Literary Agent Interview: Jim Averbeck Interview

 Today I’m thrilled to have agent Jim Averbeck here. He’s an agent at East West Literary Agency.

Hi Jim! Thanks so much for joining us.

About Jim:

1. Tell us how you became an agent, how long you’ve been one, and what you’ve been doing as an agent.

I announced my agency on Sept 17, 2024. So I have not been at it very long at all. Up to this point I have been reading through queries looking for stories that interest or intrigue me. About 25% of the queries I have read have resulted in a request for full manuscripts. I imagine I am being more open than many agents at this point because I am building a stable of clients.

About the Agency:

2. Share a bit about your agency and what it offers to its authors.

East West Literary Agency is a long established agency. It is a boutique agency with a very select group of clients. Agency founder Deborah Warren has represented some heavy hitters in the industry, including Newbery winner Kwami Alexander and best-selling franchises Pete the Cat by James Dean and Llama, Llama by Anna Dewdney. Authors should know that agencies pre-negotiate boiler plate contracts with publishers that is the starting point for any agency client. So agencies with heavy hitters have more clout to get better terms on those boiler plates.

What He’s Looking For:

3. What age groups do you represent—picture books, MG, and/or YA? What genres do you represent and what are you looking for in submissions for these genres?

I do picture books, MG and YA. At this time I am only accepting author/illustrators for picture books. It’s an economic reason for that and I hope, once I am more established, to be able to represent authors of picture books. (Especially since I am one myself.)

4.  Is there anything you would be especially excited to seeing in the genres you are interested in?

Books that:
•    Help kids develop critical thinking skills (in a non-didactic way, of course)
•    Speak on how to resist authoritarianism (eg Little Brother by Cory Doctorow)
•    Take big ideas and make them digestible for the targeted age group (eg Sophie’s World  by Jostein Gaarder)
•    Feature whip-smart protagonists (eg Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card)
•    Emphasize kindness and empathy (eg The Other Side by Jaqueline Woodson)

What He Isn’t Looking For:

5. What types of submissions are you not interested in?

Most types of romance or romantasy. I mean it’s absolutely fine if the characters have love interests in the story, but if the main plot is about a girl choosing between two boys to find fulfillment, you’ll want to find another agent.

Agent Philosophy:

6. What is your philosophy as an agent both in terms of the authors you want to work with and the books you want to represent?

This question is partially answered in the “what I am looking for” question. But I’d add that, insofar as authors are concerned, and being one myself, I think the best of us are constantly looking for ways to make our story better – even after it is published and well-received! If you are an author who thinks your book is perfect as-is, we might not be a good fit. But if you want a dialogue on making your story the best it can be, we might be a match.

Editorial Agent:

7. Are you an editorial agent? If so, what is your process like when you’re working with your authors before submitting to editors?

Yes. I am a very editorial agent. The process varies depending on the author and the story, but basically I work from big, foundational issues toward a final, detailed polish.

Query Methods and Submission Guidelines: (Always verify before submitting)

8. How should authors query you and what do you want to see with the query letter?

To query me, go to jimaverbeck.com and click the “agenting” menu item. Read through that page to see what I am interested in, then if your work seems to fit, click the query form button and fill out the form it takes you to.

As for query letters, there must be one prominent teacher out there whose thoughts on query letters have influenced a lot of writers. I say this because so many query letters I get seem to follow the same exact format and wording. They get hard to differentiate. The format is fine as far as it goes, but I’d love to hear something about who you, the author, are. What makes you or your story unique?

9.  Do you have any specific dislikes in query letters or the first pages submitted to you?
Not really. I mentioned the standard format people use above, but I don’t dislike it. Just add something to make me see you as an individual. One query recently contained a self-effacing joke about the author’s work which made me laugh out loud and want to really see what this guy had to say in his books.

Response Time:

10. What’s your response time to queries and requests for more pages of a manuscript?

6-8 weeks to ask for full manuscripts, then an additional 8 weeks to respond to full manuscripts.  That’s an average. Sometimes a work gets on the “maybe” pile, or has some unique circumstances that I need to think about and those could take longer. So don’t despair if it takes beyond my average. It means I am giving your work more consideration.

Self-Published and Small Press Authors:

11.  Are you open to representing authors who have self-published or been published by smaller presses? What advice do you have for them if they want to try to find an agent to represent them?

Yes.  The advice for them is the same as for any author – find someone who likes the kind of things you write. And remember this can be a lifetime commitment so you better like them. (Obviously you can fire your agent – but if you have sold a book together you will always have some connection.)

If their self-published book has had extraordinary sales, they may want to mention that, of course.

Clients:

12. Who are some of the authors you represent?

I’ve just started out so my client list is small but mighty. My first client is Ellen Hopkins, best-selling novelist of Crank, Identical, Smoke – close to 2 dozen books. I have another client who just accepted, but I think I will need to await the official agency announcement before passing that on.

Interviews and Guest Posts:

13. Please share the links to any interviews, guest posts, and podcasts you think would be helpful to writers interested in querying you.

I don’t really have any at the moment. I don’t tend to pass my time on the internet.

Links and Contact Info:

14. Please share how writers should contact you to submit a query and your links on the Web.

To query me, go to jimaverbeck.com and click the “agenting” menu item. Read through that page to see what I am interested in, then if your work seems to fit, click the query submission button and fill out the form it takes you to.

Additional Advice:

15. Is there any other advice you’d like to share with aspiring authors that we haven’t covered?

Understand that this business is very hard to break into. The odds are about the same as making it into the NBA.

And be yourself -- just be yourself.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Jim.

Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or email me at natalieiaguirre7@gmail.com

Note: These agent profiles and interviews presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found here is subject to change.

 

 Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Monday, February 24th I have an agent spotlight interview with Reiko Davis and a query critique giveaway

Saturday, March 1st I’m participating in the Lady Luck Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, March 5th I have a guest post by debut author Angie Dickinson and a giveaway of her YA Truth Cursed

Monday, March 10th I have an interview with author Angie Millington and a giveaway of her MG Once for Yes

Sunday, March 16th I’m participating in the Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop

Monday, March 17th I have an interview with debut author Carol Baldwin and a giveaway of her upper MG/YA Half Truths

I hope to see you on Monday!

Wish Big Giveaway Hop

 

Happy Sunday Everyone! Today I'm excited to participate in the Wish Big Giveaway Hop hosted by MamatheFox and Mom Does Reviews. I hope you're surviving the winter. I'm so looking forward to spring, though I'm enjoying crocheting stuffed animals, working on my blog, and book, and reading more.

