Ritu Hemnani, a journalist, teacher, and storyteller, discusses her debut historical middle-grade novel Lion of the Sky and the inspiration behind it. The book is set during the Partition of India and follows the story of a 12-year-old boy named Raj. 

Ritu shares her personal connection to the story and the impact of Partition on her family. She also talks about the process of writing the book, the research involved, and the significance of writing in verse. 

Additionally, she shares her journey as a middle-grade author, from finding an agent to the impact of her TED Talk on her book deal. 

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Dan Gemeinhart talks with guest host Joel Brigham about his latest book, Coyote Lost and Found, and the process of creating a companion book to The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise. He emphasizes the importance of voice in writing and the challenges of capturing a unique voice for each character. Dan shares his experience as a writer, discussing the challenges and joys of the writing process. Dan encourages writers to keep trying and not get discouraged by rejections, and to focus on the love of storytelling rather than just the goal of getting published. 

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Kirby Larson and Quinn Wyatt, the mother-daughter writing team behind the middle grade novel Gut Reaction, discuss their collaboration and the inspiration behind the book. Gut Reaction tells the story of Tess, a middle schooler who moves to a new school while dealing with stomach issues that turn out to be Crohn's disease. The book aims to start a conversation about chronic illnesses and encourage empathy and understanding among young readers. Kirby and Quinn share their favorite parts of writing the story and the challenges they faced during the process.

From the publisher: Critically acclaimed, bestselling author and Newbery Honor-winner, Kirby Larson, and her daughter, debut author, Quinn Wyatt, pen this gorgeously moving and often funny story that explores what living with a chronic illness is like. Inspired by Quinn's own personal journey, Gut Reaction is full of heart and humor and highlights the importance of asking for help when it comes to mental and physical health alike.

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Justina Chen, author of With Twice the Love, Dessi Mei, shares her journey as a writer, her love for writing middle grade, and the differences between writing for YA and middle grade readers. Justina discusses the challenges of writing about sensitive material. She also emphasizes the importance of belonging and offers advice for new writers.

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Alicia D. Williams, Newbery Honor author of Genesis Begins Again, shares her journey as a writer and the inspiration behind her middle grade novels. She discusses her latest middle grade book, Mid-Air, which explores themes of grief, toxic masculinity, and the power of friendship. 

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In this bonus episode, middle grade author Polly Holyoke shares her journey with four different literary agents and the lessons she learned along the way. Polly talks about the importance of finding the right agent, having a finished manuscript before querying, and crafting a compelling query letter. She also provides tips on where to find agents, how to choose the right one for your work, and working with a literary agent once you have one. Finally, she shares updates on her middle grade book series, Skyriders, which has a new book coming out in May!

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On this episode of the Middle Grade Matters podcast, Laurie Morrison discusses her middle grade novel Keeping Pace and the themes it explores, including the pressure to succeed, the intensity of competition in middle school, and the importance of friendship and relationships . In this conversation, Laurie shares how she discovered her passion for writing and the role of critique partners in shaping her work. Laurie also talks about her journey from getting her MFA to querying agents and getting her books published. She also discusses her writing process, including selling on proposal, and shares her plans for future projects.

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On this episode, Colleen Oakes discusses her debut middle grade book, The Second Favorite Daughters Club, which follows two girls who form a club and come up with pranks to undermine their favorite siblings. Colleen shares her inspiration for the book and the importance of exploring family dynamics. She also talks about the transition from writing YA and adult novels to middle grade and her experience selling a book on proposal. 

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On this episode, I talk with author Allie Millington about her debut middle grade novel, Olivetti, and her writing journey. She shares her inspiration for writing from the perspective of a typewriter, the emotional side of Olivetti, and the themes of connection and finding one's voice. Allie also talks about her writing process, being a self-taught writer, and her experience with querying and signing with an agent. 

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In this episode of the Middle Grade Matters podcast, I talk with Ali Terese, author of the debut novel Free Period. The book explores the themes of period equity and period poverty through the story of two prankster characters, Helen and Gracie, who take on these issues in their school. Ali shares her motivation for writing the book and her hope that it inspires kids to take action. She also discusses the humor in the book, her writing process, and the importance of finding your voice as a writer. 

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