MG Book Party

We had SO much fun interviewing Super Agent Jennifer March Soloway! Jennifer has had a fascinating career journey, helping her wind up as a highly successful literary agent with a robust client list, with a premier children's literary agency—Andrea Brown Literary Agency. If you are a querying author, and you have wondered about how agent/author relationships work best, what to expect on the call, communication, or the submission process? Jennifer was incredibly generous with her time, sharing so much helpful information.

Jennifer joined the Andrea Brown Literary Agency in 2016, after a career in marketing and public relations. Agenting is her dream job. She loves working with writers and illustrators, and nothing gives her greater joy than to help an author elevate their story. She is most drawn to emotionally compelling voices and fresh perspectives underrepresented in literature. Jennifer represents authors and illustrators of picture book, middle grade, and young adult stories. ... She has an MFA in English and creative writing from Mills College and was a fellow at the San Francisco Writer's Grotto in 2012.

Feel free to query Jennifer or any of her colleagues at Andrea Brown Literary Agency!

As always, please feel free to connect with Heather and  Cheryl in the following places:
www.CherylCaldwellAuthor.com
www.HeatherClarkBooks.com
www.MGBookParty.com
Order LEMON DROP FALLS by Heather Clark here.
Twitter: @CherylCaldwell, @HClarkWrites, @MGBookParty
Instagram: @SaltyQuills, @HeatherClarkBooks, @MGBookParty
Clubhouse: @CherylCaldwell, @HClarkWrites
Or Join MGBookParty on Clubhouse here.

Disclaimer - Book links on this page are affiliate links through Bookshop.org. By ordering through our links, you are supporting independent bookstores, and also this podcast, through no additional cost to you.

Please consider purchasing titles by ALL MGBookParty Featured Authors here to help support this podcast. 

Our biggest takeaway from our interview with Middle Grade author Kaela Rivera was her final advice to writers —Practice Patience. Kaela's debut novel, CECE RIOS AND THE DESERT OF SOULS was her tenth completed manuscript. In this delightful interview, Kaela talks about how she pushed through the long wait, getting better and better with time, the inspirations from her multicultural family for CECE RIOS, and gives amazing tips on giving three dimensions to side characters. Join us! You won't regret it!  Subscribe so you won't miss Part II: THE COMPANION ARC.

 Author Bio:

Kaela Rivera was raised to believe in will-o’-the-wisps and el chupacabra, but even ghost stories couldn’t stop her from reading in the isolated treetops, caves, and creeks of Tennessee’s Appalachian forests.

She still believes in the folktales of her Mexican-American and British parents, but now she writes about them from the adventure-filled mountains of the Wild West. When she’s not crafting stories, she’s using her English degree from BYU-I as an editor for a marketing company (or secretly doodling her characters in the margins of her notebook). Her debut novel, Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls, comes out April 13, 2021, and its sequels which will be joining it in Fall 2022, and in 2023

Her biggest hope is to highlight and explore the beauty of cultural differences—and how sharing those differences can bring us all closer.

Ghibli Movies Kaela Mentions:
—Kiki's Delivery Service
—Whisper of the Heart
—Howl's Moving Castle
—Spirited Away

You can connect with  Kaela  and follow her books and author journey at the following links.
KaelaRivera.com
Twitter: @Kaela_Rivera_
Instagram: @KaelaCub

Purchase CECE RIOS AND THE DESERT OF SOULS
Preorder CECE RIOS AND THE KING OF FEARS

Suggested Mentor Text:
Purchase PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF

As always, please feel free to connect with Heather and  Cheryl in the following places:
www.CherylCaldwellAuthor.com
www.HeatherClarkBooks.com
www.MGBookParty.com
Order LEMON DROP FALLS by Heather Clark here.
Twitter: @CherylCaldwell, @HClarkWrites, @MGBookParty
Instagram: @SaltyQuills, @HeatherClarkBooks, @MGBookParty
Clubhouse: @CherylCaldwell, @HClarkWrites
Or Join MGBookParty on Clubhouse here.

Disclaimer - Book links on this page are affiliate links through Bookshop.org. By ordering through our links, you are supporting independent bookstores, and also this podcast, through no additional cost to you.

Please consider purchasing titles by ALL MGBookParty Featured Authors here to help support this podcast. 

