Writing can be a powerful way to bring joy to ourselves and share joy with others, especially during the hard seasons of life. In this episode, Dr. Audrey Barbakoff (Author/Librarian) and Danielle Render Turmaud (Host/Author) discuss how writing and reading can be a mirror, a window, and a door to better understand the world—and bring joy to all of us.

You, Me, and the Writing Journey

(X, Instagram, and BlueSky): @YMWJPodcast

Podcast Website:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Audrey Barbakoff, EdD, MLIS (Author/Librarian/Entrepreneur)

Dr. Audrey Barbakoff is an author, librarian, and entrepreneur. Her debut picture book, The Schlemiel Kids Save the Moon (The Collective Book Studio, 2024) features a hilarious and diverse modern-day twist on a Yiddish folktale. Kirkus called it an enjoyable, rollicking read and Foreworddeemed it a multicultural winner. She is also the author of a forthcoming board book, Mazel Toes (The Collective Book Studio, 2025), and multiple professional development books, chapters, and articles for librarians. Audrey holds a doctorate in education and a master’s degree in library and information science. As a Jewish mother, she is passionate about passing down the vibrancy of Jewish humor, language, and stories to the next generation. Audrey lives with her family and a flock of chickens on a Puget Sound island.  

Instagram: @barbakoffbooks

Bluesky: @barbakoffbooks.bsky.social

Website and newsletter: www.barbakoffbooks.com 

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD (Host/Author/Therapist):

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD is an agented kidlit author,trauma therapist, experienced professor, international presenter/speaker, Critique Coach with the Picture Book Author Academy, Mighty Kidlit Leader, and the host of You, Me, and the Writing Journey, Take Your Kid to Publishing Daykidlit event, and the #YouDeservepIt Pitch event.

X, BlueSky, and Instagram: @Drenderturmaud

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

"Writing a book is such a personal experience, and we pour so much of ourselves, our pain, our experiences, and the way we see the world into those pages. So much so, that it makes it hard to see a pass or a "this isn't for me" as a rejection of the self." Writing is a beautifully vulnerable and personal process, which also means that separating ourselves from the stories we write (and the passes we get on them!) is not always easy. In this episode, Sophia Briar (Author) and Danielle (Host) explore this reality and ways to separate ourselves from the personal stories we bring into the world.

You, Me, and the Writing Journey

(X, Instagram, and BlueSky): @YMWJPodcast

Podcast Website:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Sophia Briar (Author)

Sophia is the querying author of the locked-room mystery Dust in the Light, which was inspired by classic Agatha Christie novels and her own experiences with toxic relationships and grief. She spends her time between her native Brazil and her chosen home of France, and is passionate about crafting compelling narratives that explore missed connections and unreliable narrators—always set in eerie places.

Social Media/Website: You can find her, and her many cups of coffee, on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok at @sophbriar, or on her website https://sophiabriar.carrd.co/.

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD (Host/Author/Therapist):

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD is an agented kidlit author, trauma therapist, experienced professor, international presenter/speaker, Critique Coach with the Picture Book Author Academy, Mighty Kidlit Leader, and the host of You, Me, and the Writing Journey, Take Your Kid to Publishing Day kidlit event, and the #YouDeservepIt Pitch event.

X, BlueSky, and Instagram: @Drenderturmaud

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

It is no secret that creators and authors deal with many worries in the writing industry. But what about editors? In this episode, Danielle (YMWJ Host) talks with Best Selling Author, Award-Winning Editor, and Publishing Director at Hodder and Stoughton Phoebe Morgan (aka, “The Honest Editor) about her Substack article “What Do Editors Worry About?” Phoebe shares many worries that editors can experience. This episode is real, its raw, and it reminds us that all parties in the publishing industry deal with worries and pressures of their own.  

Phoebe's Substack article can be found here: https://open.substack.com/pub/honesteditor/p/what-editors-worry-about?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

You, Me, and the Writing Journey

(X, Instagram, and BlueSky): @YMWJPodcast

Podcast Website:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Phoebe Morgan (Bestselling Author/Publishing Director at Hodder and Stoughton/”The Honest Editor” Substack Author)

Phoebe Morgan is a bestselling author and award-winningeditor. She currently works as the Commercial Fiction Publishing Director at Hodder & Stoughton, and is the author of five books published by HarperCollins. 

Social media:

Instagram: Phoebeannmorgan

X: Phoebe_A_Morgan

Substack: The Honest Editor

Facebook: PhoebeMorganAuthor 

Website: www.phoebemorganauthor.com 

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD (Host/Author/Therapist):

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD is an agented kidlit author,trauma therapist, experienced professor, international presenter/speaker, Critique Coach with the Picture Book Author Academy, Mighty Kidlit Leader, and the host of You, Me, and the Writing Journey, Take Your Kid to Publishing Daykidlit event, and the #YouDeservepIt Pitch event.

X, BlueSky, and Instagram: @Drenderturmaud

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Everyone’s writing/publishing journey is different, and yet the comparisons are real. In this episode, Alexandria Faulkenbury and Danielle talk about what it means to run our own race and focusing on our own journeys, taking it one moment, one celebration, and one step at a time.