I also have good news. Literary Rambles is one of FeedSpot's Top Literary Blogs and Websites in 2025. I'm honored to receive this award.

 

Book of Your Choice or Amazon Gift Card

I am offering a book of your choice that is $20 or less on Amazon. I’m looking forward to seeing what books everyone is looking forward to reading.

If you don’t have a book you want, you can win a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

Giveaway Details

To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by November 30th telling me whether you want a book, and if so, which one, or the Amazon gift card and your email address. Be sure to include your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or other social media sites and/or follow me on Twitter, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. The book giveaway is U.S. only and the Amazon gift card giveaway is International.
 

 Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Monday, February 17th I have an agent spotlight interview with Jim Averbeck

Monday, February 24th I have an agent spotlight interview with Reiko Davis and a query critique giveaway

Saturday, March 1st I’m participating in the Lady Luck Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, March 5th I have a guest post by debut author Angie Dickinson and a giveaway of her YA Truth Cursed

Monday, March 10th I have an interview with author Angie Millington and a giveaway of her MG Once for Yes

Sunday, March 16th I’m participating in the Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop

Monday, March 17th I have an interview with debut author Carol Baldwin and a giveaway of her upper MG/YA Half Truths

I hope to see you tomorrow!

And here are all the blogs participating in this blog hop:

 

MamatheFox, Mom Does Reviews, and all participating blogs are not held responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations.

Author Interview: Elly Swartz and Same Page Giveaway

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have Elly Swartz here to share about her new MG contemporary realistic fiction, Same Page. I interviewed Elly when she was a debut author in 2016 with her first book release, Finding Perfect. Elly is an award-winning author and has released Smart Cookie, Give and Take, Dear Student, and Hidden Truths in addition to Same Page. Her new book is incredibly timely, and I’ve already added it to my TBR list.

Here's a blurb from Goodreads:

From the beloved author of Hidden Truths comes a novel about take-charge sixth grader Bess Stein, who brings together friends and a group of rockstar librarians called the Book Warriors to fight a book ban happening at her middle school.

Bess Stein is more than ready to be 6th grade class president. She's got tons of ideas—including a book vending machine—and her new friend June is beside her as vice-president. Together, they're unstoppable.

But when the books the girls want included in the vending machine come under fire, Bess is stunned. How can one person believe they have the right to decide what other people can read? It turns out that June's mom is leading the fight, and now everything's a mess.

Bess misses June—but she wants to make sure kids who might like these books get the chance to read them, even if it means she and June can't be friends. With such different opinions, will they ever be on the same page?

Hi Elly! Thanks so much for joining us.

1. Tell us about yourself and how your life as an author has been going since your interview with me when you were a debut author.

    Hi, Natalie, and huge thanks for inviting me back on your blog. To catch up with any new followers, I’m an author, a mom, and a new grandmom! You can call me GG!
    My path to publication was long and windy. It took 15 years and hundreds of rejections before I got my first yes. My debut, as you shared, was Finding Perfect – a story about a girl with undiagnosed OCD and her journey to understanding and embracing that we are all imperfect and beautiful. Since then, I have published 5 more books. Honestly, I still can’t believe it!  All of my stories have characters with mental health challenges or are neurodiverse, because kids have mental health challenges and are neurodiverse. My goal is always that my books reflect and honor those who read them. Their flaws, their strengths, their lives, and their hearts.
    I was honored when Dear Student, about a girl with social anxiety who becomes the secret voice of her middle school advice column, won the PA State Award for middle school. And when Hidden Truths was called “realistic fiction at its best,” by SLJ and named one of Kirkus’s Best Books of 2023.
    Truly my journey from Finding Perfect to Same Page has been incredibly rewarding. I have met amazing readers, teachers, and librarians. How grateful I am!

2. Congrats on being a grandma! I can’t wait to be one too. Where did you get the idea for Same Page?

    Same Page was inspired by current events – book bans are happening all over the country. According to PEN America, in the 2023-24 school year, there have been over 10,000 book bans – a number that is more than two times higher than just last school year. https://pen.org/memo-on-school-book-bans-2023-2024-school-year/  
I wanted to share what this moment felt like from a kid’s perspective. To have the right to read the book of your choosing, the right to explore your past, and the right to honor and understand your life through story be taken away.
    Bess Stein is that kid. She shares how it feels to lose the right to choose books that reflect your life and the lives and histories of those around her. And what kids can do and are doing to make a difference. To fight back. To be the change they want to see.
    This story, at its heart, is about allyship – what happens to one, should impact the hearts and minds of all. As one of the Book Warrior librarians in Same Page says, “Together we are strong vines.”
    So proud of the Book Warriors on the page and in real life!

Your Writing Process

3. What was your plotting process for Same Page, and how has the process changed over the years as you’ve written more books?

    My plotting process for Same Page began like all of my stories – with character and heart. In this case,

Bess Stein. I needed to understand what mattered to her before I could write a word of her story. Turns out, Bess is a justice seeker with an unwavering commitment to being the change she seeks and for speaking out on behalf of others. She has a strong sense of right and wrong.
    This is honorable. And important. But at times, it also causes her not see what is right in front of her – a hurting friend. June has secrets. And challenges that compel silence in the face of injustice.
    It is when both June and Bess truly begin to listen to each other that they can understand and empathize with the hurt their words and silence have caused. It is when they are able to unite and speak out for change.
    The process of writing Same Page differed in that I hope I am getting better at plot. I finally have a more comprehensive understanding of story beats and the layers that come with honoring and respecting my reader’s lives. It is their lives that fill the pages of the story. The nuances of shifting friendships, the drips of meanness whispered in the halls, the slivers of kindness from a hand squeeze. It is the small moments that they carry. The small moments that define the big moments in their lives and Bess’s story.
    
4. Your stories deal with important issues, like mental health and OCD. Same Page deals with book banning, which is such a relevant issue these days. How do you weave these issues into the story without sounding preaching? What tips do you have for other authors?

    I love this question, Natalie. When I first began writing, not sounding didactic was something I had to work on. So I’m grateful that the stories I tell now feel authentic. And that is what I would share with authors. Write what matters to you. Write what tugs on your heart. Because when you write from that place of true authenticity, vulnerability and passion weave in, and preachiness dissipates.

5. That’s great advice. Bess sounds like an incredible character who has to stand up for what she believes, even if it hurts her relationship with June. Share a bit about how she developed as a character. Was she pretty much developed when you came up with the idea for this book or did she surprise you as you wrote her story?

