Interview with Middle-Grade author Jess Redman. Her debut, The Miraculous, published with FSG/Macmillan on July 30, 2019 and received a starred review from Kirkus.

Her second middle-grade novel, QUINTESSENCE, will be out in May, 2020. Jess is from Florida. Aside from being an author, she is also therapist, adjunct professor of psychology and mom of young children, and an old cat named Soul Pie.

Find out more about Jess at www.jessredman.com and follow her on Twitter @Jess_Red or Instagram @Jess_Red

Be sure to join the My Messy Muse community on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/mymessymuse

To find out more about the host, Michele McAvoy, please visit her website at www.michelemcavoy.com

Follow host Michele McAvoyTwitter: @michele_mcavoyInstagram: @michelemcavoy

Patricia Toht is a children's book author from Chicago, Illinois. She is the author of four picture books – ALL ABOARD THE LONDON BUS (illustrated by Sam Usher), DRESS LIKE A GIRL (illustrated by Lorian Tu), and PICK A PINE TREE and PICK A PUMPKIN (illustrated by Jarvis) which both received starred reviews. She has two additional forthcoming titles. 

You can find out more about Patricia, her titles and her school visits at www.patriciatoht.com

You can follow her on Twitter @PatriciaToht 

To join the My Messy Muse community and chat and learn with other #kidlit fans and creative, please visit the group at www.facebook.com/groups/mymessymuse

You can find out more about the host, Michele McAvoy, at www.michelemcavoy.com or follow her on:

Twitter: @michele_mcavoyInstagram: @michelemcavoy

This #TeacherFeature with Nicole Mancini (a.k.a.- Miss Nikki), My Messy Muse's official Educator Collaborator, discusses book clubs in the classroom! What is a book club? How to organize a book club? How to get the kids excited to do book clubs? Lots of great tips in this #TeacherFeature!  Book clubs are another great way to build relationships between authors and educators.

Miss Nikki teaches fifth grade English Language Arts at Bedminster Township School District. She graduated from Washington College in 2002 as a triple major in English, education, and gender studies. She earned a Masters of Science in Education from Monmouth University and has a Reading Specialist certification. Nicole has served as a member of Bedminster Township School's Gifted & Talented Advisory Council, Technology Committee, Teacher of the Year Committee, and English & Language Arts Literacy Curriculum Committee; she also led the faculty's professional book club.  Nicole has presented various workshops both in and out of New Jersey on technology, building students' passion for reading, motivating reluctant readers, battling mental health stigmas through books, and engagement. She has been an advocate for using diverse and neurodiverse books in the classroom for several years and has worked with authors from around the country to help educators learn more about this topic. In addition, Nicole is a freelance writer, a member of the International Literacy Association, National Council of Teachers of English, and New Jersey Council of Teachers of English, and an ambassador for Flipgrid. Nicole was most recently named the Ambassador of Special Projects and Professional Development for the New Jersey Literacy Association. She has been published on the Nerdy Book Club blog and Teaching Channel, appeared on the Books Between Podcast and My Disney Class Podcast, and was featured on the Educator Spotlight column for MG Book Village. Nicole also organizes and appears on author panels for both children and adults in local bookstores.

Resource referenced- Breathing New Life Into Book Clubs, by Sonja Cherry-Paul and Dana Johansen.

Check out our prior #TeacherFeature- Episode 11!

You can connect with Nikki on Twitter at @MissNikkiIn5th.

Be sure to join the My Messy Muse community on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/mymessymuse

If you are interested in a school visit with host Michele McAvoy, please visit her website at www.michelemcavoy.com/workwithme 

Follow host Michele McAvoy

Twitter: @michele_mcavoy

Instagram: @michelemcavoy

Annie Lynn is a songwriter from Pennsylvania. She is the President and Chief Composer at  AnnieBirdd Music, LLC. She began writing songs when she was 14 while acting in Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer’s Night Dream.” At 14 she wrote a nature song entitled “Listen,” that was shown on CBS.  

Today, Annie writes songs for children including her multi-award-winning song- "No Time for Hate,"  “That’s All There Is,” "Listen - a nature song;" "STOP THAT! - A Bullying Prevention Song;" and "New School."   She also writes songs for children's books including a fabulous song for author Patrick Adams called "Amazing Lisa Rocks;" a song for Author Dawn Babb Prochovnic for her book "Where does a Pirate Go Potty" with West Margin Press and musical beds for Kidlit TV!

Find out more about AnnieBirdd and her music at www.annielynn.net

Follow her on Twitter @AnnieLynn215

Below are more links referenced in the interview.

www.facebook.com/schoolsongsfromanniebirddmusic www.souncloud.com/annie-lynn-6 www.youtube.com/user/Anniebirdd

Book Trailer for "Where Does a Pirate Go Potty"

GoodShellas, A Tortoise Mafia Story by Alexander Wilczewski

Be sure to join the My Messy Muse community on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/mymessymuse

If you are interested in a school visit with host Michele McAvoy, please visit her website at www.michelemcavoy.com/workwithme

Follow host Michele McAvoy Twitter: @michele_mcavoy Instagram: @michelemcavoy

On the Anniversary of 9/11 we recognize that tragedy can and does strike, and that bad things happen to good people- good people in our kidlit community.  

