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Interview with Jed Doherty of the Reading With Your Kids podcast!

By on January 31, 2019   /   Articles, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers, For Writers, Publishing & Promotion  

Hello Mixed-Up Filers!

How are you all? We are in for a treat today!

If you’re involved in kidlit, then you need to know Jed Doherty, the man behind the great, Reading with Your Kids, podcast, which has featured quite a few of your Mixed-Up FIles team! If you’re not listening, you should be. Jed is a gracious supporter of books and reading and has invited many authors on his podcast.

JR: Hi Jed, and thanks for joining us!

JD: Hey Jonathan, Thanks for having me, and thanks for the kind words about my Reading With Your Kids Podcast. Doing the podcast is a lot of fun. I get to meet some great authors like yourself, and I have made lots of new friends.

 

JR: Let’s start at the beginning. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.

JD: My most important role is being a dad and a husband. My beautiful wife and I have two amazing kids, who are now wonderful adults. We have also hosted a number of international students in our home, and they have become part of our family.

JR: That’s fantastic. I know that for many years now, you’ve traveled the country, going to different schools and performing magic and speaking out against bullying. How did you get into that?

JD: That was kind of an accident. When I was in high school and college my goal was to become a social worker. After college I worked for many years as a social worker, mostly working with kids who had been arrested, most of them arrested for hurting people very badly. It was my job to help them learn how to deal with their anger and sadness in a better way, without hurting themselves or others, to help them learn how to make better choices. It was a hard job. I really loved doing it. But after doing it for almost ten years I needed to make a change.

I decided to leave social work. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do. I did know that I still wanted to work with kids and to help them learn how to make good choices. But how? So I said a prayer and asked God for guidance. After I said that prayer I sat at my table and opened the newspaper. The very first story I saw told me that Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus was in Boston and that they were having auditions for clowns that day. I looked up to the sky and said to God “You’re kidding me right?’

I went to the audition and had a wonderful time. I was in the center ring of the circus, in the Boston Garden, the same building that I had been in hundreds of times to watch the Bruins and Celtics play, and I was making people laugh. And that filled my heart with joy. I knew right then and there that I was meant to make people laugh.

I didn’t run away with the circus that day. I had this idea that I could create shows that I could present in schools that talked to kids about things like bullying, saying no to drugs and saying yes to exercise and reading. Some people said I was crazy, that there was no way I could make this dream come true. But I believed I could do it.

I started studying things like mime and dance and magic. Just a few months after that audition I started doing shows in the Boston Public Schools. It made me so happy to be able to make kids laugh and smile while also inspiring them to make good choices.

It took a while to learn how to make a living as a performer. But with a lot of support from my beautiful wife I was able to make my dream come true.

JR: That’s really an amazing story. From there, what made you get interested in kidlit?

JD: I love to read. Books are magical things that can take you to distant countries, or help you travel back in time, or inspire you to create a whole new future.

And I especially loved reading with my kids. We loved all of the Dr Seuss books, I think my son’s favorite book was Captain Underpants, and my daughter loved Tomi dePaola’s Clown of God.

I realized that one of the reasons our family is so close is that we spent so much time reading together, talking about the stories. Those conversations made it easier to talk about other things in life.

I wanted to create a podcast for parents, to introduce them to great books they can read with their kids no matter how old their kids are.

JR: I agree. Reading with your kids is important, regardless of age. How did you transition into the RWYK podcast?

JD: Just like I did when I started to perform I knew I didn’t know how to be a podcaster. So I started reading books on podcasting, talking to other podcasters, learning as much as I could. And of course, the most important thing about trying to make any dream come true is to actually try. To take a chance.

 

JR: You’ve been very generous about getting authors from all sorts of genres on your program, including me, for which I’m grateful. Tell us about the podcast itself. What is your mission with it?

JD: The mission is to inspire parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and others to spend more time reading with kids, and talking with kids about the stories. I truly believe reading with our kids is the beginning of a life long conversation. I hope that when families read together they will want to start to cook together, and go hiking together and do all sorts of things together.

 

JR: How long did it take for it to start to be noticed?

JD: Creating this podcast has been a lot of fun. One of the things I am so happy about is that the authors who have been on the show are very supportive of the show and each other. They have helped promote. That helped lots of authors learn about the show very quickly, so within a couple of months folks in the kidlit community started to notice the show.

Our audience really started to grow after five or six months.

 

JR: Recently, you’ve had on two major celebrities, Levar Burton, for which I was gushing, and Candace Cameron Bure, for which my daughter was. You did a great job with those interviews. How did that come about, and how did that feel when you knew it was going to happen?

JD: I loved speaking with both of those guests. Candace Cameron Bure was so much fun. Her book company actually reached out to me and asked if she could be a guest on the show. It took me about a half of a second to say yes.