    I am always surprised by my characters. And Bess was no different. I knew she was strong and a take-charge person, but her tenderness and giant heart surprised me. She feels things very intensely. Her sense of justice is palpable. Her passion contagious. When she loves, she loves big. And when she hurts, she hurts deeply. Not just for herself, but for others, too. In that way, we are a lot alike. Empathetic and hopeful that the world and those in it, will be respectful, loving, kind, and give grace to themselves and those around them who need it most.

6. How long did it take you to write Same Page before you got your publishing contract? What are the ways you’ve been able to finish this book and your prior ones at a faster pace than you may have before you were published?
    
The path to this book was unique. My editor and I had spoken about the book ban idea for this story. Months later, after finishing my draft of Hidden Truths, I sent a synopsis of Same Page to my agent. We sent it to my editor just to be sure she was still interested. We were not sending it to her to buy as it was just a synopsis – no pages had been written. The next day we received an offer. By the week’s end, we had a contract.
     The pace at which I was able to write this story was a testament, I believe, to knowing, in my heart, all of this story. Feeling it. Believing in it. Even before I wrote the first word.

Your Journey to Publication

7. Wow! That’s an amazing submission story. Many authors struggle to get two or more books published. This is your sixth book in less than ten years. How have you been able to continue to sell your stories? Do you have any tips for the rest of us?
    

I think it’s important to share the whole story. While I have 6 books published in 9 years, it took me 15 years and 5 books to get my first one published. It was a long and winding road that required the support and love of my family, and many Twizzlers to keep going in the face of so much rejection. I want those working toward publication or anything, to know that rejection doesn’t define you. You and you alone have the power to define your self-worth. Hold onto that and keep going. You’ve got this!
    As for now, I feel lucky and grateful. I work hard and write what matters to me. I want all kids to feel seen, heard, and respected. I want all kids’ lives to feel honored. And I think that’s what my readers want, too. Truly, I think that’s what we all want. Love. Respect. Understanding.
    My tip remains the same – write what is important to you. Because it is only then that you can share authentically what your head and heart want to say. And it is only then that you can connect with your readers in a way that makes them feel all the feels. And don’t we all want a story that allows us to explore, discover, and feel?
    I know I do.

8. Has working with your editors and your agent changed over the years? If so, how?
    
I have an amazing working relationship with both my agent, Andrea Cascardi of Transatlantic, and my editor, Wendy Loggia of Delacorte Press/ RHCB. I feel lucky. They are both smart, talented women who I have learned so much from.
It is less that my process has changed over the years, and more that the cornerstones of those relationships – respect, guidance, collaboration, and communication – have enabled us to move from strictly author/agent and author/editor to author/friends. And for that I am eternally grateful.

Promoting Your Book

9. How are you planning to promote Same Page? Have your marketing plans changed as you’ve published more books?
    
Much of the promotion stems from the hard work of the RHCB family. Thank you! For me, my part is to write a great book (it’s great, right? 😊) Next, connect with readers wherever I can – online, at school, at book events.
    For most of my Same Page events, I hope to be in conversation with librarians – after all, they are at the heart of this story. They are the original Book Warriors! So during my Same Page launch, I will be in conversation with all-star Liz Blye, a Book Warrior librarian from NY. We will be at Wellesley Books on 1/12/25 at 2. And on pub day, I will be at Morse Pond Elementary school with the amazing 4th and 5th graders and their incredible librarian Liz Abbott in conjunction with Eight Cousins Books in Falmouth, MA. And on February 16, I will be at An Unlikely Story with the wonderful Kate McCue Day, librarian at Maria Weston Chapman Middle School in Weymouth Ma.
    For all my other appearances, check out my site at: https://ellyswartz.com/appearances Join me! And if you want me to visit your school or bookstore or book club, reach out! I love connecting!

10. That’s great that you are connecting with librarians so much for your book release. I noticed that you’ve done quite a few interviews for all your books. How do you set up these interviews and decide on which blogs to be featured on?
    
Some of those interviews come from my publicist at RHCB, some from people I have met along my journey, and some just reach out. I love connecting, so if you want to chat with me, let’s do it! Shoot me an email at elly@ellyswartz.com. I would love to talk with you about Same Page or writing or being a new grandma or my pups or all of it! 

11. What are you working on now?
    
I have a chapter book series that I am working on and diving into a new middle grade novel. Love this part. Where everything is possible.
    Stay tuned!

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Elly. You can find Elly at:

Buy links for Same Page
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/727437/same-page-by-elly-swartz/
https://bookshop.org/p/books/same-page-elly-swartz/21477907?ean=9780593705605

Buy links for signed copies of Same Page
https://www.eightcousins.com/item/ZoOPMvNQhqYm5t6kmc28AA
https://www.wellesleybooks.com/book/9780593705605

Social media
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellyswartzbooks/?hl=en
Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/ellyswartzbooks.bsky.social
Twitter: https://x.com/notifications
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elly.pitaskyswartz

My site

https://ellyswartz.com/

Giveaway Details

Elly’s publisher is generously offering a hardback of Same Page for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by February 22nd. If your email is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or other social media sites and/or follow me on Twitter or follow Elly on her social media sites, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This book giveaway is U.S.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is hosted by Greg Pattridge. You can find the participating blogs on his blog.

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Sunday, February 16th I’m participating in the Wish Big Giveaway Hop

Monday, February 17th I have an agent spotlight interview with Jim Averbeck

Monday, February 24th I have an agent spotlight interview with Reiko Davis and a query critique giveaway

Saturday, March 1st I’m participating in the Lady Luck Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, March 5th I have a guest post by debut author Angie Dickinson and a giveaway of her YA Truth Cursed

Monday, March 10th I have an interview with author Angie Millington and a giveaway of her MG Once for Yes

Sunday, March 16th I’m participating in the Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop

Monday, March 17th I have an interview with debut author Carol Baldwin and a giveaway of her upper MG/YA Half Truths

I hope to see you on Sunday!

Author Interview: Shelly Page and Brewed With Love Giveaway and IWSG Post

 Happy Wednesday Everyone! Today I’m super excited to have Shelly Page here to share about her YA cozy contemporary romantasy Brewed With Love. I’m really getting into more cozy and contemporary fantasies, and this one has a mystery too, so I’ve been excited to read Shelly’s book. I already got it and read it. It was fantastic. It had wonderful world building, awesome potions, a mystery to solve, and Sag and Ximena, who I really liked. I can’t wait to read her next book.

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

A cozy, contemporary romantasy about a teen witch who wants to keep her family’s apothecary from falling to the competition but can only do so with assistance from her first crush.