This episode reflects on my own personal tragedy which propelled me to write, to eventually write through the sadness and to eventually write colorful, joyful books for children.

On My Messy Muse we talk about writing through the messiness of life.  Some folks have daily messy, like juggling kids, work and activities. And, some folks have heavier messy.  Whatever your messiness may be, know that you are not alone.  Know that writing and creating can help you through whatever you are battling.  Know that you can find support here, in the My Messy Muse community. 

Wishing all those listening solace, peace and white light to get you through your gray days towards days that are filled with color.

Best,  Michele

www.michelemcavoy.com

Twitter: @michele_mcavoy Instagram: @michelemcavoy

Be a member of our FREE Messy Muse community: www.facebook.com/groups/mymessymuse

Jodi McKay lives in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan with her husband, son, and a couple of furry friends. She has two books published by Albert Whitman & Co., WHERE ARE THE WORDS? (2016) and, PENCIL’S PERFECT PICTURE (2019). Jodi is the PAL coordinator and soon to be co-regional advisor for SCBWI-MI. She is represented by Linda Epstein of Emerald City Literary Agency. 

Find out more about Jodi at www.jodimckaybooks.com

Follow her on Twitter @jlmckay1 or Instagram @jodimckay1

Be sure to join the My Messy Muse community on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/mymessymuse

If you are interested in an author visit with host Michele McAvoy, please visit her website at www.michelemcavoy.com/workwithme

Follow host Michele McAvoyTwitter: @michele_mcavoyInstagram: @michelemcavoy

Julie Gonzalez is a children's book author living in the Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania.  In a past life, she was a 3rd-grade teacher in New Jersey.  Her debut How Could a Bear Sleep Here? with Holiday House released 2018.

You can find out more about Julie at www.juliegonzalez.com

You can follow Julie on Twitter at @JulieGz123

Be sure to join the My Messy Muse community on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/mymessymuse

If you are interested in a school visit with host Michele McAvoy, pleasevisit her website at www.michelemcavoy.com/workwithme

Follow host Michele McAvoyTwitter: @michele_mcavoyInstagram: @michelemcavoy

JAROD ROSELLÓ is a Cuban American cartoonist, writer, and teacher originally from Miami, Florida. He holds an MFA in creative writing and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from Penn State University. He is the author and artist of The Well-Dressed Bear Will (Never) be Found, the middle-grade graphic novel Red Panda & Moon Bear, with Top Shelf Comix and the forthcoming, Those Bears also with Top Shelf Comix. He teaches in the creative writing program at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

You can follow Jarod on Twitter @jarodrosello 

Be sure to join the My Messy Muse community on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/mymessymuse

If you are interested in a picture book critique, a strategy session or a school visit with host Michele McAvoy, please visit her website at www.michelemcavoy.com/workwithme

Follow host Michele McAvoyTwitter: @michele_mcavoyInstagram: @michelemcavoy

Holly Niner is children's picture book author with four published titles.

Her books include No More Noisy Nights and The Day I Ran Away both with Flashlight Press and both received a Gold Mom’s Choice award and were nominated for Mississippi Magnolia Children’s Choice award 2019. No More Noisy Nights was a Scholastic Book Club selection and featured on Storyline Online.

Mr. Worry: A Story about OCD (Albert Whitman) received the 2005 IBBY Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities Award, and I Can’t Stop: A Story about Tourette Syndrome (Albert Whitman) received a 2006 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award and was a 2005 Bank Street College of Education Best Book.

She lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana with her husband, in a home with books on bookshelves, on tables, in boxes, even in the bathroom!

Find more about Holly and her books at www.hollyniner.com.

Follow her Twitter: @hollylniner Facebook: www.facebook.com/hollylniner

Be sure to join the My Messy Muse community on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/mymessymuse

If you are interested in a picture book critique, a strategy session or a school visit with host Michele McAvoy, please visit her website at www.michelemcavoy.com/workwithme

Follow host Michele McAvoyTwitter: @michele_mcavoyInstagram: @michelemcavoy

Wendy Swore is a middle-grade author with her debut novel released March 2019, A MONSTER LIKE ME, published with Shadow Mountain. A  MONSTER LIKE ME is a story about self-acceptance and bullying and we celebrate this story and Wendy's personal story on My Messy Muse in honor of Children's Mental Health Awareness Month.

Wendy S Swore lives on a farm with a corn maze and pumpkin patch that is home to her five kids, two dogs, two geese, seven peacocks, eleven ducks, nineteen cats, and two hundred thirty-seven chickens. She farms in the summers, writes in the winters, and would rather chew her leg off than eat something spicy.

Find out more about Wendy here: 

www.wendyswore.com 

Twitter: @wendyswore Instagram: @wendyswore

Be sure to join the My Messy Muse community on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/mymessymuse

If you are interested in a picture book critique, a strategy session or a school visit with host Michele McAvoy, please visit her website at www.michelemcavoy.com/workwithme

Follow host Michele McAvoyTwitter: @michele_mcavoyInstagram: @michelemcavoy