Middle Grade Ninja

Angie Karcher and I talk quite a bit about writers conferences, specifically how to get the most out of them and things writers shouldn’t do when attending one. Who better to discuss conferences with than the Indiana Regional Advisor for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators who also hosts her own writers conference? We also discuss rhyming picture books and writing about local Hoosier history, including the infamous Grey Lady ghost of Willard Library.

Angie Karcher is a former Kindergarten teacher, Developmental Therapist and children’s author of WHERE THE RIVER GRINS 2012, M.T. Publishing, THE LEGENDARY R.A. COWBOY JONES 2014 M.T. Publishing and SANTA’S GIFT 2017 M.T. Publishing.

Her poetry is included in AN INDIANA TRIBUTE BICENTENNIAL ANTHOLOGY, compiled by Byron Buckley 2017. She has two upcoming titles: SIDELINE SLUGGER, M.T. Publishing, May 2018 and THE SIGNATURE SHIP, M.T. Publishing, October 2018.

Angie is the creator of Rhyme Revolution. This annual event held in April, is a writing challenge on her blog for children’s authors. She has a passion for writing rhyming picture books and poetry and encourages educators and parents to read rhyme frequently to children. Rhyme encourages language development and fosters a love of reading.

Angie is the founder of The Rhyme Revolution Conference, held first in New York City in December 2015 and next in New Harmony, Indiana, October 2018. This conference supports and encourages children’s writers to use proper picture book writing techniques, as well as applying perfect meter and rhyme.

Angie also founded and hosts The Best in Rhyme Award, announced annually in February in New York City, NY, naming the best rhyming picture book and several honor books each year.

Her most recent endeavor is hosting Ms. Angie’s Craft Corner for KidLitTV. This will be a monthly recorded segment where she shares simple crafts for kids, teachers, parents and librarians that accompany her favorite picture books.

Angie frequently presents at schools, libraries, bookstores and writing conferences. She is the Indiana SCBWI Regional Advisor and lives in Evansville, Indiana with her husband and four teenage children. Her beloved beagle Gracie and Miniature Dachshund Lucy are her constant assistants.

Angie is represented by Victoria Selvaggio with Storm Literary Agency.

Mariama J. Lockington and I discuss transracial adoption and other issues raised in her phenomenal debut novel, FOR BLACK GIRLS LIKE ME. She relates how she went from a reluctant reader to a poet, competing in slam poetry competitions, and went on to earn two MFA’s and become an author and writing teacher. We talk about critique groups and school visits and all things writing in the 50th episode of Middle Grade Ninja.

Mariama J. Lockington is an author, nonprofit educator, and transracial adoptee who calls many places home. Her debut middle grade novel FOR BLACK GIRLS LIKE ME is out now from Farrar, Straus, and Giroux Books for Young Readers. FOR BLACK GIRLS LIKE ME is a Junior Library Guild Selection, and has earned four starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, BookPage, School Library Journal, and Booklist. Mariama is also the author of the poetry chapbook THE LUCKY DAUGHTER (Damaged Goods Press, 2017).

Mariama has edited and contributed to many youth-centered book projects including: Be Honest and Other Advice from Students Across the Country (2011, The New Press), Growing Our Hearts and Brains: Poems on love, technology, and success (2014, 826NYC), Chicken Makes the Ice Cream Taste Better: Stories on Food and Community, (2015, 826NYC), and her co-authored lesson plan “The Science of Superpowers” is included in STEM to Story: Enthralling and Effective Lesson Plans for grades 5th-8th (2015, Jossey-Bass). She is a Bread Loaf Scholar, Voices of Our Nation Arts Alumni, a Literary Death Match Champion, and she earned her Masters in Education from Lesley University and her MFA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University.

Mariama lives in Lexington, KY with her partner and her dapple-haired dachshund, Henry. When she is not writing or teaching, you’ll find Mariama singing karaoke, cooking new recipes, watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or re-reading her favorite book, SULA by Toni Morrison.

Mira Bartók and I discuss her novel, THE WONDERLING, its inception, the incredible circumstances that led to its sale at auction and a movie deal before it was fully written, how Kate Winslet nearly narrated its audiobook, its upcoming sequel, and more. Mira explains her life as a “compulsive creator.” She’s a musician, an artist, an award-winning author, and she shares her wisdom about all of it in a delightful conversation you won’t want to miss.