In Part 2 of our Agent / Author / Editor series with Jennifer A. Nielsen, we dig in to interview prolific author / editor duo: Jennifer A. Nielsen and Lisa Sandell of Scholastic Press.  The two have worked together for years, bringing many books into publication together. They've collaborated on such amazing reads as THE FALSE PRINCE, THE MARK OF THE THIEF, WORDS ON FIRE, A NIGHT DIVIDED, RESCUE, and many more. We had way too much fun with  this interview, and learned so much. Get the inside scoop on a healthy author / editor  relationship. If you missed Part 1, give it a listen also.   https://www.buzzsprout.com/1776784/episodes/9201068

Jennifer A. Nielsen
New York Times Bestselling author, Jennifer Nielsen, was born and raised in northern Utah, where she still lives today with her family, a dog that won’t play fetch, and a cat that hallucinates. She is the author of The Ascendance series, beginning with THE FALSE PRINCE; the TRAITOR’S GAME series, the historical novels, RESISTANCE, A NIGHT DIVIDED,  WORDS ON FIRE, RESCUE, and several other titles. She loves chocolate, old books, and lazy days in the mountains. Jennifer is the founder of the Book Drop campaign.

Lisa Sandell
Lisa Ann Sandell is the author of three young adult novels, The Weight of the Sky (Viking Children’s Books, 2006), Song of the Sparrow (Scholastic Press, 2007), and A Map of the Known World (Scholastic Press, 2009). She is currently the editorial director at Scholastic Press, and Scholastic Focus, and has also taught creative writing. Lisa was the acquiring editor for Jennifer’s first of many books at Scholastic, The False Prince.

Please help support MG Book Party Podcast by purchasing books by our amazing authors through our affiliate links at no additional cost to you.

Jennifer A. Nielsen:
The False Prince
Rescue
Resistance
A Night Divided
The Mark of the Thief

As always, please feel free to connect with Heather and  Cheryl in the following places:
www.CherylCaldwellAuthor.com
www.HeatherClarkBooks.com
www.MGBookParty.com
Order LEMON DROP FALLS by Heather Clark here.
Twitter: @CherylCaldwell, @HClarkWrites, @MGBookParty
Instagram: @SaltyQuills, @HeatherClarkBooks, @MGBookParty
Clubhouse: @CherylCaldwell, @HClarkWrites
Or Join MGBookParty on Clubhouse here.

Disclaimer - Book links on this page are affiliate links through Bookshop.org. By ordering through our links, you are supporting independent bookstores, and also this podcast, through no additional cost to you.

Please consider purchasing titles by ALL MGBookParty Featured Authors here to help support this podcast. 

This dynamic agent/author duo is a delight to interview, and we learned so much. Jennifer A. Nielsen and Joan Paquette were a fundamental part of building each other's careers, and their combined wisdom and collaboration blew us away. We had way too much fun with  Jennifer A. Nielsen's series of interviews with costars, agent Ammi-Joan Paquette, and editor Lisa Sandell. (Stay tuned for part 2.)  Get the inside scoop on a healthy agent / author relationship, and learn so much about an amazingly prolific author-agent partnership.

Jennifer A. Nielsen
New York Times Bestselling author, Jennifer Nielsen, was born and raised in northern Utah, where she still lives today with her family, a dog that won’t play fetch, and a cat that hallucinates. She is the author of The Ascendance series, beginning with THE FALSE PRINCE; the TRAITOR’S GAME series, the historical novels, RESISTANCE, A NIGHT DIVIDED,  WORDS ON FIRE, RESCUE, and several other titles. She loves chocolate, old books, and lazy days in the mountains. Jennifer is the founder of the Book Drop campaign.

Ammi-Joan Paquette
Joan is a Senior Agent with EMLA, working from her home office in Massachusetts. She represents all forms of children's and young adult literature, but is most excited by a strong lyrical voice, tight plotting with surprising twists and turns, and stories told with heart and resonance that will stand the test of time. Joan is also the author of numerous books for children, most recently the Princess Juniper series, the picture books Ghost in the House, Elf in the House, Bunny Bus, and The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Fairies, and the "non-fiction with a twist" series Two Truths and a Lie, co-written with Laurie Ann Thompson, and The Train of Lost Things.

Please help support MG Book Party Podcast by purchasing books by these amazing authors through our affiliate links at no additional cost to you.

Jennifer A. Nielsen:
The False Prince
Rescue
Resistance
A Night Divided
The Mark of the Thief

Ammi-Joan Paquette:
Ghost in the House
Two Truths and a Lie: It's Alive!

As always, please feel free to connect with Heather and  Cheryl in the following places:
www.CherylCaldwellAuthor.com
www.HeatherClarkBooks.com
www.MGBookParty.com
Order LEMON DROP FALLS by Heather Clark here.
Twitter: @CherylCaldwell, @HClarkWrites, @MGBookParty
Instagram: @SaltyQuills, @HeatherClarkBooks, @MGBookParty
Clubhouse: @CherylCaldwell, @HClarkWrites
Or Join MGBookParty on Clubhouse here.

