Sharon welcomes middle-grade author Jessica Vitalis. Jessica shares her journey from picture books to novels in verse, emphasizing perseverance, community, and continual craft improvement. They discuss the value of mentor texts, the process of writing across genres, pursuing literary awards, and the importance of connecting with and contributing to the kid lit community.

Visit and/or Follow Jessica Online: Website: https://jessicavitalis.com/ Bluesky: @jessicavitalis.bsky.social Instagram: @jessicavauthor

Sharon Skinner interviews prolific children's author and indie publisher Darcy Pattison, who shares insights and actionable advice on indie publishing, from book production to marketing, drawing on her experience publishing over 70 award-winning kidlit titles.

Visit and/or Follow Darcy Online: Facebook.com/DarcyPattisonAuthor darcypattison.bsky.social MimsHouseBooks.com DarcyPattison.com substack.com/@darcypattison indiekidsbooks.com

TOPICS COVERED

• Darcy Pattison’s Journey to Indie Publishing (00:03:10)
• Choosing and Researching Nonfiction KidLit (00:04:56)
• Managing the Business and Profitability of Indie Publishing (00:08:41)
• Offset Printing vs. Print-on-Demand for Picture Books (00:16:04)
• The Importance of Setting Clear Publishing Goals (00:22:00)
• Outsourcing Tasks and Wearing Multiple Hats as an Indie Publisher (00:29:01)
• Encouragement and Advice for Writers Considering Self-Publishing (00:31:48)

Sharon and guest Rebecca Dolence discuss using creatures as symbols in kid lit, exploring how folklore and personal experience inform storytelling. They share insights on developing creature backstories, avoiding stereotypes, and twisting familiar tropes, while encouraging writers to innovate and deepen character symbolism in their children’s literature.

Key Topics Covered:

• The role of creatures and symbolism in children’s literature and storytelling
• Avoiding stereotypes by giving creatures nuanced personalities and backstories
• How personal experience and voice shape writing and coaching approaches
• Using folklore, mythology, and animal symbolism in kid lit
• Twisting and innovating on familiar tropes and creature archetypes

Visit Rebecca online at: LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Substack

And check out her Creature of the Month Club and Free Villain Worksheet

Other Resources:

Slam Poetry Wiki

What is My Spirit Animal

Award-winning author Joan Schoettler joins Sharon Skinner to discuss her journey from teacher to kidlit writer, delving into the craft of verse novels, the importance of concise language and emotional resonance, and how authentic storytelling can connect deeply with young readers.

Visit Joan online at: https://joanschoettler.com/ and follow her on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram

In this episode of Coaching KidLit, Sharon interviews guest Sara Fujimura about her writing journey and Authorpreneurial strategies, including networking, marketing, and maintaining a writing career, even when setbacks occur.

Emphasizing community building, Sara details her experiences in both indie and traditional publishing, the importance of identifying one’s audience, and how she overcame challenges. The episode provides actionable advice for aspiring authors, focusing on balancing writing and business aspects while achieving personal definitions of success.

Visit Sara online at: https://sarafujimura.com or https://www.tanabatawishes.com

In this episode of Coaching KidLit, host Sharon Skinner welcomes Matt McMann, USA Today bestselling author of the middle grade spooky mystery series Monsterious. Matt shares his unique writing journey—from winning school writing contests as a kid, to a long career as a musician, and finally returning to writing with encouragement and guidance from his wife, bestselling author Lisa McMann.

Matt discusses the ups and downs of his path to publication, including multiple book rejections before finding success with Monsterious. He explains the difference between dynamic, static, and anthology series and why he chose the anthology format for his books, allowing each story to feature different characters and monsters. Matt emphasizes the importance of perseverance and ongoing practice in developing writing craft.

Visit Matt online at mattmcmann.com, and follow him on Instagram @matt_mcmann

Visit Chris online at: ChrisCheng.com

Sharon and Christy welcome Guest Harshita Jerath, author of picture books such as "The Leaping Ladoo" and "Cooler Than Lemonade" to discuss how she blends elements from her Indian heritage with American experiences in her writing, creating stories that resonate with broader audiences while maintaining cultural authenticity.

Visti Harshita online at:

• Website: harshitajerath.com
• Instagram: @hjjerath
• Facebook: Harshita Jerath Books and Blog