Plant witch, Sage Bishop, is determined to run her family’s old apothecary one day. She spends her time trying to invent the perfect tonic to put Bishop Brews on the map. And she’s going to need one quickly, too, because their biggest competitor is drawing away customers.

Short-staffed, her nana hires Ximena Reyes, Sage’s ex-best friend and first crush, who’s more of an unwelcome distraction than anything. Ximena has always dreamed of leaving their small town behind while Sage wants to tend to her roots. And during one of their first shifts together, someone breaks into Bishop Brews, stealing several tonics, including the one Sage has been working tirelessly on, the same one that wipes a councilmember’s kid’s memory.

To avoid being shut down by the sheriff, Sage decides to investigate. If so, much wasn’t at stake, she’d do it alone. But with her grandmother’s legacy and her future on the line, she must partner with her ever smug and unfairly pretty new coworker. As Sage begins to fall for Ximena (again), she’ll have to decide if the comfort of the familiar is worth missing out on a chance at real happiness.

Before I get to Shelly’s interview, I have my IWSG post.

Posting: The first Wednesday is officially Insecure Writer's Support Group Day.Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

The awesome co-hosts this month are: Joylene Nowell Butler, Louise Barbour, and Tyrean Martinson!

Optional Question: Is there a story or book you’ve written you want to/wish you could go back and change?

I'm going to skip the question because I'm not published yet. I have a question and info for you.

I just joined Bluesky and hope to transition off of X. Does anyone know where I can get the Bluesky widget for my blog? And let me know if you're there, and we can follow each other. Though I don't do much besides post about my giveaways. I just don't have time for everything.

Also, for those of you who use Bloglovin' for followers to follow you, your widget may not be working. A follower let me know mine wasn't working. About two months ago, I opened a new account because the password for the old one didn't work anymore, set up my profile, and got it working again. You might need it too.

Now onto my interview with Shelly where we talk about her wonderful book!

Interview With Shelly Page

Hi Shelly! Thanks so much for joining us!

1. Tell us about yourself and how you became a writer.

Thanks for having me! I’m Shelly, I write YA contemporary fantasy romance and horror. I’m also an attorney working with homeless LGBTQ+ youth. I’ve always been a writer, but it wasn’t until 2020 that I decided to pursue traditional publishing at my mom’s advice!

2. Being a retired lawyer who used to work in poverty law too, I really admire your work as an attorney. Where did you get the idea for Brewed With Love?

Brewed with Love was inspired by a small town my mom used to live in near the Redwoods in California. Redwoods are beautiful, ancient trees along the central and northern coasts. I wanted to write a story where a forest was at the heart of the book, so Brewed is set in Blackclaw Valley, a small town populated by witches who draw their magic from the Hemwood, a redwood forest. The entire magic system is based on the properties of redwood trees. For instance, redwoods often grow in fairy rings, meaning they sprout new trees from their branches that end up being clones of the mother tree. One witch in the coven can clone themself and another can regenerate. I also wanted to write about a Black-owned business that really catered to its clientele and is a pillar of the community. I love crystals, self-care creams, and the idea of magic tonics so that was my inspiration for Bishop Brews. It’s your classic apothecary with a magical twist!

Your Writing Process

3. I loved your world building and magical system. Explain what a cozy romantasy story is and what are some of the expectations for a story written in this genre.

I’m no expert, but I like to think cozy romantasies are basically romances with fantasy elements or set in a fantasy realm with relatively low skates. Dying is not a stake you need to worry about with this genre. I think you can also expect a happy ending and for the characters to get together.  

4. Your story is set in a contemporary world but with some magic. What was your world building process like? What tips do you have for incorporating a magical system into a contemporary fantasy?

I created the magic of Blackclaw Valley by thinking of things I’d love to have myself. For instance, I have

a senior dog at home, and I thought of a Pooch Potion to give to him. It basically makes the dog young again for a few hours. My tip is to think of magic as part of everyday life. If you have acne, maybe there’s a magical cream that instantly cures it. So long as you’re following the parameters of the magic system you created, you can have fun with the kind of magic used.

5. Sage and Ximena must solve the mystery of who sold the apothecary potions. How did you plot out your story to include the mystery, fantasy, and romance elements of your story?

It was hard! I knew the story was a romance at its core, so I followed known romance plot beats throughout. Using forced proximity allowed me to have the characters get close and reconcile while solving a mystery. The magic was used as a normal part of the world rather than solely as tools to solve the mystery. I also love magic as a metaphor so that was used in Brewed to advance the themes of otherness and change.

6. You did a good job with the mystery. You also work as an attorney representing homeless LGBTQ and youth. I admire you for your work. I started my career at a legal aid office representing clients facing mostly evictions. How do you find time to write and now market your book with your busy legal career?

 

I write mostly at night and on the weekends so I’m constantly working. I try to have downtime in the evenings to watch a movie or read. Unless I’m on deadline, I don’t write every day, week, or even every month. I only draft something new once a year!

Your Journey to Publication

7. It’s good you know the limits of what you can write with your job. Your agent is Rebecca Podos. How did she become your agent, and what was your road to getting a publishing contract like?

I got an agent through querying. I queried for about a year. Unfortunately, the book I signed with my agent for died on submission to publishers. The second book I wrote was a supernatural thriller and that received two R&Rs (Revise and Resubmit). The first one was rejected. The second one became Brewed with Love! The journey has been long (about 5 years). My advice is to never give up on your dreams.

8. How did working with your agent and editor on your manuscript strengthen your story?
 
With my agent, we worked on the character arcs and tying themes into the plot. With my editor, we smoothed out the extraneous plot threads, focused on centering the romance, and added more movement to the scenes. I’m grateful to have such brilliant minds helping me with Brewed!

Promoting Your Book

9. While you have had stories published in two anthologies, Brewed With Love is your first book to be published. How are you planning to promote it? What advice do you have for other authors about marketing this first book?

I co-edited Night of the Living Queers, along with having a story in the anthology, so that was technically my first book. Having a solo book was a little different because there weren’t twelve other authors who could help me promote lol. Being with a traditional publisher, meant I had marketing resources behind my book, but I also thought it was important to promote myself as well. Not only does it build a reader base, but it also helps with visibility and sales. I used social media a lot and also reached out to blogs and podcasts for features. If you want to market yourself, I advise authors to research influencers, blogs, podcasts, etc. that might be interested in your book. If you’re traditionally published, give that list to your publicists. If not, you can reach out yourself.   

10. What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on editing another YA contemporary romantasy. It publishes Spring 2026!

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Shelly. You can find Shelly at shellypage.com and @shelly_p_writes on X and Instagram.

