I give some recommendations for my favorite books for writers. Then my guest, middle grade novelist and English professor Erin Dionne, chats with me about revision tips and tricks, plotting vs pantsing, story structure, and more. Spoiler alert: There is no one way to be a writer! Oh also we talk a bit about contract killers and trivia addiction. Obviously.

SHOW NOTES:

* The Literaticast has a Patreon - throw in a buck and you just might win books! (Also, you'll help keep new episodes of the podcast coming. Yay!)

* Erin Dionne is on the web, and on twitter. (Also, I'M on twitter!)

* Blake Snyder's "Beat Sheet" for plotting (See the book SAVE THE CAT, below, for more details)

* Another example of cinematic plot points

* Erin's first picture book is coming this fall, and you can pre-order it now! ​

* Teachers Write is a great FREE program that runs over the summer, July 9-Aug 3, particularly geared towards teachers who also write books. Check it out for mentorship and inspiration!

BOOKS WE DISCUSSED:

I'm joined by Suzanna Hermans, from Oblong Books & Music in New York's Hudson Valley. She talks about how she curates the selection at Oblong -- what prompts an "auto-buy" from her -- and when books get returned. We also touch on some hot topics: Does a scandal from an author prompt exclusion from the bookstore shelves? And just how terrible IS Henry Higgins from MY FAIR LADY? (#theworst). Plus, great book recommendations, and current obsessions!

SHOW NOTES:

* SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE!
* The Literaticast has a Patreon - chip in a buck, and you just might win books every month.
* Find me on Twitter @literaticat - Find Suzanna Hermans on Twitter @oblongirl
* Visit Oblong Books & Music on the web!
​* Awesome upcoming YA events at the Hudson Valley YA Society
* Edelweiss is a digital catalogue system
* Obsessions have a Caribbean flair:
 -- Jenn rec's a TV show on Netflix: DEATH IN PARADISE is escapist "Murder She Wrote-esque" fare.
 -- Suzanna recommends ONCE ON THIS ISLAND for Broadway Lovers.

BOOKS WE DISCUSSED:

It's a jam-packed double episode featuring two authors whose YA books are polar opposites... except for the fact that they are both TERRIFIC... and they both have the same release date! Amy Spalding is on hand to discuss her new rom-com THE SUMMER OF JORDI PEREZ (AND THE BEST BURGER IN LOS ANGELES), and also to do a deep dive into the hamburger-based culinary traditions of L.A. Justina Ireland joins me to talk about her blood-spattered alt-historical novel DREAD NATION, Mark Twain, and how to kill a man with a grass trimmer. Never say we don't teach you anything on the Literaticast!

* The Literaticast has a Patreon! Throw in a buck, and you can be the first to ask questions... and you just might win great books. Including the books featured on this very episode! 

* I'm on twitter! Amy Spalding is on twitter!Justina Ireland is on twitter! WE'RE ALL ON TWITTER!

* Amy's author website -- * Justina's author website

* The In-n-Out Secret Menu Items, ranked

* The Two Bossy Dames newsletter - you can subscribe for free, or get bonus content with a paid subscription. (It is SO GOOD, gang)

* From the NYT: Black Kids Don't Want to Read About Harriet Tubman All the Time

* The Hamline MFA program in Writing for Children & Young Adults

* Writerly Resources: Justina tweetly opines about novel openings and the Promise of the Story

​* Writerly Resources 2: Books by Donald Maas including WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL

* Writerly Resources 3: The AbsoluteWrite message board

Every year in Spring, children's agents descend on a small city in Italy for the largest international children's-only book fair in the world. But it's not all gelato-nomming and prosecco-swilling! I give a crash course in what translation rights even are, and then superagent Kathleen Ortiz from New Leaf Literary joins me to talk about what exactly goes on at the Bologna Children's Book Fair. (Though, off the record, if you want to talk to me about gelato, I do also have a lot of opinions on that subject.) Plus, we talk about some upcoming titles in self-promotion corner, and as always, share our current obsessions.

* The Literaticast has a Patreon! 

* Me on Twitter! Guest agent Kathleen Ortiz on Twitter!

* New Leaf Literary Agency Submission Guidelines

YA author Saundra Mitchell joins me to chat about her new anthology, ALL OUT: THE NO-LONGER SECRET STORIES OF QUEER TEENS THROUGHOUT THE AGES. ALL OUT is stuffed chock-full of genre-spanning queer historical stories, and Saundra talks about not only the making of this book, but also different ways to approach anthologies. Also: we talk about how YA publishing has changed in the past ten years, what's up with writing under pseudonyms, what the deal is with #ownvoices, how to know if you are writing YA or adult, and how to juggle writing and promoting your books while holding down a day job. Plus, what we're obsessed with this week.

SHOW NOTES

* The Literaticast has a Patreon: Throw in a buck, and you just might win a copy of ALL OUT. New prizes every month!

