Laura Atkins is an author, teacher and independent children’s book editor with over twenty years of editorial experience. She’s worked with publishing companies helping to produce winners of the Coretta Scott King Award and American Library Association Notable Book selections. I’m so excited to bring her on the show to discuss her passion about diversity and her work as a co-author of the children’s book "Fred Korematsu Speaks Up".
"Fred Korematsu Speaks Up" is the first book of the “Fighting for Justice” series which introduces young readers to real-life heroes and heroines of social progress. The story of Fred Korematsu’s fight against discrimination explores the life of one courageous person who made the United States a fairer place for all Americans, and it encourages all of us to speak up for justice.
In today’s episode, Laura walks us through the world-building of her children’s book, and how she and her co-author Stan Yogi used a focus group to help them craft their novel for their intended audience. We continue to discuss the importance of a detailed research process to accurately represent history, and how Laura and Stan used multiple storytelling techniques to make all the of the information more accessible for the young readers. We also talk about the responsibility the publishing industry has to diversify representation in the literary world.
Say 'Hi' to Laura on Twitter and check out the books/resources mentioned in her episode over at her shownotes page by clicking here!
Happy listening!
Xo
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
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If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
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Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your WIP, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things! You can really feel the love and support in our Facebook community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Be sure to have a clear profile picture of yourself. If not, send over links to either your Twitter or Instagram. And also fill out the 3 questions that pop up as soon as you join. To protect our group's safe space, these steps help us weed out any spam/fake profiles/creepers. Can't wait to meet you!
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Would you love to support our show with some 88 Cups of Tea swag? Grab our limited edition mug (signed by yours truly) here!
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Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
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“We want to have this be a window that people can come through and then feel like they have the tools to dig deeper and go further.” -Laura Atkins (Click to tweet)
“I tend to think structurally as if I was closing my eyes and seeing a landscape and then seeing shapes emerge.” -Laura Atkins (Click to tweet)
“What I am looking for right now is self-belief and confidence as a writer and a creator.” -Laura Atkins (Click to tweet)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
Laurin Mayeno is the author of “One of a Kind, Like Me/ Unico Como Yo”, a bilingual children’s book inspired by her own experiences with her son and her community activism. In “One of a Kind Like Me”, a young boy fights gender stereotypes by dressing up as a princess for the school parade. Laurin’s book is breaking ground as one of few bilingual, multicultural children’s books about gender diversity, and its inspired much-needed conversation about gender diversity with educators, families, and children.
Laurin's episode is proudly sponsored by 'Libby'. I just borrowed audiobooks through "Libby" last week and it's been AH-mazing. For those of you who are new to it, "Libby" is a brand new reading app lovingly developed by Overdrive (a company I've been a fan of for 6 years). Overdrive's vision and mission is to enlighten the world by reading, a vision that also aligns closely with my core beliefs. 'Libby' was designed for readers to discover and borrow ebooks and audiobooks from your library for FREE. Be sure to click here to learn more and download the app to your phone or tablet!
In today’s episode, we dive deeper into Laurin’s relationship with her son Danny, and how he’s shown her a world where love is not limited by gender. Laurin has tirelessly dedicated her time to working with organizations, schools, and families to create spaces where gender-diverse young people and their families can thrive. Today’s conversation is a really special one for me as I hope all parents of LGBTQ children will be as supportive and loving as Laurin is today. Especially in light of the news yesterday, Laurin’s work and contributions are needed now more than ever.
Further into our conversation, we discuss why it’s beneficial for writers to work with a writing coach and how a writing coach helped to shape Laurin’s story. Laurin walks us through her process of being a first-time writer where we cover how to publish, the learning curves she had to go through, and how to market your book. And we also touch on self-publishing versus traditional publishing.
Say 'Hi' to Laurin on Twitter and check out the books/resources mentioned in her episode over at her shownotes page by clicking here!
Happy listening!
Xo
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your WIP, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things! You can really feel the love and support in our Facebook community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Be sure to have a clear profile picture of yourself. If not, send over links to either your Twitter or Instagram. And also fill out the 3 questions that pop up as soon as you join. To protect our group's safe space, these steps help us weed out any spam/fake profiles/creepers.
---
Would you love to support our show with some 88 Cups of Tea swag? Grab our limited edition mug (signed by yours truly) here!
---
“Learn and keep learning. It’s not a process that ends, it’s a process that continues.” -Laurin Mayeno (Click to tweet)
“People have immense capacity to go through challenging times and learn and grow if they’re given the opportunity.” -Laurin Mayeno (Click to tweet)
“Society has some learning and growth to do.” -Laurin Mayeno (Click to tweet)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
Kate Schatz is the New York Times-bestselling author of "Rad American Women A-Z" and "Rad Women Worldwide". Her books introduce readers to a list of powerful female role models and change-makers. From activists and artists, to scientists and rock stars, Kate highlights brave women who’ve impacted and altered our history for the better. I am so grateful for books like these.
Kate's episode is proudly sponsored by 'Libby'. I just borrowed audiobooks through "Libby" last week and it's been AH-mazing. For those of you who are new to it, "Libby" is a brand new reading app lovingly developed by Overdrive (a company I've been a fan of for 6 years). Overdrive's vision and mission is to enlighten the world by reading, a vision that also aligns closely with my core beliefs. 'Libby' was designed for readers to discover and borrow ebooks and audiobooks from your library for FREE. Be sure to click here to learn more and download the app to your phone or tablet!