Mira Bartók is an artist and writer, and the creator of The Wonderling: Songcatcher, the first book in an illustrated middle-grade fantasy series (Candlewick Press 2017). The Wonderling will also be a movie, directed by award-winning British director, Stephen Daldry (The Crown, Billy Elliot, The Reader, etc.), and produced by Working Title Films and Fox2000. Mira is also the author of THE MEMORY PALACE, a New York Times bestselling memoir and winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for autobiography. She has written numerous books on ancient and indigenous cultures for children (The Ancient and Living Stencil Series), and her writing for adults has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, noted in The Best American Essays series and has appeared in many literary journals, magazines and anthologies. She lives in Western Massachusetts with her musician/producer husband Doug Plavin and their little dog Sadie.

Christa Heschke and I chat about her journey from an intern to a seasoned literary agent, her thoughts on contract negotiation and enforcement, her financial advice for authors, her tips for gaining literary representation, her possible close encounter, brainstorming book ideas, a haunted shovel, and so much more. Get ready to learn a lot about writing and publishing and to enjoy another excellent conversation.

Christa Heschke graduated from Binghamton University with a major in English and a minor in Anthropology. She started in publishing as an intern at both Writers House and Sterling Lord Literistic, where she fell in love with the agency side of publishing. Christa has been at McIntosh and Otis, Inc. in the Children’s Literature Department since 2009 where she is actively acquiring for all age groups in children’s.

For YA, she is especially interested in contemporary, thriller/mystery, fantasy and horror. She looks for a compelling voice and a strong hook that will set a YA novel apart in the flooded market. She is open to all types of middle grade and especially enjoys adventure, mystery, and magical realism. For both YA and MG, she is interested in unique settings and cultural influences, interesting structure, complicated romances, diverse characters, sister or friendship-centric stories, and stories that feature artists of any kind. In picture books she is drawn to cute, funny stories (as opposed to sweet and quiet) that will grab kids as well as the occasional nonfiction biography on a subject whose story has yet to be told.

Christa is not looking for any Adult fiction or non-fiction, paranormal or dystopian at this time.

Shamim Sarif and I talk about her career directing films and writing novels, the differences and similarities between the two, and her approach to both. We also discuss her new young adult action novel, THE ATHENA PROTOCOL, and its emphasis on strong female characters. She gives some absolutely amazing advice about public speaking, having presented multiple Ted Talks. All this and a whole lot more in another incredible episode that’s not to be missed.

Born in the UK, Shamim is an award-winning novelist, screenwriter, and director.

Her newest book, The Athena Protocol, is an all-female contemporary action thriller.

Her debut novel, The World Unseen was inspired by her family’s South African Indian heritage. The book won a Betty Trask award and the Pendleton May First Novel award.

Shamim has adapted and directed the films of all three of her novels including, most recently, Despite the Falling Snow. The book was published by Headline in the UK and St Martin’s Press in the US. The movie stars Rebecca Ferguson and Charles Dance in a story of love and betrayal in cold war Russia. Her films have won 47 awards internationally.

An accomplished speaker, Shamim has spoken at TED events worldwide, at the INK Conference in India and DLD in Munich. Corporate speaking events have included Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, Citibank and Disney.

Shamim lives in London with her wife, Hanan, and their two sons.

Nancy Richardson Fischer and I discuss her fascinating career from her first job writing for Barnum and Bailey Circus to her time with Lucas Film, during which she wrote a trilogy in the STAR WARS: JUNIOR JEDI KNIGHTS series. We chat about surviving in the Amazon like the characters in her new young adult novel, THE SPEED OF FALLING OBJECTS. We also talk kite surfing, zombies, Stephen King, my fear of bees, self publishing, strategies for working with an editor, and so much more.

Nancy Richardson Fischer is the author of the young adult novel, WHEN ELEPHANTS FLY (HarperCollins/Inkyard Press). Fischer has authored multiple sport autobiographies and Star Wars books for LucasFilm. Her new novel, THE SPEED OF FALLING OBJECTS, was published by HarperCollins/Inkyard Press on October 1st, 2019.

