We are so happy to welcome Julie Falatko, author of Snappsy The Alligator (Did Not Ask To Be In This Book) and all-around delightful human, to talk with us about her writing process, the transition from picture books to middle grade novels—and how to maintain your ability to concentrate and do “deep work,” even when living in a year that’s a dumpster fire.

We also talk about preserving your emotional openness and sense of the world (so you can write works that appeal to young listeners), nurturing your creativity, and scheduling in purposeful analog time to keep you (and your projects) vivid in all the right ways.

The wonderful post Julie references is Word Count Dracula by agent Jennifer Laughran: http://literaticat.blogspot.com/2011/05/wordcount-dracula.html

Julie is the author of the picture books Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book) and Snappsy the Alligator and His Best Friend Forever (Probably) illustrated by Tim Miller, (Viking Children’s), and Two Dogs in a Trench Coat Go to School (Scholastic). More books are coming! Julie lives with her family in Maine, where she maintains the Little Free Library in front of their house.

You can meet with Julie here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/julie-falatko