You, Me, and the Writing Journey

(X, Instagram, and BlueSky): @YMWJPodcast

Podcast Website:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Alexandria Faulkenbury (Author):

Alexandria Faulkenbury is the author of Somewhere Past the End, which was published in May 2025. She holds an M.A. in multicultural and transnational literature and lives with her family in South Carolina.

Instagram: @amfaulkenbury 

Twitter/X: @lexibury. 

Website: alexandriafaulkenbury.com

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD (Host/Author/Therapist):

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD is an agented kidlit author, trauma therapist, experienced professor, international presenter/speaker, Critique Coach with the Picture Book Author Academy, Mighty Kidlit Leader, and the host of You, Me, and the Writing Journey, Take Your Kid to Publishing Day kidlit event, and the #YouDeservepIt Pitch event.

X, BlueSky, and Instagram: @Drenderturmaud

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

There is no perfection in the writing process, and thatincludes querying! In this episode, Danielle talks with Briana Caballero and A. B. Koga about how querying is a learning process; and how expecting perfection of ourselves before we start querying or in the process not only is unrealistic, but can be harmful for our well-being.

You, Me, and the Writing Journey

(X, Instagram, and BlueSky): @YMWJPodcast

Podcast Website:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Briana Caballero (Author):

Briana Caballero is a proud Latinx author/illustrator,authortuber, and children's YouTube storyteller. She is currently on submission with a queer middle grade graphic novel that makes her smile WAY too big, and loves writing stories with a focus on empowering children and teens to always be unapologetically themselves. 

Twitter: @bricaballero_

Instagram: @briana_writesbooks

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brianacwritesbooks

A. B. Koga (Author):

Aaron is a biblical scholar and science-fiction fantasyauthor. He writes biblical commentaries for The Bible for Normal People and answers people's questions about the Bible and biblical scholarship on social media. He lives in Arizona with his doctor wife and three young daughters,where he writes novels on his phone between getting his kids to all their after-school activities.

TikTok @a.b.koga

Instragram @a.b.koga

YouTube @abhbible

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD (Host/Author/Therapist):

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD is an agented kidlit author,trauma therapist, experienced professor, international presenter/speaker, Critique Coach with the Picture Book Author Academy, Mighty Kidlit Leader, and the host of You, Me, and the Writing Journey, Take Your Kid to Publishing Day kidlit event, and the #YouDeservepIt Pitch event.

X, BlueSky, and Instagram: @Drenderturmaud

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The querying journey is full of passes. They are the expected, the inevitable. In this insightful episode, Agent Heather Cashman helps us understand the many reasons for agent passes—beyond writing quality. (And plot spoiler, that is often not the reason at all!)

You, Me, and the Writing Journey

(X, Instagram, and BlueSky): @YMWJPodcast

Podcast Website:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Heather Cashman (Agent and Author):

Heather loves books about people she could become friendswith and introduce a new world, but she cherishes the ones that make her want to be the heroine of her own life. Writing for enjoyment turned into an interest in improving craft and eventually led to becoming a professional editor for Cornerstones Literary Consultancy, volunteering asManaging Director of Pitch Wars, interning for The Bent Agency and Entangled Publishing, and now a Senior Literary Agent and Agent Mentor at Storm Literary Agency.

Agency Website: https://www.stormliteraryagency.com/heather-cashman.html

Website: www.heathercashman.com

Way Word Writers Podcast: https://way-wordwriters.com/

BlueSky: @heathercashman.bsky.social

Twitter: @HeatherCashman

Instagram: @heathercashmanauthor

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD (Host/Author/Therapist):

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD is an agented kidlitauthor, trauma therapist, experienced professor, internationalpresenter/speaker, Picture Book Critique Coach with the Picture Book Author Academy, and the host of You, Me, and the Writing Journey, Take Your Kid to Publishing Day kidlit event, and the #YouDeservepIt Pitch event.

X, BlueSky, and Instagram: @Drenderturmaud

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, Dara Henry (Author) and Danielle Render Turmaud (Host/Author) discuss finding a silver lining amidst the (many) passes we may face in the publishing journey.

You, Me, and the Writing Journey

(X, Instagram, and BlueSky): @YMWJPodcast

Podcast Website:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Dara Henry (Author):

Dara has a Master’s degree in Elementary Education and as a former elementary school teacher, she gained an appreciation for the beauty and power of children’s literature. Dara’s debut picture book, Hanukkah Pajamakkahs, was published on September 3, 2024 with Sourcebooks Kids. Her second book, Mazel Tov, Baby! launched September 16, 2025. She is represented by Rena Rossner of The Deborah Harris Agency.

IG: dara_henry_writes

X: @dshenry1

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD (Host/Author/Therapist):

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD is an agented kidlit author, trauma therapist, experienced professor, international presenter/speaker, Picture Book Critique Coach with the Picture Book Author Academy, and the host of You, Me, and the Writing Journey, Take Your Kid to Publishing Day kidlit event, and the #YouDeservepIt Pitch event.

