event: http://www.trainingauthors.com/speaking/ Are you still reading? If so, you ROCK! I’m on a mission to help you reach more people with your message by writing and publishing books. I believe every person has God-given gifts and abilities to impact the world. Therefore, I encourage you to let your light SHINE! Have a blessed day :)

  Intro Hello everyone! Welcome to Books Between - a podcast for teachers, librarians, parents, and anyone who loves middle grade books! I believe in the power of stories to change our mood - make us laugh, cry, or… creep us out in the best possible way!  My goal is to help you connect kids with those fabulous books and share inspiring conversations with the authors and educators who make that magic happen. I am your host, Corrina Allen - a mom of a 9 and 11 year old, a 5th grade teacher in Central New York, and spending a few hours each week phone banking!    This is episode #61 and Today I’m booktalking three recent paranormal reads that will get you and your kids in the perfect fall mood, and sharing a conversation with Pablo Cartaya about his latest novel, Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish! Before we jump into things, a few updates: The Middle Grade at Heart Book Club pick for October is The Three Rules of Everyday Magic by Amanda Rawson Hill and The Hotel Between by Sean Easley is the November pick. And - I just got sneak peek at the first four MG at Heart picks for 2019 and they’re fantastic. In fact, one of the authors, was recently featured on the show.   Also remember to check out #MGBooktober to check out all the great discussions around middle grade and connect with other educators, librarians, authors, and fans.   And remember that Monday nights at 9pm EST is the #MGBookChat Twitter chat!  This month some of the topics are: Building Vocabulary with Middle Grade Books, and Taboo Roll Call: Does anything go in Middle Grade now?  We always have a great time a leave with tons of suggestions for the kids in our lives. And...of course, ourselves!   Book Talk - Three New Paranormal Reads   This week I am sharing with you three new paranormal releases that are perfect for the fall - or anytime, really! They are Edison Beaker Creature Seeker by Frank Cammuso, Sheets by Brenna Thummler, and Small Spaces by Katherine Arden.   Edison Beaker Creature Seeker   Let’s start with Edison Beaker Creature Seeker. This full-color graphic novel is the first in a new series by Frank Cammuso - author of The Knights of the Lunch Table series and the Misadventures of Salem Hyde series.  This book is about a young boy named Edison who has always been afraid of the dark. When his mom has to go out of town, Edison and his little sister, Tesla, go to stay with their Uncle Earl. Uncle Earl is an exterminator and he reluctantly takes the kids on a late-night “emergency” job where they end up going through a door to a shadowy other-worldly place where Edison has to confront his fears and lots of bizarre creatures!  Here are three things to love about Edison Beaker Creature Seeker:   Tesla’s hamster, Scuttlebutt! He is so stinking cute!! And gets into so much trouble - or rather, gets everyone else into trouble when he rolls away in his ball into the darkest, most dangerous corners. How FUNNY this book is!  I was at the park with my daughters when I finished it last week, and I just could NOT help laughing out loud - even though I knew I was getting weird looks. The word play, especially, is so much fun. Already the names Edison and Tesla are awesome - but another example, the portal to the other realm is through the Night Door which is found in an old building called the Wherehouse. And so the creatures call their underworld - the UnderWhere. And as you can imagine - the conversations around that are THE BEST. This intriguing little creature called Knox who is this fierce, cute little purple scavenger with a blue mohawk. I. LOVE. HER. She’s complicated and tough and vulnerable - and clearly has a much bigger part to play in future books.   Edison Beaker Creature Seeker is a fantastic graphic novel that you will definitely want to add to your collection. It’s sort of like a mix between HiLo and Amulet. So if you have kids who loved those two series, this is one to introduce them to next.   Sheets   Next up this week is another graphic novel - Sheets by Brenna Thummler. This story is about 13 year-old Marjorie who is responsible for running her family’s laundromat. She has a lot going on - dealing with her father’s depression, taking care of her little brother, middle school drama - and the horrid Mr. Saubertuck who is trying to close down the family business. And then, in floats Wendell - a ghost (sheet and all) who accidentally ends up in Marjorie’s laundromat and creates his own complications.  Here are three things to love about Sheets:   The ghosts! Even though they all wear a sheet, they each have their own personalities - some wearing hats, or glasses. The parts about the laundromat business. I love stories that get you behind the scenes of how things run. Brenna Thummler’s illustrations!  Such a gorgeous color palette in shades of blue, pink, and green. I love her backgrounds - the buildings, all the little details of the interiors, and especially her trees!  I noticed this in her illustrations for Anne of Green Gables, too - Brenna’s trees and leaves are stunning.   Sheets is a great suggestion for kids who might be looking for a realistic fiction graphic novel with a twist of paranormal that it’s too scary.   