In addition to delving into detail about the inspiration that led her to writing her books, we discuss her collaborative relationship with the illustrator of her books, Miriam Klein Stahl. Kate also walks us through what the heavy research process was like, and which of the women’s stories surprised her most during the research phase.
Further into our conversation, Kate gives really solid and helpful advice on rediscovering yourself and owning your identity in motherhood. We continued to discuss the importance of joining a writing community to inspire your craft and create accountability for yourself, how to gain the courage to claim yourself as a writer, and she shares her strategy on finding literary agents who are the perfect fit for your writing.
Say 'Hi' to Kate on Twitter and check out the books/resources mentioned in her episode over at her shownotes page by clicking here!
Happy listening!
Xo
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your WIP, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things. You can really feel the love and support in our Facebook community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
---
Would you love to support our show with some 88 Cups of Tea swag? Grab our limited edition mug (signed by yours truly) here!
---
“Don’t be afraid to talk about yourself as a writer.” -Kate Schatz (Click to tweet)
“Trust your intuition. Trust that you’re good at what you do, otherwise you wouldn’t be doing it.” -Kate Schatz (Click to tweet)
“I understand my process; it’s kind of messy. I just start writing and it takes shape at some point.” -Kate Schatz (Click to tweet)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
Melissa de la Cruz is the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times and Publishers Weekly internationally bestselling author of many critically acclaimed novels. Her "Blue Bloods" series has sold over three million copies, and the "Witches of East End" series became an hour-long television drama on the Lifetime network.
I'm thrilled this episode is proudly sponsored by 'Libby', a brand new app lovingly developed by Overdrive (a company I've been a fan of for 6 years). Overdrive's vision and mission is to enlighten the world by reading, a vision that also aligns closely with my core beliefs. 'Libby' was designed for readers to discover and borrow ebooks and audiobooks from your library for FREE. Be sure to click here to learn more and download the app to your phone or tablet!
In today’s episode, Melissa shares the inspiration behind her book "Alex and Eliza" and what the writing process was like. We also discuss her novel "Something in Between" which follows an overachieving Filipino high schooler who came to the U.S. when she was a child. Though not autobiographical in any way, we touch on how Melissa’s own move from the Philippines to the U.S. and her experiences with a complicated green card situation laid down the emotional foundation for her character’s voice.
Further into our conversation, we talk about why it’s important for writers to have a solid support system and good critique partners. For listeners working on a manuscript or entering the query trenches, you’ll definitely want to keep an ear out for her advice about dealing with rejections and recognizing when you’ve finished your novel.
Say 'Hi' to Melissa on Twitter and check out the books/resources mentioned in her episode over at her shownotes page by clicking here!
Happy listening!
Xo
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your WIP, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things. You can really feel the love and support in our Facebook community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
---
Would you love to support our show with some 88 Cups of Tea swag? Grab our limited edition mug (signed by yours truly) here!
---
“Send it out, get rejected, develop a tough skin, and keep on knocking on that door.” -Melissa de la Cruz (Click to tweet)
“It’s really important to teach kids…how to see people who are different as fully human as you are.” -Melissa de la Cruz (Click to tweet)
“When you make writing the sole purpose…you’re not paying attention to the life around you.” -Melissa de la Cruz (Click to tweet)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
Zoraida Cordova is the author of "The Vicious Deep" trilogy, the "On the Verge" series, and the Brooklyn Brujas series. Her latest novel, "Labyrinth Lost", was a Tor.com Best Book of 2016 and an NPR Best Young Adult Book of 2016.“Labyrinth Lost” was also optioned for film by Paramount Studios.
I'm thrilled this episode is proudly sponsored by 'Libby', a brand new app lovingly developed by Overdrive (a company I've been a fan of for 6 years). Overdrive's vision and mission is to enlighten the world by reading, a vision that also aligns closely with my core beliefs. 'Libby' was designed for readers to discover and borrow ebooks and audiobooks from your library for FREE. Be sure to click here to learn more and download the app to your phone or tablet!
In today’s episode, Zoraida walks us through the inspiration behind “Labyrinth Lost” and how she created the religion in the novel. She also shares how the editing journey for her novel inspired new story lines and stronger characters, and what it was like to land the movie deal.
Further into our conversation, we talk about the importance of surrounding yourself with honest people in the writing community who push you to do better.
For craft-focused listeners, we discuss how your own family structure can inspire world-building ideas, and why Zoraida doesn’t always rationalize the characters’ emotions.
Say 'Hi' to Zoraida on Twitter and check out the books/resources mentioned in her episode over at her shownotes page by clicking here. And don't forget to follow her hiking journey on Instagram by clicking here!
Happy listening!
Xo
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your WIP, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things. You can really feel the love and support in our Facebook community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
---
Would you love to support our show with some 88 Cups of Tea swag? Grab our limited edition mug (signed by yours truly) here!
---
“At the end of the day, the only thing I can control are the words that I put on the page.” -Zoraida Cordova (Click to tweet)
“When we talk about mirror images in media and in society, it’s really important to be able to see a reflection of part of yourself.” -Zoraida Cordova (Click to tweet)
“Read widely…It helps you figure out who you are as a writer and how you want to tell your stories.” -Zoraida Cordova (Click to tweet)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE: