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April Jones Prince, Jody Little, Josh Galarza, Katrina Moore and Zetta Elliott talk about the courage to be emotionally vulnerable on the page, writing about subjects for kids that people have told you kids shouldn’t read about, and the fact that even though publishing has a long way to go before it’s truly equitable that in 2014 only 8.4% of creators of children’s books were people of color and by 2023 that number had risen to 45.6%. Whether or not any of those snippets speak to you, I feel confident that something in this episode will grab hold of your heartstrings and not let go.

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Jeannine Atkins is one of the kindest people I know, and her compassion radiates through her verse. So, my wish for all of you is that your year is filled with kindness, just like Jeannine’s novels.

In this episode we talk about the power of compression, repetition, and representation. Let’s get started.

Thanks so much for listening and for being part of the Chalk + Ink family. Join us for our next live Chalk + Ink Chat about author’s craft on Sunday, January 19th at noon EST. I can’t wait to talk about writing moves with April Jones Prince, Jody Little, Josh Galarza, Katrina Moore and Zetta Elliott. You can sign up by clicking on the link above or on my website at www.katenarita.com/podcast. Bring your notebooks, favorite pens, and your questions too and join us for what’s sure to be an enlightening discussion.

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Jen Ferguson talks about opportunities to sharpen our work, why characters mirror one another in dialogue, and why we need different books for different readers. Let’s get started.

Our next episode will feature Jeannine Atkins.

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In today’s episode Sarah Aronson talks about the importance of embracing conversations, challenges, and community. Sarah's latest biography, Abzuglutely!, celebrates congresswoman, lawyer, and activist, Bella Abzug,

Our next episode will feature Jen Ferguson. Jen’s latest novel, A Constellation of Minor Bears is a USA Today bestseller.

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Jen Malia and I talk about celebrating neurodiversity, identifying your audience, and writing on location.

Our next episode will feature Sarah Aronson. Sarah’s latest picture book biography, Abzuglutely! Battling, Bellowing, Bella Abzug released last month.

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A.S. King talks about her newest novel, Pick the Lock, ACES or adverse childhood experiences, and the importance of honesty and expression.

Our next episode will feature Jen Malia. Check out her chapter book series The Infinity Rainbow Club to prep for our next episode.

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Andrew Hacket, Ernesto Cisneros, Marcie Flinchum Atkins, Lisa Stringfellow, and Tina Athaide talk about creating classroom writing communities. In addition to their wonderful voices, authors Cindy Jenson-Elliott, Valerie Bolling, and Jody Little also contributed to this heartfelt discussion.

Our next episode will feature the only two-time winner of YALSA’s Michael L. Printz award, A.S. King. She’s as honest and kind in conversation as she is in her books. So be sure to join us again in two weeks.

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I had a blast chatting with Ryan Bani Tahmaseb. We celebrate his debut picture book, Rostam’s Picture-Day Pusteen, and talk about collaborating, connecting with family, and leading with curiosity.

Click here by 11:30 AM EST on Sunday, September 22nd, to sign up to join our live chat with Andrew Hacket, Ernesto Cisneros, Lisa Stringfellow, Marcie Atkins and Tina Athaide. If you aren't able to join us, no worries. The recorded episode will release in two weeks.

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