Small Spaces   And finally - a new middle grade novel you NEED to get your hands on - Small Spaces by Katherine Arden. It’s about a young girl named Ollie whose mother died under tragic circumstances last year, and understandably - Ollie is withdrawn and raw.  She ends up with this creepy book that tells the legend of two local brothers who come under the influence of The Smiling Man - with horrific results. When Ollie takes a field trip to a nearby farm, she and her friends Coco and Brian end up in an other-wordly fight to survive the lure of those mysterious forces. I love what Betsy Bird said about this book: “Are you afraid of scarecrows? No? Well, bad news bucko. You’re about to be.” And oh is she right!!  Here are three things to love about Small Spaces:   It’s so immersive and atmospheric!  I loved Arden’s lush descriptions of a gorgeous sunny autumn in Vermont that slowly turns dark and foreboding - scarlet sugar maples, the silvery gleam of the distant creek, and then fog descending over a broken-down bus. It is straight up terrifying! And the pacing is perfect - taking the tension up a notch bit by bit.  Small things, then bigger and bigger. A thrown rock. A frightened woman at the watering hole. A mysterious book from 1895. The weird, bad story about the schoolhouse fire. And that’s only the first quarter of the book!!   That twist at the END!!! Ahhh! It is SUCH a pleasure when a book truly surprises you!   If you have kids who like scary - kids who liked Stranger Things. Kids who liked The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street. This is the book to hand them next.   Pablo Cartaya - Interview Outline   Our special guest this week is Pablo Cartaya - author of The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora and his most recent middle grade novel - Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish. We talk about the people of Puerto Rico and their strength, we discuss why he included a character with Down’s Syndrome and the efforts he made to get that portrayal right, and we also chat about the proper storage of peanut butter - among lots of other things. And don’t forget that when you are done reading the book and you want to hear Pablo and I discuss the ending of Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish, just wait until the end of the show after the credits and that bonus section will be waiting for you.   Take a listen…   Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish   Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish is your second middle grade and has been getting all kinds of great buzz online! For our listeners who have not yet read the novel, can you tell us a bit about it?   Would you mind reading a favorite passage?   One of the reasons I loved this book so much was that I felt like I was traveling through Puerto Rico right along with Marcus! Can you talk a little bit about your research? There is a fair amount of the novel that is in Spanish (a language I don’t speak) and yet somehow I never felt lost in the story. What was your process like for deciding how much Spanish to include and where it would go?   In the novel, Marcus’ younger brother, Charlie, has Down Syndrome.  What made you decide to include a character with Down Syndrome and how did you make sure to get that representation as authentic as possible?   In your acknowledgments,  you thank your father for teaching you how to cook. What are some of your favorite things to make?   Where do YOU store your peanut butter?   **BONUS SPOILER SECTION: Pablo and I discuss the ending of the novel, and if you’d like to hear that conversation, I moved that part of the recording to after the end credits of today’s episode at the 59:50 mark.   Your Writing Life   I noticed that your first book was a picture book! What lead you down the path of writing middle grade?   Do you think you’d ever write another picture book?   What are you working on now? Your Reading Life   One of the goals of this podcast is to help educators and librarians and parents inspire kids to read more and connect them with amazing books.  Did you have a special person who helped launch your reading life as a child? And if so, what did they do that made such a difference?   What were some of your most influential reads as a child?   What have you been reading lately that you’ve liked?   Links:   Pablo’s website - http://www.pablocartaya.com Pablo on Twitter and Instagram Information about Kokila Imprint   Books & Authors We Chatted About:   Journey to the Center of the Earth (Jules Verne) 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (Jules Verne) Roald Dahl Things Fall Apart (Chinua Achebe) The Color Purple (Alice Walker) Sounder (William H. Armstrong) The Poet X (Elizabeth Acevedo) Stella Diaz Has Something to Say (Angela Dominguez) Amal Unbound (Aisha Saeed) Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring (Angela Cervantes)   Closing   Alright, that wraps up our show this week!   If you have a question about how to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love or a suggestion about a topic we should cover, I would love to hear from you. You can email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or message me on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between.   Books Between is a proud member of the Education Podcast Network. This network features podcasts for educators, created by educators. For more great content visit edupodcastnetwork.com   Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can get an outline of interviews and a full transcript of all the other parts of our show at MGBookVillage.org. And, if you are liking the show, please leave us some love on iTunes or Stitcher so others can discover us as well.   Thanks and see you soon!  Bye!