Giveaway Details

Shelly and I are offering an Amazon e-book of Brewed With Love for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by February 15th. If your email is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog and/or follow me on Twitter or follow Shelly on her social media sites, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This book giveaway is U.S.

 

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Monday, February 12th I have an interview with Elly Swartz and a giveaway of her MG Same Page

Sunday, February 16th I’m participating in the Wish Big Giveaway Hop

Monday, February 17th I have an agent spotlight interview with Jim Averbeck

Monday, February 24th I have an agent spotlight interview with Reiko Davis and a query critique giveaway

Monday, February 24th I have an agent spotlight interview with Reiko Davis and a query critique giveaway

Saturday, March 1st I’m participating in the Lady Luck Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, March 5th I have a guest post by debut author Angie Dickinson and a giveaway of her YA Truth Cursed

I hope to see you on Monday!

Author Interview: Rosanne Parry and A Wolf Called Fire Giveaway

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have Rosanne Parry back to share about her new MG A Wolf Called Fire. I interviewed Rosanne Parry when she was a debut author in 2011 and I was starting out blogging. Since then, she’s published eight middle grade novels and two picture books. A Wolf Called Fire is a companion book to A Wolf Called Wander, which has been a New York Times bestseller for the last five years. A Wolf Called Fire is a 2025 Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, and I’m excited to read it.

Here’s the Kirkus review with a blurb of A Wolf Called Fire:

A wolf cub charts his own path to pack leadership.
In this novel based on the life of a real wolf who was brought to Yellowstone National Park in 1995 as part of a conservation project, a young cub named Warm reckons with not being the biggest, strongest, or loudest at howling among his littermates. When an attack by another pack leaves him to care for a set of younger siblings—Leap, Snap, Quiver, and Yowl—Warm struggles to keep the cubs alive despite never having made a killing blow of his own. Even as his survival skills are tested, Warm develops a uniquely compassionate outlook that helps him navigate the recombination of packs and other dangers. Parry’s short sentences create a quickly moving story with deep emotional currents. The immediacy of Warm’s first-person voice and the abundant sensory descriptions pull readers right into the animals’ world, though the large cast of wolves can be difficult to keep track of. Armiño’s numerous, beautifully detailed black-and-white illustrations add ample emotion and dynamic movement. Environmentally conscious readers, animal lovers, and those with a taste for nonfiction will be thrilled by the extensive backmatter, which includes a darling hand-drawn map of Warm’s journey as well as photos and abundant information on wolf biology, recovery efforts, and the ecology of the American West.
An exciting and thoughtful portrait inspired by a real animal who succeeded by being different. (author’s note, resources) (Fiction. 8-12)

Hi Rosanne! Thanks so much for joining us.

1. Tell us about yourself and how you became a writer.

I started writing when my third child was a week old. Not practical. Don’t recommend. But some senior ladies from church came and brought casseroles and then after fussing over my baby for a total of three minutes, they spent the next 30 complaining about how busy they were. I was outraged! They were retired! They got to go the bathroom by themselves! I had a newborn, a 3 year old, and a 6 year old. And I realized that there was never going to be a not busy time of my life. If I wanted to write I was just going to have to figure out how to do it while I was busy with all the other important things. So I started. A tiny amount of writing almost every day, and in only 9 and a half years I got my first publishing contract. Practically an overnight success!

2. Where did you get the idea for A Wolf Called Fire and why did you decide to write a companion story to A Wolf Called Wanderer?

I’ve received many letters from young readers who are heartbroken that Wander lost his favorite brother

Warm. So I decided to pick up his story and take a look at how the very same pack events would look to the omega pup. I chose Yellowstone Wolf 8 as my model. He was an omega pup who was viciously bullied by his brothers when they were young. He grew up to be a wolf with a special gift for mentoring young pups. He was chosen by an alpha female to lead a pack of young pups whose father was killed by a poacher the day they were born. 8 took those pups to heart and raised them with compassion. They went on to defeat every other pack in Yellowstone. But 8 never killed an alpha he defeated. Those defeated wolves never crossed into his territory again they taught their offspring to do the same. In time wolf 8 became the patriarch of the most powerful pack in Yellowstone.  That example gave me reason to write about different kinds of leadership—a topic I’m finding particularly relevant at the moment.

Your Writing Process

4. It’s so cool that so many young readers wrote you. I’ve read you like to research your stories. What research did you do before writing A Wolf Called Fire?

This book was faster to write than my others have been because I was revisiting a familiar landscape. Even so I read a lot of new research about wolf packs and their social dynamics. It turns out that it’s not always the biggest or strongest wolf who becomes the alpha. Most often the pup who picks a game everyone wants to play will become the leader in the end, even if they are not the fastest or meanest wolf in his litter. Rick McIntyre has spent thousands of hours researching wolves in Yellowstone and has written many books about them for adults and kids. They were a great resource. I also had an opportunity to meet him and watch wolves together in Yellowstone. That was amazing! I learned a lot. Not the least of which was that at sunrise in Yellowstone in the middle of May it is only 28 degrees. Brr!

5. Your story is told from the point of view of Fire? How did you tell this story from his point of view and what are some of the challenges of telling a story that’s not a fantasy from an animal’s point of view?

I always want to write about animal behavior that is consistent with the physical behaviors of the animal in the wild. I fact check that part very carefully. I don’t mind imagining the mental and emotional life of the animal. There is good reason not to assign human emotions to animal behaviors--that tends to lead to all kinds of false assumptions. But denying animals the thoughts and emotions and motivations that we would prefer to reserve for humans also tends to create errors of perception. So I try to strike a balance. The rest of the game is just knowing the ecosystem intimately and thinking about how a wolf with their unique capabilities would experience the setting. What would a wolf notice? What does the place smell like? What does it sound like? How does the ground feel like under a paw? I take a lot of very slow hikes in which I smell things and close my eyes and listen and lie down on the ground and feel the heat or the cold or the damp of it. I love all of this, but let’s be honest, I’m not a very fun hiking partner!

Your Road to Publication

6. Fiona Kenshole is your agent. How did she become your agent? Has how she helped you changed over the years as you published more books?

Fiona is a fellow Portlander, and I met her at various literary gatherings around town. I love her genuine enthusiasm and depth of experience in children’s books so when I was looking for a new agent, she was one of several people I considered. I chose her in the end because of her enthusiasm for my work and because she was willing to think strategically and help me prioritize what I offered for publication and where. I appreciate her breadth of experience too. She has worked as an editor and as a book festival organizer. She has worked in animated films, and she has a more international focus than any other agent I know.

At the beginning of our partnership, Fiona was focused on finding new publishing partners for me. She gave me solid editorial feedback in that phase of our journey. Now that I have a good publishing home at Greenwillow and a brilliant editor in Virginia Duncan, she doesn’t give me editorial feedback at all. She focuses on negotiating increasingly complex contracts and arranging foreign sales. She’s also a sounding board about the business end of writing. I’m so grateful to be working with Fiona; she’s a gem!

7. It’s awesome that Fiona lives in Portland too. Share about the process of selling so many books over the years when many authors struggle to publish two or more books. What tips do you have for other writers on building their career as an author?

Longevity, I’ve found, is mostly about deciding to continue writing even when you are in a phase of your career when you are not selling anything. I had a stretch of 8 years in which I didn’t get a single contract of any kind. Every author I know with a “long career” has had a dry spell of somewhere between 5 and 15 years. Discouraging certainly, but I decided that digging in and honing the craft and trying new things was more important to me than fretting over submissions and sales figures. So I used that lull in my career to write Turn of the Tide, Last of the Name, Big Truck Day, The Wolf Effect, and A Wolf Called Wander, in addition to three other finished novels and a half dozen more picture book manuscripts.

There has never been a “golden age” in which it was easy to publish a children’s book. There is always going to be lots of competition for book contracts and (unless we change the way schools and libraries are funded) diminishing school and library book budgets. It’s always going to be a struggle. And sometimes the struggle is not worth it. If writing was bad for me or bad for my family. I would stop. I could walk away tomorrow if I wanted to. But today—the book is worth the struggle. More importantly—the reader is worth the struggle. I’ve heard from many parents and teachers who’ve said my books are the key that unlocked reading for their child. That’s the best reward of all. So I stick with it and I try to find new ways to challenge myself with each book.

6. It’s good to know that an author may have to go through long dry spells but can still be successful. How did you plot out this story? Has your process changed as you’ve published more stories?

Because I had to make this story fit within the time frame of WANDER, I knew there were several events I had to include: the first moment out of the den, the attack by the ice wolves, the scattering of the pack, and Swift and Warm’s final meeting. Those signposts gave me a structure. I do outline and self-revise more intensely than I used to. Partly because I have a clear sense of the format and audience of my book. If I write a draft that’s 10,000 words longer than the other Voice of the Wilderness novels, then I don’t need an editor to tell me I need to tighten and focus the manuscript. I see how teachers are using the books so I want to make sure the important elements they use in a classroom are in all of the books. For example, I want all my books to have a map. So the character has to go on a journey.

My editor told me something that has helped me think about what I send in to my publisher. Virginia said, “In the process of editing I’m going to read your story many, many times but I only get to read it for the first time once.”

So I always want to give her the most impactful first draft I can.

Promoting Your Book

8. How are you promoting A Wolf Called Fire? Has your approach to marketing changed as you’ve published more books and if so, how?

Well as it turns out, after you have sold a million copies of your book, the publisher starts taking the promotion game quite seriously. I have some feelings about that! I bet you do too! Let’s take a breath.

Okay. As a bookseller I’ve learned all the ways that publishers promote books that the author never sees. Every book gets promotion. Every single one.

Every book gets a catalog page. They all get sent out for review. They all get pitched to the sales reps. The sales reps take every book on the list to their bookstore clients. Sales reps have their favorites (not always the book the publisher hopes they will pick). Every bookstore has unique patronage and specific needs. A best seller at Annie Blooms in Portland is probably not a best seller at our buddy bookshop Beach Books in Seaside. Every indie bookshop decides on their own what to highlight and hand sell. If the publisher buys an ad for your book, they will place it somewhere that teachers and librarians and booksellers will see it, but almost never where the general public will see it.

(Honestly, this happened to me today! There was a beautiful ad for A Wolf Called Fire in PW. Did Greenwillow tell me about it. Nope. Did I see it on my own. Nope. A friend emailed it to me.)

 There are reginal and national trade shows sponsored by the ABA and the ALA that authors very seldom attend. Author attendance is not what sells the book. It’s the quality of the book and the access to advanced reader copies for teachers, booksellers and librarians that makes the sale. And the hard truth is that it’s reader response and reader willingness to share a favorite book with a friend that drives book sales more than any other thing. Reader engagement cannot be manufactured by the publisher. It is frustratingly impervious to marketing money. Social media seldom moves the needle. Only the writer can generate reader engagement through the quality of the storytelling.

All of which is to say, I worry a lot less about what my publisher is doing for me, and I worry a lot more about the quality of my writing than I ever did before.

9. Thanks for sharing all this about the realities of how book are marketed by publishers. How have you developed a social media platform, and what sites have you found most useful for promoting your books and connecting with readers?

I have a lot less time for social media at this point. I like to keep a hand in it, so I budget about 20 minutes a day for all the apps. I set aside 30-45 minutes a week to maintain my website. As I get closer to a book release, I budget more time for blog interviews like this and for networking with my local bookstores. I think one of the most effective things an author can do is develop over time a solid relationship with a local bookstore. Shop there regularly. Ask the staff for their favorites. Go to the author events—even if the book is not your cup of tea. Lots of free mentoring happens at bookstore events. Mention them on your social media. Tell the booksellers about your favorite recent reads. We love to hear about that! Once you have a relationship then it’s the easiest thing in the world to approach them about an event for your forthcoming book. At Annie Blooms we love to support our local authors and with a well-crafted and timely book we can generate hundreds of sales.

10. What are you working on now?

I have several more Voice of the Wilderness projects to work on. The next novel will be about ravens and I’d like to write a nonfiction picture book like The Wolf Effect about river restoration.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Rosanne. You can find Rosanne at www.rosanneparry.com

 

Giveaway Details

Rosanne is generously offering a hardback of A Wolf Called Fire for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by February 15tth. If your email is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog and/or follow me on Twitter or follow Rosanne on her social media sites, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This book giveaway is International.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is hosted by Greg Pattridge. You can find the participating blogs on his blog.

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Wednesday, February 5th I have an interview with Shelly Page and a giveaway of her YA Brewed With Love and my IWSG post

Monday, February 12th I have an interview with Elly Swartz and a giveaway of her MG Same Page

Sunday, February 16th I’m participating in the Wish Big Giveaway Hop

Monday, February 17th I have an agent spotlight interview with Jim Averbeck

Monday, February 24th I have an agent spotlight interview with Reiko Davis and a query critique giveaway

I hope to see you on Wednesday!

Heart to Heart Giveaway Hop

 

Happy Saturday Everyone! Today I'm excited to participate in the Heart to Heart Giveaway Hop hosted by MamatheFox and Mom Does Reviews. I hope you're all staying safe and warm. It's been bitter cold for too long here in Michigan. I'm staying in and reading a crocheting a lot. 

Book of Your Choice or Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

I’ve got a lot of exciting newly released MG and YA book choices this month that you might like. You can also choose another book in the series by these authors or a book of your choice. You can find descriptions of these books on Goodreads. Here are your choices:

 

 

If you haven't found a book you want, you can win a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

 

Giveaway Details

To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by December 15th telling me whether you want a book, and if so, which one, or the Amazon gift card and your email address. Be sure to include your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or other social media sites and/or follow me on Twitter, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. The book giveaway is U.S. only and the Amazon gift card giveaway is International.

 

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Monday, February 3rd I have an interview with Rosanne Parry and a giveaway of her MG A Wolf Called Wander

Wednesday, February 5th I have an interview with Shelly Page and a giveaway of her YA Brewed With Love and my IWSG post

Monday, February 12th I have an interview with Elly Swartz and a giveaway of her MG Same Page

Sunday, February 16th I’m participating in the Wish Big Giveaway Hop

Monday, February 17th I have an agent spotlight interview with Jim Averbeck

Monday, February 24th I have an agent spotlight interview with Reiko Davis and a query critique giveaway

I hope to see you on Monday!

 

And here are all of the blogs participating in this blog hop:

MamatheFox, Mom Does Reviews, and all participating blogs are not held responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations.

Debut Author Interview: Nicole M. Hewitt and The Song of Orphan’s Garden Giveaway

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m thrilled to have debut author Nicole M. Hewitt here to celebrate the release of her novel verse, The Song of Orphan’s Garden. I’ve known Nicole for a long time because I follow her blog, Feed Your Fiction Addiction, where she features MG and YA book reviews. I recommend you follow her blog.  It’s been fun watching Nicole on her journey to publication. I’m excited to read her book because it sounds like it has fantastic world-building and high stakes. 

Here's a blurb from Goodreads:

Combining the gentleness of Miyazaki, the wintry wonderland of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and the whimsicality of Newbery winner The Girl Who Drank the Moon, Nicole M. Hewitt's debut middle-grade novel, The Song of Orphan's Garden, is an enchanting fantasy tale with all the makings of a new classic.

In an arctic world that's getting colder every day, Lyriana's only hope of survival is to get her little brother Zave and herself to the fabled Orphan's Garden. It’s rumored to be the one place in the world not controlled by deadly Winter Spirits or ruled by the tyrant Giant king. In Orphan’s Garden, healing trees will melt away Winter’s pains, and Lyriana and Zave can live safely in the warmth of Spring. If the garden exists, they must find it. They won’t live much longer without it.

Brob, a Giant boy, also needs sanctuary. When the Giant king banishes his family to the Winter Blight, it’s a death sentence. Orphan’s Garden is his family’s only hope, and as far as Brob’s concerned, it belongs to him. After all, he was the one who accidentally used an ancient magic to grow the garden years ago. He has no intention of sharing his haven with pesky humans, who will just use up its magic and ruin it.

When it becomes clear that Orphan’s Garden is in danger of being destroyed, Lyriana and Brob are the only ones who can save it—but only if they can put the ages-old battle between Humans and Giants aside and find a way to work together.

Follower News

Before I get to Nicole’s interview, I have Follower News to share. Jacqui Murray recently released

Endangered Species,  book 1 in a new series. Here’s a blurb: Savage Land is the third prehistoric man trilogy in the series, Man. Vs. Nature. Written in the spirit of Jean Auel, Savage Land explores how two bands of humans survived one of the worst natural disasters in Earth's history, when volcanic eruptions darkened the sky, massive tsunamis crossed the ocean in crushing waves, and raging fires burned the land. Each tribe starring in the story considered themselves apex predators. Here are a few links:
Buy link: http://a-fwd.com/asin=B0DJ9Y7PQ8
Website: https://jacquimurray.net

Interview With Nicole M. Hewitt

Hi Nicole! Thanks so much for joining us.

Thanks for having me! I’ve been reading these interviews on your blog for years, and I’m excited to be included here now as an author!

1. Tell us about yourself and how you became a writer.

I first wanted to be a writer after I won the Young Authors competition at my school in third grade. After college, I tried to write a fantasy novel. I started but kept getting stuck in the “messy middle.” I didn’t understand how to structure a novel. It wasn’t until years later, when I started blogging and going to bookish conferences and generally firmly entrenching myself in bookishness that I decided to learn more about writing and try again!

2. It’s cool that you got more into writing through your blogging. Where did you get the idea for The Song of Orphan’s Garden?

When I was a child, I listened to a recording of “The Selfish Giant” by Oscar Wilde over and over again. The themes of this story and the image of a little boy crying in his one corner of winter while the rest of the garden is bathed in spring stuck in my head for a lifetime. Those themes and images eventually blossomed into this book. (I actually wrote a whole post on this, with more detail over on the Middle Grade Escapades blog. You might want to check that out!)

Your Writing Process

3. What made you decide to write this story as a novel in verse instead of in prose?

This is a tough question for me because the real answer is, it just always lived in my head as poetry. From the first moment I thought of this concept, it was writing itself in my head in verse. I tend to write introspective stories, so they lend themselves to verse anyway, and then I reinforced that with the musical themes of the book, which also work well in poetic forms. One unique aspect of this book is that it contains some formal poems in addition to the free verse. I have always loved formal poems, and I think they add an extra layer of beauty and depth to the story.

4. How did you plot out The Song of Orphan’s Garden? Is the process any different because you’re telling the story as a novel in verse?

I did a rough outline of the story in bullet points at the beginning. I actually just went back and reread it, and it is very rough indeed! (It involves lots of questions and brainstorming still on the page.) But that outlining process wasn’t really any different than it would have been for a prose novel. I then worked on character development by doing the exercises in the book Story Genius by Lisa Cron (an excellent resource that I would recommend to all writers out there!). Finally, as I wrote the book, some of that plotting and worldbuilding changed. One major change I made came after submitting the first ten pages to an editor, Melissa Manlove, for a critique—she pointed out some things that made me restructure parts of the narrative and made the book much better!

5. It’s interesting to hear that your plotting process was similar to writing a book in prose. Discuss your world-building process. Was it easier or harder to show your readers the world you created through your verses?

