Jenn and Bev speak with literary agent at Liza Dawson Associates Monica Odom about her experiences in terms of her trajectory in the publishing industry and how the diversity movement seems to have taken shape and made the need for discussion about more diversity part of the everyday conversation. Literary agents are seen as "gatekeepers" by writers and Monica explains that agents experience rejection and the various reasons this may happen. 

Episode 12: Interview with Monica Odom

Bimonthly podcast from publishing professionals Bev Rivero & Jenn Baker, and other industry insiders, on diversity (or lack thereof) in the industry.

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[This interview was conducted online so there may be some audio variation. Intro/Outro music is by Moutaineer and licensed through Premuim Beat] Continuing the 10th anniversary year of Minorities in Pub, Jenn welcomes another Newbery honoree in Veera Hiranandani! Veera her new middle-grade novel, a follow-up to the award-winning The Night Diary, Amil and the After. Veera also discusses how writing a book about a massive historical event like The Partition of India reflects the ongoing effects/repercussions for the communities (and world) involved, the ways in which we can parse out our own questions through fiction, and how healing can happen through writing and for the characters depicted. [You can sign up for the MiP monthly newsletter with job listings, guest news, and new eps here. Transcript of this episode is TK.] This month's episode & newsletter were sponsored by Writeability, a nonprofit writers guild, in defense of the imagination.

Episode 132: Interview with Newbery-honor author Veera Hiranandani

[This interview was conducted online so there may be some audio variation. Intro/Outro music is by Moutaineer and licensed through Premuim Beat] (Content Warning: At around the 20-minute mark there is mention of the video of Ahmaud Arbery's death and the last words of Elijah McClain when Alicia mentions participating in NaNoWriMo. If this may be triggering, please skip forward by 2 minutes and 30 seconds.) Continuing the 10th anniversary year of Minorities in Pub, Jenn welcomes Newbery honoree and Coretta Scott King awardee Alicia D. Williams! Alicia discusses her new middle-grade novel in verse MID-AIR and how the narrative form scared but called to her, the connections her books exploring the multifaceted nature of grief, the paralysis of writing this second novel after your first receives so much acclaim, the need for more representation of soft-hearted Black boys in books, and the beauty of fully being able to express yourself when you find the story that moves you. [You can sign up for the MiP monthly newsletter with job listings, guest news, and new eps here. Transcript of this episode is TK.] This month's episode & newsletter were sponsored by Writeability, a nonprofit writers guild, in defense of the imagination.

Episode 131: Interview with Newbery-honor author Alicia D. Williams

[This interview was conducted online so there may be some audio variation.] For the 10th anniversary year of Minorities in Pub, Jenn welcomes recent Newbery honoree and Pura Belpré winning author/illustrator Pedro Martín! Pedro talks about his entry into books from creating greeting cards, how the Mexikid online comic expanded even more with his award-winning book, learning lots about publishing his debut and how to consider young readers in storytelling, aplus how he approaches humor in his illustrations, especially when touching on aspects of his childhood/family.  [Transcript of this episode can be found on Tumblr. You can sign up for the MiP monthly newsletter with job listings, guest news, and new eps here.]

Episode 130: Interview with Newbery honored author/illustrator Pedro Martín

[This interview was conducted online so there may be some audio variation.] For the 10th anniversary year of Minorities in Pub, Jenn welcomes back best-selling & award-winning author Renée Watson for her fourth episode (in a year she has 4 books publishing)! We discussed Renée origins in storytelling as a poet and playwright when she started a performing arts company in high school, her new book of poetry BLACK GIRL YOU ARE ATLAS (illustrated by Ekua Holmes), the benefits & necessity of poetry--and poetry for young people--in her work as a teaching-artist, and how early rejections can lead to big successes.   [Transcript of this episode can be found on Tumblr. You can sign up for the MiP monthly newsletter with job listings, guest news, and new eps here.]   Intro/Outro music is by Moutaineer and licensed through Premuim Beat.

Episode 129: Interview with bestselling author Renée Watson

[This interview was conducted online so there may be some audio variation.] For the 10th anniversary year of Minorities in Pub, Jenn speaks with author Matt Mendez about his new young adult novel, The Broke Hearts, a companion to his debut YA Barely Missing Everything. Jenn and Matt discuss the unrealistic expectations of knowing your path at a young age, male representation for young readers, and parental influence on young people not only in life but in writing for younger readers.  [Transcript of episodes can be found on Tumblr. You can sign up for the MiP monthly newsletter with job listings, guest news, and new eps here.] Intro/Outro music is by Moutaineer and licensed through Premuim Beat.

Episode 12: Interview with Monica Odom

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