LeVar Burton was also a lot of fun. I have been a fan of his work forever. I remember watching him play Kunta Kinte in the television series Roots when I was in high school. And I was a huge fan of Star Trek The Next Generation. And when I became a dad one of the show my kids and I watched was Reading Rainbow.

The inspiration to have him on the show came from my son. He called me one day and said “you should ask LeVar Burton to be on your show.” I thought that is a crazy idea, but since I have always been a fan of crazy ideas I gave it a show. I did a little research on line, found a contact on his LeVar Burton Kids website and sent a request. A couple of days later a member of his team wrote back and said that LeVar would be happy to be on the show.

JR: If authors would like to appear on your podcast, how can they go about doing it?

JD: Easy, they can visit our web site, Readingwithyourkids.com, click on the contact link and let us know about their book.

 

JR: Anything special lined up for 2019?

JD: It is going to be tough to top 2018. We did have great guests like LeVar and Candace, and we had our amazingly Spooky MiddleGrade Christmas Special that you were a part of. I am still amazed that you and your Spooky Middle Grade friends were able to create a spooky and fun original story for that show, and the swerve you threw in at the end was fabulous.

In 2019 we are going to strive to have an episode devoted to STEM fields each week. And we are going to grow from four episodes each week to five. And in just a few weeks we will be in Los Angeles to attend the iHeartRadio Podcast Awards, our show has been nominated for the Best Kids and Family Podcast Award.

JR: Incredible news. That Spooky story we did was also so much fun for all of us. How can people follow you on social media?

We have a Facebook page, and folks can connect with my personal Facebook page. On Twitter you can find me @jedliemagic and on Instagram we are @magicjedlie.

 

JR: Jed, I’d like to thank you so much for joining us today, and wish you much continued success with the RWYK podcast!

 

Well, until next time my Mixed-Up friemds . . .

Jonathan

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Interview with Lorin Oberweger, Literary Agent from Adams Literary

By on January 30, 2019   /   Articles  

Hello Mixed-Up Filers! Are we in for a treat today! We have with us, Lorin Oberweger, who besides being a really great person and friend, is also an agent with Adams Literary!

JR: Hi Lorin, thanks for joining us today!

LO: My pleasure! Thanks so much for having me.

JR: To start, could you tell us a little bit about your path to becoming an agent and also about Adams Literary?

LO: Well, that is a long and winding road, but I’ll try to offer the consolidated version! Basically, I’ve been a writer and editor since around the time the earth cooled. I love everything to do with storytellers and storytelling. My editorial services company, founded in 1995, started putting on workshops for writers in 2001, and as of this year, we’ll be into about our ninetieth offering!

Along the way, I started thinking about what else I could do to serve writers, especially those writers who really just needed a boost, someone to advocate for them and for their work.  I was also interested in taking on new challenges for myself. So, I talked to Josh and Tracey Adams (who represent MY writing, by the way) about joining their agency, and they were more than awesome and welcoming.

As I said at a recent writing conference, the path to my building a list and sending out submissions has been a slow one. I’ve definitely met my match in terms of multi-tasking/overcommitting, so I’m working on clearing the decks and really leaning much more heavily into the agenting work. I do have a few clients ready to go out on submission, and I’m super excited for what that will bring.

Here’s the Adams Literary mission statement, which I think sums up their work ethic and philosophy nicely: “Adams Literary is a full-service, boutique literary agency exclusively representing children’s and young adult authors and artists. Founded by Tracey and Josh Adams, Adams Literary prides itself on nurturing the creativity of its clients and maintaining close relationships with editors and publishers in New York City and around the world.”

They really are a family-run business, with all that entails, and I’m so appreciative to be part of that family.

JR: What’s changed in publishing between the time you started and now?

LO: I’ll mention one negative change and then a couple of positive ones. First, the “blah” news: I think it’s becoming increasingly more difficult for authors to make a LIVING as part of the industry. Recent surveys suggest that the average annual income for writers has dropped quite a bit over the last couple of decades.

Part of this has to do, I think, with the absolute explosion in volume of books published, especially if you factor in writers who are publishing independently. There’s just more competition for the audience.

That said, and on the positive side, I think we’re living in content-hungry times right now. Not only are publishers still acquiring at a robust rate, but new imprints blossom with some regularity. Publishers are a bit nimbler in terms of creating homes to spotlight #ownvoices and other stories for readerships that haven’t been that well served until now. It’s a slow and imperfect process, but there’s a real, honest drive to publish works that would likely not have seen the light of day even a decade ago. And credible small presses are doing amazing things, as well. Technology has made it easier to democratize publishing, which has its drawbacks but also has incredible benefits.

The other positive note is that writers are becoming much more expert. In my experience, at least. It’s rare, for example, that I see a totally incompetent query or submission package. Writers are savvier; they’re making use of the resources available to them. As one litmus, back when I first put out my editing shingle there were perhaps three or four legitimate independent editors, and it was tough to convince writers of the benefit of working with one. Now, people recognize the advantages of having an expert, objective advisor on their side.