I do think it’s a lot harder to write a fantasy in verse (which is why not many people do it!). With verse, you necessarily have to leave a lot up to the reader’s imagination. It’s really about providing the basics of the magic system and vivid images that will help readers fill in those gaps. Of course, I mapped out the entire world-building in my notes, but the reader doesn’t necessarily see all of it on page. Magic is incredibly important in my book’s world, but it’s used sparingly because the costs are high. So I had to make sure the times it is used are impactful for the reader. Hopefully I did that!

Your Journey to Publication

6. Deborah Warren is your agent. How did she become your agent and what was your road to getting a publishing contract like?

I actually met Deb at an SCBWI conference. She did a session on pitches and described what she likes to see in a pitch very directly. (It happened to be different than a lot of other agents like—Deb likes you to tell her the why in your pitch. Why is this the book of your heart, the book only you could write? Most agents don’t want that sort of background.) Because of the conference, I was able to query Deb when she was normally closed to submissions, and I was able to structure my pitch specifically to her tastes. It worked! Knowing as much as you can about the agents you’re querying makes a big difference!

I’d love to say everything was rainbows and unicorns from there on out, but my first book on sub actually didn’t sell. Looking back at it now, I’m thankful because I think TSoOG is a much stronger debut, but it was definitely tough to swallow at the time. The only thing you can do is keep writing and try again. On a positive note, TSoOG was only on sub for a month before it sold, so you never know what will happen!

7. A lot of authors don’t sell the first book they got an agent with, so you’re not alone in your experience. What has it been like working with your editor? What advice do you have for writers working with an editor for the first time?

Emily Settle is incredible. She has such a passion and belief in my book, and I really needed that. The publishing process is HARD—even once you’ve sold a book, imposter syndrome looms, and Emily’s fast belief in the quality of my writing and the importance of this story was key to me holding it together.

One thing I’ve learned is that the editing process itself varies wildly from person to person. There is no “one way” things are done. My editing was relatively light, which actually threw me at first, but the small changes had a big impact, giving Lyriana more agency in the story. As a side note, I also added one new scene that was recommended by my sensitivity reader (she didn’t recommend a specific scene, but she wanted a deeper understanding of why Lyriana felt the way she did). Again, this added scene helped my characters feel more real and balanced.

So, I guess my advice to authors working with an editor is just to be prepared to expect the unexpected. You can talk to ten different authors who will all have had wildly different experiences with the editing process.

Promoting Your Book

8. How are you planning to promote your book?

Oh, this is a good question, and I wish I had an equally good answer. The truth is, marketing middle grade is difficult. Your readers are kids, so you’re really promoting to educators and gatekeepers. Right now, I’m focusing on booking school visits to reach as many kids as I can. I also sent my ARC out to a few ARC sharing groups. If I’m being honest, I’ve been a little disappointed with the lack of early reviews (which translates essentially to a lack of buzz), but this isn’t something I have control over, and I can only focus on the things I can control!

One big thing I’m doing is a pre-order campaign. It’s open until tomorrow—one week after publication—so there’s still time to get in on it! (And, actually, if you happen to read this too late, still fill out the form because if I have goodies available, I’ll honor your entry after the due date, since I’m talking about it now.) The campaign includes a sticker, a bookmark, a signed bookplate, and a double-sided art print of the maps from the book. (These are particularly special to me because my daughter drew the maps!!) You can find details on my website.

Oh, and I created a fun trailer with music that was written by a friend of mine (which she based off the little tune I created for the bookplate). You can see that on my Instagram or my (barely used) TikTok.

9. You’re also a member of Middle Grade Escapades, a group of debut middle grade authors. How did you join this group? How has it helped you navigate your debut year and promote your book?

Sara Shacter, a fellow SCBWI-IL member, contacted me with a proposal to start a debut group when she saw I was also debuting with a middle grade novel in 2025. I belonged to a general 2025 debut group on Discord, but Sara and I agreed creating a small, focused MG debut group would be really helpful, so I basically went onto the larger Discord and asked if anyone was interested. Not surprisingly, almost everyone was. (We actually had to make the decision to cap our membership at 16, just to ensure things didn’t get unwieldy.)

The group is a fantastic resource, both for information and comradery during this lead-up to our debuts and as a marketing tool, because we have 16 other people cheering us on at all times!!

I would love it if everyone would check out the Middle Grade Escapades website, where you’ll find 15 other debut MG books I just know you’re going to love!!

10. Being in a more focused group sounds like a great idea. You’re also a bookseller at Barnes & Noble. Has this helped you get your book in their stores? Do you have any advice for the rest of us on getting our books on their shelves?

Oh, if only I had a magical formula! I actually found out recently that being a bookseller has helped me get my book on the shelves at B&N. Apparently, it’s getting sent out to about 175 stores, which is good considering not all MG titles make it onto their shelves at all these days (as most of you know). And a little birdie told me there’s a note on the order that says I’m a B&N bookseller. 😊

As far as advice I can give, I honestly can’t tell you how to get corporate to carry your book. This is really between your publisher and the B&N buyer, and there’s basically nothing you can personally do to make it happen. But you can contact your local BNs and ask them to carry it. Most booksellers won’t hesitate to request a traditionally published book by a local author (they don’t necessarily have control over whether it gets actually ordered, but the person who orders for my store is very receptive to bookseller requests). Unfortunately, if you’re self-published or published by a very small publisher, that complicates things because those books are harder to get in and often not returnable if the store can’t sell them—it’s still worth a shot, but just know the road will be harder for you.

11. Thanks for the honest advice. What are you working on now?

I’m currently editing a book I’d previously written in prose into verse. I think it works much better that way! Hopefully I’ll be going on sub with that book at the beginning of next year. Wish me luck!

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Nicole. You can find Nicole at NicoleMHewitt.com or on Instagram or Bluesky!

Giveaway Details

Nicole and her publisher is generously offering a hardback of The Song of Orphan’s Garden for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by February 8th. If your email is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or other social media sites and/or follow me on Twitter or follow Nicole on her social media sites, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This book giveaway is U.S. and Canada.

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Saturday, February 1st I’m participating in the Heart to Heart Giveaway Hop

Monday, February 3rd I have an interview with Rosanne Parry and a giveaway of her MG A Wolf Called Wander

Wednesday, February 5th I have an interview with Shelly Page and a giveaway of her YA Brewed With Love and my IWSG post

Monday, February 12th I have an interview with Elly Swartz and a giveaway of her MG Same Page

Sunday, February 16th I’m participating in the Wish Big Giveaway Hop

Monday, February 17th I have an agent spotlight interview with Jim Averbeck

Monday, February 24th I have an agent spotlight interview with Reiko Davis and a query critique giveaway

I hope to see you on Saturday!