Disclaimer - Book links on this page are affiliate links through Bookshop.org. By ordering through our links, you are supporting independent bookstores, and also this podcast, through no additional cost to you.

Please consider purchasing titles by ALL MGBookParty Featured Authors here to help support this podcast. 

Our biggest takeaway from our interview with Middle Grade author Lisa Moore Ramée was this: The people who don't make it as authors are the people who gave up. Lisa Moore Ramée took the long way around to get here with her career, and her beautiful books, and she is the most real, down-to-earth, delightful person. You will come away from this interview inspired to carry on, and ready with some fresh tools in your tool belt. Hopefully you'll also come away ready to devour her lovely books. (Links below)

 Author Bio:

Lisa Moore Ramee wrote her first book in second grade. It took some time before she got around to writing her second one. A Good Kind of Trouble was her debut novel, published in Spring 2019. Her next book, Something to Say, came out July, 2020. Originally hailing from Los Angeles, CA, Lisa now lives in Northern California with her husband, two children, two cats, and more yard than she can control.

You can connect with  Lisa  and follow her books and author journey at the following links.
www.LisaMooreRamee.com
Twitter: @Leeseray
Instagram: @Leeseray

Purchase A GOOD KIND OF TROUBLE on Amazon.
Purchase SOMETHING TO SAY on Amazon.

As always, please feel free to connect with Heather and  Cheryl in the following places:
www.CherylCaldwellAuthor.com
www.HeatherClarkBooks.com
www.MGBookParty.com
Order LEMON DROP FALLS by Heather Clark here.
Twitter: @CherylCaldwell, @HClarkWrites, @MGBookParty
Instagram: @SaltyQuills, @HeatherClarkBooks, @MGBookParty
Clubhouse: @CherylCaldwell, @HClarkWrites
Or Join MGBookParty on Clubhouse here.

Disclaimer - Book links on this page are affiliate links through Bookshop.org. By ordering through our links, you are supporting independent bookstores, and also this podcast, through no additional cost to you.

Please consider purchasing titles by ALL MGBookParty Featured Authors here to help support this podcast. 

This may be the most important episode of Middle Grade Book Party we'll ever release. If you are an advocate of children's literacy, or care passionately about getting great books into the hands of children everywhere, this is the episode for you! After hearing us talk with authors Jennifer A. Nielsen, and Jennifer Jenkins about their new children's literacy initiative, the importance of reading, and hanging on a fence by a wedgie, you'll come away inspired, excited, and hopefully, ready to get involved. At least we sure did!

A glimpse at the initiative from Jennifer A. Nielsen:

"A few years ago, I had the privilege of hearing a speech given by Dick Robinson, the President of Scholastic Books, in which he said, “As long as children do not have equal access to books, we will never live in a truly equal society.”

He was right. In middle class neighborhoods, there are an average of 13 books for each young reader. However, in high poverty areas, the ratio is approximately 1 age appropriate book for every 300 children."

This moment inspired Jennifer A. Nielsen to found the Book Drop Campaign. In partnership with Teen Author Boot Camp [TABC], an amazing not-for-profit organization specifically geared for teen and tween authors, Book Drop is seeking funding from corporate sponsors to be able to purchase a book for every child in as many Title 1 Schools as possible. But they are offering more than a book. Since author visits generate higher interest in reading books, and communicate with time and attention how much each child individually matters, the authors of the books will donate their time to offer free school visits to students as well. Corporate sponsors may also participate directly in the school events if they wish.

This Episode's Guests:

Jennifer A. Nielsen
New York Times Bestselling author, Jennifer Nielsen, was born and raised in northern Utah, where she still lives today with her family, a dog that won’t play fetch, and a cat that hallucinates. She is the author of The Ascendance series, beginning with THE FALSE PRINCE; the TRAITOR’S GAME series, the historical novels, RESISTANCE, A NIGHT DIVIDED,  WORDS ON FIRE, RESCUE, and several other titles. She loves chocolate, old books, and lazy days in the mountains. Jennifer is the founder of the Book Drop campaign.

Jennifer Jenkins
With her degree in History and Secondary Education, Jennifer Jenkins had every intention of teaching teens to love George Washington, the Napoleonic Wars, and Ancient Sparta ... until the writing began. She is the author of the Nameless trilogy (2015-2018), To Kill a Curse (2019), Of Blood and Fire (2020), The Order of Chaos (2021), and Teen Writer's Guide: Your Road Map to Writing (2020). She is also the co-founder of Teen Author Boot Camp, a federal non-profit organization dedicated to promoting teen literacy and authorship. She divides her free time between teaching creative writing classes at Utah Valley University, reading, taking spontaneous trips, researching random events from the past, and fostering her adrenaline junkie addictions.