* I'm on Twitter. So is Saundra Mitchell! You can also visit Saundra on her website. Her spring tour schedule will be updated as she gets information. :-)

Some of the books we discussed in this episode:

Brilliant and opinionated Lisa von Drasek joins me to talk about Kerlan Collection, the Caldecott and Newbery Awards, and much more. Lisa tries not to get roped into my shenanigans of wildly speculating about award outcomes, and only partially succeeds. And, we share a passion for a certain upcoming book about zombies.

PS: I almost definitely said the date of the ALA Youth Media Awards announcements incorrectly on the podcast, or forgot to say it at all. If you want to attend the press conference or view the livestream, the correct date is MONDAY, FEB 12, at 8am Mountain Time. Link to the livestream in the show notes, and I'll be tweeting about it on the morning of!

SHOW NOTES:

* Literaticast has a Patreon!

* Jenn on Twitter. Lisa on Twitter.

* University of Minnesota Children's Book Art: Techniques and Media 

* The Kerlan Collection
​
* Lisa's blog, the Blue Ox Review

* Check out the LIVE STREAM of the ALA Youth Media Awards, Monday 2/12 at 8am MT.

* ALA YMA: Awards and Criteria

* Other awards to keep your eyes on: Charlotte Zolotow Award - Ezra Jack Keats Award - Ridgway Award

* Ask a Manager Blog  - One of Lisa's obsessions now has a book deal!

Some of the books we discussed: 

Superagent Molly Ker Hawn, head of the U.K. office of The Bent Agency, joins me for a proper chinwag about the U.K. vs U.S. book market. Along the way, we answer some listener questions, including: What does one look for in a newer agent? How does one work with an editor? What if one wants to write in multiple categories/genres? Plus, we talk about upcoming new books, complain about the monarchy, gab about ghosts, and more!

* Me on Twitter - Molly on Twitter
​* Molly's agency page & submission guidelines
* Some of the books we discuss:

I spoke to four amazing children's booksellers across the country and got their top picks for holiday giving. Obviously this is for AFTER you've already bought all my client's books ;-)  I hope you find some new favorites on this list, and I hope all my listeners have a wonderful holiday season full of warmth and light... and BOOKS!

My guest booksellers are awesome - visit their stores when you are in the neighborhood (or visit their websites anytime!) Meet the booksellers:

* The Literaticast has a Patreon! Throw in a buck, you might win books, or just the glow that comes from helping keep a podcast on the air. :-)
* I'm on Twitter @Literaticat - So are Nicole, Clare, Sara and Summer!
* Book Passage has a"Giving Tree" for local families in need!
* Eight Cousins has even more great holiday picks on their own list!
* A nice article about how to share wordless picture books
AND ON TO THE BOOKS!

I sit down with Kendra Levin, the Associate Editorial Director at Viking Children's Books/PRH. She is also a life-coach for writers, and we talk NaNoWriMo, among other things. She uses the Hero's Journey as not just a craft tool, but a process tool, and gives us a big dose of inspiration for the writer's life. (NaNoInspo that should be useful all the year round!) Along the way, I tell my secret NaNoWriMo confession. Kendra also helps me answer some listener publishing questions, and we talk about Fancy French People and Superheroines, including the Librarian of Congress.

* The Literaticast has a Patreon! Throw in a buck to get early access to future guests, win books, and more.

* Jenn is on twitter! Kendra is on twitter!

* Buy Kendra's book THE HERO IS YOU: Sharpen Your Focus, Conquer Your Demons, and Become the Writer You Were Born to Be!

* NaNoInspo! Kendra has some great blog posts on the NaNoWriMo blog -- one is about how to emotionally prep for NaNo. Another is about how to use archetypes as tools to bolster your NaNo experience. And the whole NaNo website is worth a look.

* Watch Dix Pour Cent (CALL MY AGENT!) on Netflix!

​* Watch our Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden in this CBS interview after her swearing-in. And follow her on Twitter!

I chat with Scholastic/Graphix editor Cassandra Pelham Fulton about how graphic novels are created from the editorial POV... and then with creator Nilah Magruder about her road to comics success. It's a double episode - and DOUBLE the fun! 

* The Literaticast has a Patreon! Throw in a buck to support the show, get a first chance to ask our guests questions, and you might just win a book.
* Find me on Twitter! Find Cassandra on Twitter! Find Nilah on Twitter!
* Cassandra recommends the following as MUST READS for folks new to the Graphic Novel world:
Bone; Smile; Amulet; Cleopatra in Space; El Deafo; Lumberjanes; Persepolis; Maus

* I'm obsessed with a grownup book - YOUNG JANE YOUNG by Gabrielle Zevin. 
* Cassandra is obsessed with PUSHEEN! Created by Claire Belton and Andrew Duff. 
​

* Check out Nilah Magruder's website
​* Nilah recommends some Webcomics: How to Be a Werewolf; Agents of the Realm; Witchy 
* I get two obsessions this week - my latest is the documentary HAROLD AND LILLIAN, A HOLLYWOOD LOVE STORY
* Nilah's obseessions are HAIKYU!! - an anime series about volleyball (among other things) - and MY HERO ACADEMIA, about a school where kids train to be superheroes.
* Nilah's Books!