Are you disappointed by the result of your recent book launch? Or are you afraid that your book launch will not be "successful" based on your book sales? In today's training, I would like to encourage you that your book launch is not the end but just the beginning of your journey. I hope this encourages you. Watch my new webinar “Write Now: Removing the Obstacles to Your Writing Life” here: https://www.facebook.com/authoraudience/videos/2066247406965697/ ---------------------------- Thank you for listening to my podcast, Author Audience, where I share training, motivation, inspiration, real lessons learned the hard way, Q&A, and more shared in real time. I truly do appreciate the time you spend with me each week and would love to hear from you! Please leave a review on iTunes to let me know how the podcast is helping you. This episode is sponsored by www.AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. Author Audience Academy is my signature program that provides you with the training, tools, and coaching you need to create a powerful book, find your audience, and grow a profitable business or impactful ministry. You can learn more and join our growing community at AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. CLICK HERE for more FREE Training www.trainingauthors.com/free LET’S CONNECT ONLINE! Connect with Shelley on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authoraudience Follow Shelley on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/shelleyhitz Visit Shelley on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyhitz And subscribe for my latest video training here: http://www.youtube.com/shelleyhitztv FOR MEETING PLANNERS If you want your audience to be inspired to take action while they learn, let’s talk! I speak on the topics of writing, publishing, and book marketing. My workshop style events are very popular because the participants take action and get results during our time together. Click here to book me for your next event: http://www.trainingauthors.com/speaking/ Are you still reading? If so, you ROCK! I’m on a mission to help you reach more people with your message by writing and publishing books. I believe every person has God-given gifts and abilities to impact the world. Therefore, I encourage you to let your light SHINE! Have a blessed day :)

Do you have a kindle book that you're thinking of publishing into print? What is stopping you from doing it? In this episode, Teresa Mills shares with us how her transition from kindle to print books helped her sell more books. Watch my new webinar “Write Now: Removing the Obstacles to Your Writing Life” here: https://www.facebook.com/authoraudience/videos/2066247406965697/ ---------------------------- Thank you for listening to my podcast, Author Audience, where I share training, motivation, inspiration, real lessons learned the hard way, Q&A, and more shared in real time. I truly do appreciate the time you spend with me each week and would love to hear from you! Please leave a review on iTunes to let me know how the podcast is helping you. This episode is sponsored by www.AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. Author Audience Academy is my signature program that provides you with the training, tools, and coaching you need to create a powerful book, find your audience, and grow a profitable business or impactful ministry. You can learn more and join our growing community at AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. CLICK HERE for more FREE Training www.trainingauthors.com/free LET’S CONNECT ONLINE! Connect with Shelley on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authoraudience Follow Shelley on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/shelleyhitz Visit Shelley on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyhitz And subscribe for my latest video training here: http://www.youtube.com/shelleyhitztv FOR MEETING PLANNERS If you want your audience to be inspired to take action while they learn, let’s talk! I speak on the topics of writing, publishing, and book marketing. My workshop style events are very popular because the participants take action and get results during our time together. Click here to book me for your next event: http://www.trainingauthors.com/speaking/ Are you still reading? If so, you ROCK! I’m on a mission to help you reach more people with your message by writing and publishing books. I believe every person has God-given gifts and abilities to impact the world. Therefore, I encourage you to let your light SHINE! Have a blessed day :)

