It's Personal Podcast

Nadine Presley talks about her writing journey, her family, and her first book, The City of Jasmine (set for 2025). Nadine has lived in multiple places and has experienced a lot throughout her travels. During this podcast, Nadine talks specifically about how she started writing, and why it is important to create Syrian stories to represent herself and her family in today's world. Nadine takes a deep dive, in her writing process, and the inspirations behind her craft.

Website: https://www.nadinepresley.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nadinepresleyauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nadinepresley

Janae Marks is the author of critically acclaimed middle grade novels, From the Desk of Zoe Washington and A Soft Place to Land, as well as the forthcoming novel On Air with Zoe Washington. She has an MFA in Writing for Children from The New School, and lives in Connecticut with her husband, daughter and miniature schnauzer named Cookie.

Janae chats about motherhood, writing/publishing during a pandemic, growing up in New York, and new books.

Website:http://www.janaemarks.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janaemarksbooks/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/janaemarksbooks

Jyoti Rajan Gopal is a writer, mom and Kindergarten teacher. Growing up, she lived in Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, India and China. Twenty-eight years ago, she moved to New York and now lives in Yonkers in a quirky old Victorian, with her husband and two daughters. Her favorite place in the house is the wrap around porch where she loves to gather with family or friends, read, write and drink coffee.

Jyoti talks about her course with the Writing Barn (see link below), living in many different countries, family values, education, and new books! Jyoti, is such a treasure to the world. Listen to her share her story on Its Personal Podcast.

Website: https://www.jyotirajangopal.com/about.html

Writing Barn: https://thewritingbarn.com/class/perfecting-the-picture-book-i-with-jyoti-gopal/jyoti-6-week-class-graphics-square-3/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jyotirgopal/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JyotiGopal

Jarrett has been a storyteller most his life, both on his own and in collaboration with Jerome. While their earliest work remains locked in a drawer—the key long lost for good measure—their first co-authored book, Creepy Things Are Scaring Me, was published by HarperCollins in 2003.

Jerome is a designer, illustrator, and writer, originally from Houston, TX. He studied graphic design at the Art Institute of Austin and has worked as a technical writer, freelance graphic designer, and illustrator.

Together the brothers talk about growing up with influential parents, and 4 brothers. A busy house, made with a lot of love. We take a deep dive into fatherhood, and family traditions they try to continue now that they have their own families. And of course, we find out who is the favorite brother, and up and coming projects!

Website: https://thepumphreybrothers.com/

Jarrett:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wjpumphrey/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wjpumphrey

Jerome

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jpumphrey/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jpumphrey

Tracy Badua is a Filipino American author of books about young people with sunny hearts in a sometimes stormy world. According to her grandmother, Tracy inherited this love of the written word from her great-grandfather, a school teacher in the Philippines. To Tracy, this means writing is in her blood, and she continues this family tradition by telling stories with her own spin in an accessible, heartfelt way.

By day, she is an attorney who works in national housing policy and programs, and by night, she squeezes in writing, family and pup time, and bites of her secret stash of candy. School and work brought her from California to Washington, DC, and back, and she now lives in San Diego, California, with her husband, family, and photogenic Maltese.

On the podcast Tracy talks about motherhood, writing as an attorney vs middle grade, story building, and her first book (Freddie vs the Family Curse)

Website: https://tracybadua.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracybaduawrites/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tracybwrites

Buy Freddie vs The Family Curse: https://tracybadua.com/books/

Dane Liu believes in the power of stories to affirm, transport, and transform. Her debut for young readers FRIENDS ARE FRIENDS, FOREVER is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, an Indie Next Pick, and a Best Book of the Year from The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books. Dane was born in China and moved to the US and Canada when she was a tween.

On this podcast, we chat with Dane about living in multiple places, growing up in an immigrant family, being "good enough, biking and her most recent book, Friends are Friends, Forever!

Website: https://www.daneliu.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daneliuwrites/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/daneliuwrites

Julian Randall is a Living Queer Black poet from Chicago. He has received fellowships from Cave Canem, CantoMundo, Callaloo, BOAAT, and the Watering Hole. Julian is the recipient of a Pushcart Prize. Julian is the winner of the 2019 Betty Berzon Emerging Writer Award from the Publishing Triangle.

On this podcast (part 2 of 2) Julian talks about The Dead Don't Need Reminding (Essay Collection), running from a REAL tornado, the Chicago Bulls and their playoff hopes, and so much more!

Apologizes for the audio on my end. It is a little muffled during the conversation. I hope it does not ruin your experience listening to Julian and his story.

Website: juliandavidrandall.com/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/julianthepoet/

Twitter: twitter.com/julianthepoet

Julian Randall is a Living Queer Black poet from Chicago. He has received fellowships from Cave Canem, CantoMundo, Callaloo, BOAAT, and the Watering Hole. Julian is the recipient of a Pushcart Prize. Julian is the winner of the 2019 Betty Berzon Emerging Writer Award from the Publishing Triangle.

On this podcast (part 1 of 2) Julian talks in-depth about his first published book, accepting the idea of being a "writer", family influence, and is magic just for white kids.

Apologizes for the audio on my end. It is a little muffled during the conversation. I hope it does not ruin your experience listening to Julian and his story.

Website: https://juliandavidrandall.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julianthepoet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianthepoet

Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich was born in New York and later moved A LOT. She's spent a lot of time in many different countries, so she was a new kid in many different places (up until 8th grade).

On this podcast, Olugbemisola shares childhood stories with her parents, the freedom to read, the feeling of being in different schools, and the impact of digital media.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olugbemisolarhudayperkovich/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/olugbemisola

Website: https://www.olugbemisolabooks.com/

Erika Meza is a Mexican Migrant, who loves tacos and doodling!

After studying graphic design (and moving houses nearly 30 times)She lived in a dungeon with a princess in Paris to attend the Illustration program at ENSAD, which got her addicted to chocolate éclairs and 2 am bike rides by the river.

Erika now lives with a cat in the UK where she works with ink, gouaches, and watercolor pencils as an author and illustrator represented in my exploits by Claire Cartey.

During this podcast Erika speaks about her writing/illustration journey, banned books, new projects, and important writing advice for new, and up and coming creatives.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ErikaDraws

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erikadraws/?hl=en

Website: https://www.erikameza.com/