Links:

Teen Author Boot Camp Website
Book Drop Official Website—where you can sign up to be a corporate sponsor, request a book drop to your Title 1 school, donate privately, sign up to volunteer, or add yourself to the list of authors ready to donate their time to help kids.
(look for the Book Drop tab)
Jennifer A. Nielsen's Author Website
Jennifer Jenkins' Author Website
Paypal Link for Direct Donations (Please share this link to help us fund many book drops!)

Our biggest takeaway from our interview with Middle Grade author Rajani LaRocca is this new mantra she shared with us—Follow the Dopamine! She says if if doesn't bring you joy, don't do it! And that goes for marketing, career advice, and how to write your books. Our chat with this dynamic, gracious, and hilariously down-to-earth author left us feeling 100% happier! Come find out what it means to lead a Rajani LaRocca kind of life, and get excited about her passions, and discovering your own.

 Author Bio:
Rajani LaRocca was born in India, raised in Kentucky, and now lives in the Boston area, where she practices medicine and writes award-winning novels and picture books, including Midsummer’s Mayhem (2019), Seven Golden Rings (2020), Red, White, and Whole (2021), Bracelets for Bina’s Brothers (2021), Much Ado About Baseball (2021), and more. She’s always been an omnivorous reader, and now she is an omnivorous writer of fiction and nonfiction, novels and picture books, prose and poetry. She finds inspiration in her family, her childhood, the natural world, math, science, and just about everywhere she looks. To connect with Rajani and learn more about her and her books visit her at www.Rajani.LaRocca.com or @rajanilarocca on Twitter, Instagram, and Clubhouse.


You can connect with  Rajani  and follow her books and author journey at the following links.
www.RajaniLaRocca.com
Twitter: @RajaniLaRocca
Instagram: @RajaniLaRocca

Purchase MUCH ADO ABOUT BASEBALL
Purchase MIDSUMMER'S MAYHEM
Purchase RED, WHITE, AND WHOLE on Amazon.

As always, please feel free to connect with Heather and  Cheryl in the following places:
www.CherylCaldwellAuthor.com
www.HeatherClarkBooks.com
www.MGBookParty.com
Order LEMON DROP FALLS by Heather Clark here.
Twitter: @CherylCaldwell, @HClarkWrites, @MGBookParty
Instagram: @SaltyQuills, @HeatherClarkBooks, @MGBookParty
Clubhouse: @CherylCaldwell, @HClarkWrites
Or Join MGBookParty on Clubhouse here.

Disclaimer - Book links on this page are affiliate links through Bookshop.org. By ordering through our links, you are supporting independent bookstores, and also this podcast, through no additional cost to you.
Please consider purchasing titles by ALL MGBookParty Featured Authors here to help support this podcast. 

Oddly, my favorite takeaway from our interview with middle grade author Gillian McDunn was her fresh take on her favorite writing snack. Apparently since you don't think about what you eat while you write, your best bet is a large plate of raw veggies, which will fill your snacking need, and fill you with nutrients while you create great fiction! Worth a try. Especially, since everything Gillian has to say about her author journey, this newest book, THESE UNLUCKY STARS, and the joy of writing for children is delightful. And what's not even more delightful with a little more folate or beta carotene?

 Author Bio:
GILLIAN McDUNN is the author of the middle-grade novels CATERPILLAR SUMMER (Bloomsbury, 2019) and THE QUEEN BEE AND ME (Bloomsbury, 2020). She has lived in California, Missouri, and North Carolina. Her favorite thing is spending time with her family. She also loves traveling, board games, and learning about the world we live in. She lives near Raleigh, North Carolina, with her family.

You can connect with  Rajani  and follow her books and author journey at the following links.
www.gillianmcdunn.com
Twitter: @GillianMcDunn
Instagram: @GillianMcDunn

Purchase CATERPILLAR SUMMER
Purchase THE QUEEN BEE AND ME
Purchase THESE UNLUCKY STARS

As always, please feel free to connect with Heather and  Cheryl in the following places:
www.CherylCaldwellAuthor.com
www.HeatherClarkBooks.com
www.MGBookParty.com
Order LEMON DROP FALLS by Heather Clark here.
Twitter: @CherylCaldwell, @HClarkWrites, @MGBookParty
Instagram: @SaltyQuills, @HeatherClarkBooks, @MGBookParty
Clubhouse: @CherylCaldwell, @HClarkWrites
Or Join MGBookParty on Clubhouse here.