We all have stories to share. And someone out there is just waiting for your story that could potentially save or change their lives forever. Are you willing to share it? Today, I want to encourage you to be bold in sharing your story...because it matters. Watch my new webinar “Write Now: Removing the Obstacles to Your Writing Life” here: https://www.facebook.com/authoraudience/videos/2066247406965697/ ---------------------------- Thank you for listening to my podcast, Author Audience, where I share training, motivation, inspiration, real lessons learned the hard way, Q&A, and more shared in real time. I truly do appreciate the time you spend with me each week and would love to hear from you! Please leave a review on iTunes to let me know how the podcast is helping you. This episode is sponsored by www.AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. Author Audience Academy is my signature program that provides you with the training, tools, and coaching you need to create a powerful book, find your audience, and grow a profitable business or impactful ministry. You can learn more and join our growing community at AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. CLICK HERE for more FREE Training www.trainingauthors.com/free LET’S CONNECT ONLINE! Connect with Shelley on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authoraudience Follow Shelley on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/shelleyhitz Visit Shelley on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyhitz And subscribe for my latest video training here: http://www.youtube.com/shelleyhitztv FOR MEETING PLANNERS If you want your audience to be inspired to take action while they learn, let’s talk! I speak on the topics of writing, publishing, and book marketing. My workshop style events are very popular because the participants take action and get results during our time together. Click here to book me for your next event: http://www.trainingauthors.com/speaking/ Are you still reading? If so, you ROCK! I’m on a mission to help you reach more people with your message by writing and publishing books. I believe every person has God-given gifts and abilities to impact the world. Therefore, I encourage you to let your light SHINE! Have a blessed day :)

Do you know that your book cover has a big impact on marketing and advertising your book? In today's session, Crista Crawford shares with us how changing her book cover helped her move forward to marketing her book better. Watch my new webinar “Write Now: Removing the Obstacles to Your Writing Life” here: https://www.facebook.com/authoraudience/videos/2066247406965697/ ---------------------------- Thank you for listening to my podcast, Author Audience, where I share training, motivation, inspiration, real lessons learned the hard way, Q&A, and more shared in real time. I truly do appreciate the time you spend with me each week and would love to hear from you! Please leave a review on iTunes to let me know how the podcast is helping you. This episode is sponsored by www.AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. Author Audience Academy is my signature program that provides you with the training, tools, and coaching you need to create a powerful book, find your audience, and grow a profitable business or impactful ministry. You can learn more and join our growing community at AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. CLICK HERE for more FREE Training www.trainingauthors.com/free LET’S CONNECT ONLINE! Connect with Shelley on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authoraudience Follow Shelley on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/shelleyhitz Visit Shelley on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyhitz And subscribe for my latest video training here: http://www.youtube.com/shelleyhitztv FOR MEETING PLANNERS If you want your audience to be inspired to take action while they learn, let’s talk! I speak on the topics of writing, publishing, and book marketing. My workshop style events are very popular because the participants take action and get results during our time together. Click here to book me for your next event: http://www.trainingauthors.com/speaking/ Are you still reading? If so, you ROCK! I’m on a mission to help you reach more people with your message by writing and publishing books. I believe every person has God-given gifts and abilities to impact the world. Therefore, I encourage you to let your light SHINE! Have a blessed day :)