X, BlueSky, and Instagram: @Drenderturmaud

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Season 3 is here!! And what a great way to launch the seasonby sharing this episode where Ryan Rae Harbuck discusses the 5 P’s of living life as a writer/creator fully—something we all deserve. Ryan shares the 5 impactful words that can help ground us in this journey (Passion, Perspective, Patience, Positivity, and Perseverance) and how she created this meaningful model in her own life/journey.  

You, Me, and the Writing Journey

(X, Instagram, and BlueSky): @YMWJPodcast

Podcast Website:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ryan Rae Harbuck (Author):

Her award-winning debut memoir WHEN I GROW UP I WANT TO BE A CHAIR set off sparks in Ryan’s belly and a yearning for change within disability representation in literature. With words in Huffington Post, Newsweek, Insider, Motherwell, and New Mobility Magazine, Ryan has shared her own life experiences as a wheelchair user caused by a spinal cord injury in her teens. Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, Ryan has been a teacher, coach, mentor, and mom, and she’s on a mission to change the perspective and the narrativewithin both children and adult literature, one word at a time. 

Website: www.ryanraeharbuck.com

All socials @ryanraeharbuck (Twitter/X, IG, Bluesky,TikTok, Substack)

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD (Host/Author/Therapist):

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD is an agented kidlitauthor, trauma therapist, experienced professor, international presenter/speaker, Picture Book Critique Coach with the Picture Book Author Academy, and the host of You, Me, and the Writing Journey, Take Your Kid to Publishing Day kidlit event, and the #YouDeservepIt Pitch event.

X, BlueSky, and Instagram: @Drenderturmaud

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Navigating the publication industry with neurodiversity is not void of challenges, but it also can involve superpowers. In this episode, Agent/Author Kaitlyn Sanchez and Host Danielle Render Turmaud talk about what it might look and feel like to navigate the publishing industry as a marginalizedneurotype, and provide resources. And most of all, they share the message that regardless of our neurotype, we can trust ourselves and we deserve support.

You, Me, and the Writing Journey

(X, Instagram, and BlueSky): @YMWJPodcast

Podcast Website:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Kaitlyn Sanchez (Agent/Author):

Kaitlyn Sanchez (she/her) is an agent with Bradford LiteraryAgency and a middle school math teacher. She's also the proud co-creator and co-host of the Spring Fling Kidlit Contest and Kidlit Zombie Week as well as creator and co-host of the Kidlit Fall Writing Frenzy Contest. In her free time, she loves to play soccer, binge-watch TV shows, and, ofcourse, read. Especially when she’s all cozied up with her husband and daughter reading together.

Website: https://kaitlynleannsanchez.com/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kaitlynleann17.bsky.social

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KaitlynLeann17

Please follow her clients on social media: https://kaitlynleannsanchez.com/literary-clients/

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD (Host/Author/Therapist):

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD is an agented kidlit author,trauma therapist, experienced professor, international presenter/speaker, and the host of You, Me, and the Writing Journey, Take Your Kid to Publishing Day kidlit event, and the #YouDeservepIt Pitch event.

X, BlueSky, and Instagram: @Drenderturmaud

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Writing is a powerful tool that helps us feel, process, be with, and transcend trauma. There is so much wisdom shared in this episode from Amanda Dodge and Z.T. Fairfax as they share their journeys of using writing as a part of navigating trauma in their own lives. May it inspire you as much as writing has inspired them.

You, Me, and the Writing Journey

(X, Instagram, and BlueSky): @YMWJPodcast

Podcast Website:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Amanda Dodge (Author):

Amanda Dodge is a mother and a full-time ghostwriter of fiction and non-fiction based in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. While writing has her heart, her background is in developmental psychology, specializing in trauma and addiction counseling. 

X: @manda_dodge

Bluesky: @amandadodge

Z. T. Fairfax (Author):

Former award-winning editor, Z. T. Fairfax, is a young adult fiction author, Public Relations Director, husband, father, and the proud owner of one cat and four kittens. Residing in the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln, Z. T. balances his work/home life against his crippling addition to social media and his email inbox.

Twitter/X : @ZTFairfax

BlueSky: @ztfairfax

Website: ztfairfax.com

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD (Host/Author/Therapist):

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD is an agented kidlit author, trauma therapist, experienced professor, international presenter/speaker, and the host of You, Me, and the Writing Journey, Take Your Kid to Publishing Day kidlit event, and the #YouDeservepIt Pitch event.

X, BlueSky, and Instagram: @Drenderturmaud

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Film Discussed in the Ending of the Episode:

The Wisdom of Trauma with Dr. Gabor Maté:

https://scienceandnonduality.com/films/the-wisdom-of-trauma/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21872533652&gbraid=0AAAAADfN2vmFxGx_gPUZC2BbDd2tA22Qt&gclid=Cj0KCQjwnJfEBhCzARIsAIMtfKKa9PqA_6W03mTCYQGYwe8c9a0yglElTRAaKB2CxJYORS3jHY-xzAYaApMxEALw_wcB