Alicia D. Williams and I talk about colorism and adolescent cruelty, which she explores brilliantly in her novel, GENESIS BEGINS AGAIN. She also takes us through her journey to become a writer, from her time as a stand-up comedian to an actress to a flight attendant and a whole lot of interesting stops along the way. We have a long chat about creating compelling characters and the differences in approaches to writing to reach a common goal.

What's there to know about Alicia D? Well, that depends on who you ask.

If you ask kindergartners, they'd tell you:

1. She likes chunky guacamole.

2. She likes shiny things.

3. She tells good stories.

​If you ask her middle schoolers, they'd surely say:

1. She gets us.

2. She makes us laugh with all her jokes.

3. She is Da BOMB.

​While all of these may be true, there are a few more points to add... Alicia D. is a teacher in Charlotte, NC. She is the proud mother of a brilliant college student. Her love for education stems from conducting school residencies as a Master Teaching Artist of arts-integration. Alicia D infuses her love for drama, movement, and storytelling to inspire students to write.

Did we say drama? Why yes, Alicia graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. She's performed in commercials, off-off Broadway, and even Charlotte's very own children's theater.

And like other great storytellers, she made the leap into writing--and well, her story continues. Alicia D loves laughing, traveling, and Wonder Woman.

Prepare yourself, Esteemed Audience, for this spooky first episode of October that features real ghost stories. Fellow Hoosier Francesca Zappia and I talk about our mutual love of writing horror stories set in Indiana, such as her newest, NOW ENTERING ADAMSVILLE. We discuss fictional world-building and organizing the creative life and all the things you expect us to chat about on this show. But then Chessie reveals that she lives in a haunted house and I can't stop asking questions about her paranormal experiences.

Francesca Zappia is the award-winning author of Made You Up, Eliza and Her Monsters, and the serialized novel The Children of Hypnos. She is represented by Louise Fury of the Bent Agency. She graduated from the University of Indianapolis with a degree in Computer Science and Mathematics, and currently lives in Indiana. She spends her free time drawing, playing video games, and baking.

She looks mean, but she's actually a ball of floof on the inside.

You can find her on Twitter and Instagram @ChessieZappia, on Goodreads, and on Pinterest. She also sells her artwork at her Society6 shop.

Carrie Pestritto and I chat about all kinds of fun stuff like Ancient Aliens and simulation theory. At times this episode basically becomes "The Middle Grade Ninja Experience." Not to worry, Esteemed Audience, we also talk about books and publishing and how to get a literary agent's attention; all the things you tune in regularly to hear about. Carrie Pestritto walks us through everything from evaluating a query and a manuscript to finding a book deal to building your author platform, planning your writing career, and beyond.

Carrie Pestritto worked at Writers House and Prospect Agency before becoming part of the LDLA team. She earned her BA in English, cum laude, from Amherst College in 2009, also spending a year studying abroad at St. Catherine's College, Oxford University.

As an agent, she loves the thrill of finding new authors with strong, unique voices and working closely with her clients. Carrie always strives to help create books that will introduce readers to new worlds and is drawn in by relatable characters, meticulous world-building, and unusual, compelling premises.

Find her on Twitter at @literarycarrie.

Gregg Millman and I talk about his time in Hollywood as a screenwriter and advertising expert, as well as his time working for MSNBC. He gives several practical tips for pursuing a screenwriting career from his time as an assistant on shows such as BOSTON LEGAL to working with Nicolodean on movies such as ONE CRAZY CRUISE. And naturally, we discuss his new middle grade fantasy novel THE KANDY KINGDOM SAGA, which he wrote in collaboration with his nine-year-old son.

Gregg Millman is a Screenwriter and Middle Grade Novelist, who's created movies, TV shows and novels for kids, including a Nickelodeon movie, ONE CRAZY CRUISE. His new fantasy novel, THE KANDY KINGDOM SAGA, is the first in a series about the adventures of two kids in a magical world of candy torn apart by war between the Sweet Treats and Sour Powers.

Gregg started writing for MSNBC, but realized writing for kids was much more fun. So he moved out to La La Land, where he took his lifelong love of John Hughes teen movies and put it to good use: creating all sorts of kid content, from angsty teen TV soaps to silly Nick movies to post-apocalyptic YA sci-fi series. Gregg has now landed in the alternate dimension of The Kandy Kingdom, where he plans to reside while he completes the book.