Creativity knows no age. And these group of young people shows us that by publishing their own book. In today's episode, be inspired as Fireflies Aglow shares their journey as they explore their creativity at their very young ages. Watch my new webinar “Write Now: Removing the Obstacles to Your Writing Life” here: https://www.facebook.com/authoraudience/videos/2066247406965697/ ---------------------------- Thank you for listening to my podcast, Author Audience, where I share training, motivation, inspiration, real lessons learned the hard way, Q&A, and more shared in real time. I truly do appreciate the time you spend with me each week and would love to hear from you! Please leave a review on iTunes to let me know how the podcast is helping you. This episode is sponsored by www.AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. Author Audience Academy is my signature program that provides you with the training, tools, and coaching you need to create a powerful book, find your audience, and grow a profitable business or impactful ministry. You can learn more and join our growing community at AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. CLICK HERE for more FREE Training www.trainingauthors.com/free LET’S CONNECT ONLINE! Connect with Shelley on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authoraudience Follow Shelley on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/shelleyhitz Visit Shelley on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyhitz And subscribe for my latest video training here: http://www.youtube.com/shelleyhitztv FOR MEETING PLANNERS If you want your audience to be inspired to take action while they learn, let’s talk! I speak on the topics of writing, publishing, and book marketing. My workshop style events are very popular because the participants take action and get results during our time together. Click here to book me for your next event: http://www.trainingauthors.com/speaking/ Are you still reading? If so, you ROCK! I’m on a mission to help you reach more people with your message by writing and publishing books. I believe every person has God-given gifts and abilities to impact the world. Therefore, I encourage you to let your light SHINE! Have a blessed day :)

Today, we have a very powerful message for all creatives. In this interview, Aeron Brown shares his journey of unlocking his creativity through God's power. Listen and be inspired. Watch my new webinar “Write Now: Removing the Obstacles to Your Writing Life” here: https://www.facebook.com/authoraudience/videos/2066247406965697/ ---------------------------- Thank you for listening to my podcast, Author Audience, where I share training, motivation, inspiration, real lessons learned the hard way, Q&A, and more shared in real time. I truly do appreciate the time you spend with me each week and would love to hear from you! Please leave a review on iTunes to let me know how the podcast is helping you. This episode is sponsored by www.AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. Author Audience Academy is my signature program that provides you with the training, tools, and coaching you need to create a powerful book, find your audience, and grow a profitable business or impactful ministry. You can learn more and join our growing community at AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. CLICK HERE for more FREE Training www.trainingauthors.com/free LET’S CONNECT ONLINE! Connect with Shelley on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authoraudience Follow Shelley on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/shelleyhitz Visit Shelley on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyhitz And subscribe for my latest video training here: http://www.youtube.com/shelleyhitztv FOR MEETING PLANNERS If you want your audience to be inspired to take action while they learn, let’s talk! I speak on the topics of writing, publishing, and book marketing. My workshop style events are very popular because the participants take action and get results during our time together. Click here to book me for your next event: http://www.trainingauthors.com/speaking/ Are you still reading? If so, you ROCK! I’m on a mission to help you reach more people with your message by writing and publishing books. I believe every person has God-given gifts and abilities to impact the world. Therefore, I encourage you to let your light SHINE! Have a blessed day :)

Are you working by grace or by grind? How would you know if you are flowing in the grace of God on your business or writing? In this episode, Shae Bynes shares with us the power of working by grace instead of constant grind. This message is so powerful. Watch my new webinar “Write Now: Removing the Obstacles to Your Writing Life” here: https://www.facebook.com/authoraudience/videos/2066247406965697/ ---------------------------- Thank you for listening to my podcast, Author Audience, where I share training, motivation, inspiration, real lessons learned the hard way, Q&A, and more shared in real time. I truly do appreciate the time you spend with me each week and would love to hear from you! Please leave a review on iTunes to let me know how the podcast is helping you. This episode is sponsored by www.AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. Author Audience Academy is my signature program that provides you with the training, tools, and coaching you need to create a powerful book, find your audience, and grow a profitable business or impactful ministry. You can learn more and join our growing community at AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. CLICK HERE for more FREE Training www.trainingauthors.com/free LET’S CONNECT ONLINE! Connect with Shelley on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authoraudience Follow Shelley on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/shelleyhitz Visit Shelley on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyhitz And subscribe for my latest video training here: http://www.youtube.com/shelleyhitztv FOR MEETING PLANNERS If you want your audience to be inspired to take action while they learn, let’s talk! I speak on the topics of writing, publishing, and book marketing. My workshop style events are very popular because the participants take action and get results during our time together. Click here to book me for your next event: http://www.trainingauthors.com/speaking/ Are you still reading? If so, you ROCK! I’m on a mission to help you reach more people with your message by writing and publishing books. I believe every person has God-given gifts and abilities to impact the world. Therefore, I encourage you to let your light SHINE! Have a blessed day :)