Disclaimer - Book links on this page are affiliate links through Bookshop.org. By ordering through our links, you are supporting independent bookstores, and also this podcast, through no additional cost to you.
Please consider purchasing titles by ALL MGBookParty Featured Authors here to help support this podcast. 

Episode Trigger Warnings: School shootings, child violence.

Jasmine Warga is a wonderful MG writer who tackles difficult subjects with grace, dignity, and care. Come meet her and her books, find out why they make us cry and inspire us so much. Get excited for her upcoming novel, RESILIENCE about a Mars rover with feelings, learn how to balance the two jobs of writer/creative and author. Also enjoy this exclusive feature interview about Jasmine's newest MG novel, THE SHAPE OF THUNDER.  Its premise electrified us, and we knew we had to get Jasmine on our show! We're just so grateful she said yes!

 Author Bio:
Jasmine Warga is the author of the New York Times bestseller Other Words For Home. Other Words For Home earned multiple awards, including a John Newbery Honor, a Walter Honor for Young Readers, and a Charlotte Huck Honor. She is also the author of young adult books, My Heart and Other Black Holes and Here We Are Now, which have been translated into over twenty different languages. The Shape of Thunder, her next novel for middle grade readers, will be published in May 2021. Originally from Cincinnati, she now lives in the Chicago-area with her family.

Looking for trusted resources to find help and healing in dealing with school violence? Here's a link to a page of federal resources.

You can connect with  Jasmine and follow her books and author journey at the following links.
https://jasminewarga.com/about
Twitter: @JasmineWarga
Instagram: @JasmineWargaBooks

Purchase THE SHAPE OF THUNDER
Purchase OTHER WORDS FOR HOME
Purchase MY HEART AND OTHER BLACK HOLES

As always, please feel free to connect with Heather and  Cheryl in the following places:
www.CherylCaldwellAuthor.com
www.HeatherClarkBooks.com
www.MGBookParty.com
Order LEMON DROP FALLS by Heather Clark here.
Twitter: @CherylCaldwell, @HClarkWrites, @MGBookParty
Instagram: @SaltyQuills, @HeatherClarkBooks, @MGBookParty
Clubhouse: @CherylCaldwell, @HClarkWrites
Or Join MGBookParty on Clubhouse here.

Disclaimer - Book links on this page are affiliate links through Bookshop.org. By ordering through our links, you are supporting independent bookstores, and also this podcast, through no additional cost to you.
Please consider purchasing titles by ALL MGBookParty Featured Authors here to help support this podcast. 

We're so excited to have middle grade author Nancy Tandon guest hosting this podcast featuring authors Lindsay Currie and Jessica Vitalis as they talk about effective marketing through  street teams. This episode is POWER-PACKED with pro-tips and invaluable information for how to set up your own street team to maximize your efforts to market your book—everything from what a street team is, to what it does, to why you need one, to how to begin. Special thanks to these authors for giving so generously of their time and expertise.

You can connect with  Nancy Tandon and follow her books and author journey at the following links.
https://nancytandon.com/
Twitter: @nancytandon
Instagram: @_nancytandon_

You can connect with Jessica Vitalis  and follow her books and author journey at the following links.
JessicaVitalis.com
Twitter: @jessicavitalis
Instagram: @jessicavauthor

You can connect with  Lindsay Currie and follow her books and author journey at the following links.
LindsayCurrie.com
Twitter: @lindsayncurrie
Instagram: @lindsayncurrie


Please order books by these amazing authors!

THE WAY I SAY IT by Nancy Tandon
THE GHOST OF SPRUCE POINT by Nancy Tandon
SCRITCH, SCRATCH: A GHOST STORY by Lindsay Currie
WHAT LIVES IN THE WOODS by Lindsay Currie
THE WOLF'S CURSE by Jessica Vitalis

As always, please feel free to connect with Heather and  Cheryl in the following places:
www.CherylCaldwellAuthor.com
www.HeatherClarkBooks.com
www.MGBookParty.com
Order LEMON DROP FALLS by Heather Clark here.
Twitter: @CherylCaldwell, @HClarkWrites, @MGBookParty
Instagram: @SaltyQuills, @HeatherClarkBooks, @MGBookParty
Clubhouse: @CherylCaldwell, @HClarkWrites
Or Join MGBookParty on Clubhouse here.

Disclaimer - Book links on this page are affiliate links through Bookshop.org. By ordering through our links, you are supporting independent bookstores, and also this podcast, through no additional cost to you.

Please consider purchasing titles by ALL MGBookParty Featured Authors here to help support this podcast.