I will end with this, because I think it’s important. Though the field may feel more crowded than ever, with lower pay, and though publishing can be counted upon to undergo its expansions and contractions, writers make it in publishing ALL THE TIME. It’s very much an open door to those who are diligent, passionate, and who put themselves in service to readers. That is ultimately the secret sauce of writing success.

 

JR: That’s good to hear. It really is about hard work paying off.  What do you enjoy the most about your job?

LO: Working in a developmental capacity with clients, helping to provide the key that unlocks their stories’ real potential. I’m also kind of a research nerd, and I love building submissions lists, trying to find the perfect match between writer and editor.

JR: What sort of books do you look for?

LO: Great ones! Seriously, for me, I’m pretty open to any genre within the MG and YA readerships, though high fantasy or hard science fiction has to offer something fresh AND has to have a potent emotional story for me to feel truly hooked.

As I’d said many times before, I’m also really drawn to characters who demonstrate some level of agency right away, even if their capacity for action is thwarted by circumstances. I want them to feel strongly about themselves or about someone else that they’re urged to pursue a goal and carry us along with them. I’m not such a fan of the victim protagonist who is just pushed through the story, reacting to circumstances as they befall him/her.

On a recent panel, I also mentioned that I love stories that have some foundation in myth or folklore, and a story with feminist underpinnings is also :::chef’s kiss:::!

JR: I know you’re very dedicated with your authors. What do you want in an author/agent relationship?

LO: I feel like this is still evolving in some ways, as I grow my agenting “sea legs.” Mutual respect and forbearance are important. And I would say communication, though I’ve been a bit lacking in that arena, given all that I juggle. Working on that!

I think, too, an understanding that though it should be a warm and friendly one, this is a professional relationship. Boundaries are necessary on both ends in order to keep things healthy and vital.

JR: In your opinion, what’s the state of publishing right now?

LO: Still New York, I’d say.

JR: Okay, I’m loving that answer. 

LO: I know, I know! That was terrible, but I couldn’t resist. I think publishing is chugging along. Deals are still being made all the time. Tens of thousands of books are published each year. This year, it may be more difficult to publish books in certain genres that may be all the rage next year.

I’m not a fan of this question because unless publishing literally shuts its doors, there’s ALWAYS an opportunity for a great writer to have great success. That should be the focus, in my view.

JR: What’s going on in Middle Grade?

LO: I think the market is particularly hungry for great Middle Grade stories, especially—but not limited to—stories with #ownvoices appeal.

JR: What advice can you give to authors?

LO: Push yourself to grow your craft and your knowledge of storytelling ALL THE TIME. Don’t settle. Believe that your story might change someone’s life and write a love letter to THAT person.

JR: That’s great advice. What was your favorite book as a child?

LO: Still one of my top five favorites: THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH by Norton Juster. I’m literally going to get a tattoo of some of the characters!

The Phantom Tollbooth

 

JR: What’s one thing from your childhood that you miss and wish could come back?

LO: That feeling of having all the time in the world.

 

JR: Where can we find you on Social Media?

LO:

@AuthorLor on Twitter

lorin_o3318 on Instagram

lorin.oberweger on Facebook

And you can probably find me by name on other platforms!

 

JR: Now, in 10,000 words or more, tell me why you love being friends with me.

LO: I’m afraid 10,000 words would hardly suffice. I’ll send you my master thesis when I’m done!

 

JR: Sweet, I can’t wait to read it! Thanks so much for taking the time to speak to us today!

LO: My pleasure! Thank YOU!

 

To check out Adams Literary and where to submit to Lorin:

http://www.adamsliterary.com/

 

Well, Mixed-Up Filers, until next time . . .

 

Jonathan

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Literary Activities for African American History Month

By on January 25, 2019   /   Articles, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers  

African American History Month starts next week, and schools across the country have a variety of activities planned to celebrate. In addition to being a middle grade writer and blogger, I am the PTA President at my kids’ elementary school, and so I’ve had the good fortune to be involved in our school’s planning for this special time. Of course, reading had to be a big part of it!

We decided to welcome parents into the classroom to read works by and about African Americans. First, we met with principal, and discussed our mutual goal of enhancing kids’ understanding of the breadth of the contribution of African Americans to American history. Often, kids point to the same five or seven famous African Americans, without a sense of how many more people have shaped our society in a broad range of ways. We then put together a list of books that included biography, fiction, poetry, and more, all by or about African Americans. We worked with the librarian to find out which of those titles our library already contains, and created an Amazon wishlist of the remaining. We will send that out to parents, to see if anyone would like to contribute. The librarian will collect the selected books onto a few shelves of the library for parents to choose from when they come in to do their reading at the appointed time.

As we planned, we came across a number of other ideas and resources for those putting together literary activities for African American History Month. Here are a few:

I hope this African American History Month is filled with fun, discovery, and plenty of great books!

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