What has God called you to do? What is your assignment? Are you filled and skilled to do this task? In this training, I share an inspiring message of what it means to be filled and skilled for the task God has set before you to do. Watch my new webinar “Write Now: Removing the Obstacles to Your Writing Life” here: https://www.facebook.com/authoraudience/videos/2066247406965697/ ---------------------------- Thank you for listening to my podcast, Author Audience, where I share training, motivation, inspiration, real lessons learned the hard way, Q&A, and more shared in real time. I truly do appreciate the time you spend with me each week and would love to hear from you! Please leave a review on iTunes to let me know how the podcast is helping you. This episode is sponsored by www.AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. Author Audience Academy is my signature program that provides you with the training, tools, and coaching you need to create a powerful book, find your audience, and grow a profitable business or impactful ministry. You can learn more and join our growing community at AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. CLICK HERE for more FREE Training www.trainingauthors.com/free LET’S CONNECT ONLINE! Connect with Shelley on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authoraudience Follow Shelley on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/shelleyhitz Visit Shelley on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyhitz And subscribe for my latest video training here: http://www.youtube.com/shelleyhitztv FOR MEETING PLANNERS If you want your audience to be inspired to take action while they learn, let’s talk! I speak on the topics of writing, publishing, and book marketing. My workshop style events are very popular because the participants take action and get results during our time together. Click here to book me for your next event: http://www.trainingauthors.com/speaking/ Are you still reading? If so, you ROCK! I’m on a mission to help you reach more people with your message by writing and publishing books. I believe every person has God-given gifts and abilities to impact the world. Therefore, I encourage you to let your light SHINE! Have a blessed day :)

Why are some Christian authors hesitant to start marketing their books? In this training, I am sharing on reason why Christian authors resist marketing their books and not letting their lights shine. Watch my new webinar “Write Now: Removing the Obstacles to Your Writing Life” here: https://www.facebook.com/authoraudience/videos/2066247406965697/ ---------------------------- Thank you for listening to my podcast, Author Audience, where I share training, motivation, inspiration, real lessons learned the hard way, Q&A, and more shared in real time. I truly do appreciate the time you spend with me each week and would love to hear from you! Please leave a review on iTunes to let me know how the podcast is helping you. This episode is sponsored by www.AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. Author Audience Academy is my signature program that provides you with the training, tools, and coaching you need to create a powerful book, find your audience, and grow a profitable business or impactful ministry. You can learn more and join our growing community at AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. CLICK HERE for more FREE Training www.trainingauthors.com/free LET’S CONNECT ONLINE! Connect with Shelley on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authoraudience Follow Shelley on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/shelleyhitz Visit Shelley on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyhitz And subscribe for my latest video training here: http://www.youtube.com/shelleyhitztv FOR MEETING PLANNERS If you want your audience to be inspired to take action while they learn, let’s talk! I speak on the topics of writing, publishing, and book marketing. My workshop style events are very popular because the participants take action and get results during our time together. Click here to book me for your next event: http://www.trainingauthors.com/speaking/ Are you still reading? If so, you ROCK! I’m on a mission to help you reach more people with your message by writing and publishing books. I believe every person has God-given gifts and abilities to impact the world. Therefore, I encourage you to let your light SHINE! Have a blessed day :)

What is your niche? Who are the people that are most impacted by your message? If you are not sure about your answer to these questions, this message is for you. In this focus to finish session with James Robor, you will get ideas on how to narrow down your target audience and make your message heard by the people who need it most. Watch my new webinar “Write Now: Removing the Obstacles to Your Writing Life” here: https://www.facebook.com/authoraudience/videos/2066247406965697/ ---------------------------- Thank you for listening to my podcast, Author Audience, where I share training, motivation, inspiration, real lessons learned the hard way, Q&A, and more shared in real time. I truly do appreciate the time you spend with me each week and would love to hear from you! Please leave a review on iTunes to let me know how the podcast is helping you. This episode is sponsored by www.AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. Author Audience Academy is my signature program that provides you with the training, tools, and coaching you need to create a powerful book, find your audience, and grow a profitable business or impactful ministry. You can learn more and join our growing community at AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. CLICK HERE for more FREE Training www.trainingauthors.com/free LET’S CONNECT ONLINE! Connect with Shelley on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authoraudience Follow Shelley on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/shelleyhitz Visit Shelley on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyhitz And subscribe for my latest video training here: http://www.youtube.com/shelleyhitztv FOR MEETING PLANNERS If you want your audience to be inspired to take action while they learn, let’s talk! I speak on the topics of writing, publishing, and book marketing. My workshop style events are very popular because the participants take action and get results during our time together. Click here to book me for your next event: http://www.trainingauthors.com/speaking/ Are you still reading? If so, you ROCK! I’m on a mission to help you reach more people with your message by writing and publishing books. I believe every person has God-given gifts and abilities to impact the world. Therefore, I encourage you to let your light SHINE! Have a blessed day :)

In this podcast, I talk about how to dare to dream again when you feel like you failed or missed your chance. Resources mentioned in the video: Writing Week: A Free 7-Day Writing Challenge (doors close 3/25/18 at midnight). Sign up at www.writingweek.com Write Now: Removing the Obstacles to Your Writing Life. Watch this webinar here: https://www.facebook.com/authoraudience/videos/2066247406965697/ The Compound Effect book: https://www.amazon.com/Compound-Effect-Darren-Hardy/dp/159315724X/ Author Audience Academy: http://www.authoraudienceacademy.com/

How often do you stop and say "this is not good enough"? Is your perfectionism getting in the way of publishing your book? If you often catch yourself stuck because you think your work is "not good enough", this message is for you. I hope this encourages you as it did to me. Watch my new webinar “Write Now: Removing the Obstacles to Your Writing Life” here: https://www.facebook.com/authoraudience/videos/2066247406965697/ ---------------------------- Thank you for listening to my podcast, Author Audience, where I share motivation/inspiration, real lessons learned the hard way, Q&A, and more shared in real time. I truly do appreciate the time you spend with me each week and would love to hear from you! Leave me a voice message here: www.shelleyhitz.com/ask This episode is sponsored by www.AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. Author Audience Academy is my signature program that provides you with the training, tools, and coaching you need to create a powerful book, find your audience, and grow a profitable business or impactful ministry. You can learn more and join our growing community at AuthorAudienceAcademy.com. CLICK HERE for more FREE Training www.shelleyhitz.com/free Join my next LIVE webinar here: www.shelleyhitz.com/livewebinar LET’S CONNECT ONLINE! Connect with Shelley on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authoraudience Follow Shelley on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/shelleyhitz Visit Shelley on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyhitz And subscribe for my latest video training here: http://www.youtube.com/shelleyhitztv FOR MEETING PLANNERS If you want your audience to be inspired to take action while they learn, let’s talk! I speak on the topics of writing, publishing, and book marketing. My workshop style events are very popular because the participants take action and get results during our time together. Click here to book me for your next event: http://www.shelleyhitz.com/speaking/ Are you still reading? If so, you ROCK! I’m on a mission to help you reach more people with your message by publishing a powerful book, finding your target audience, and growing a profitable business. I believe every person has God-given gifts and abilities to impact the world. Therefore, I encourage you to let your light SHINE! Have a blessed day :)