Posts Tagged “writing for children”

WNDMG Author Interview with Meg Eden Kuyatt

By on May 13, 2026   /   Articles  

WNDMG Author Interview with Meg Eden Kuyatt

We’ve got an author here today! And I had the esteemed pleasure of sitting down with MG Novel-in-Verse author Meg Eden Kuyatt. So, without further ado…

KATE: Our Mixed-Up-Files readers would love the inside scoop on your latest novel-in-verse, Perfect Enough. With the school year behind her, Selah is looking forward to a drama-free summer. (Spoiler alert – it won’t be as carefree as she’d like). Can you share with readers a bit about what Selah gets up to in summer?

MEG: Selah wants to prove to her mom–and herself–that she’ll be fine at summer camp, that she can do the same as any neurotypical kid if she has her tools. She wants to connect with her new dragon-loving friends. She wants to write, publish in the summer camp journal, and become a “real writer” (spoiler: she’s already a writer). Even though she has fun, that doesn’t mean she won’t have challenges–you’ll have to read more to find out!

KATE: I fell in love with Selah in Good Different and was naturally excited to see you were returning to her world in Perfect Enough. Did you always have plans to extend her story? And if so, in what ways did it shape how you’d end the first story?

MEG: No, actually! It’s funny. I was trying to write this summer camp story about learning to accept your limitations and ableism, but I kept getting stuck. I realized part of that might be that the main character was basically Selah with a different name. So I asked: what if it was Selah’s story? And the pieces began to click together!

KATE: Perfect Enough takes place the summer after book one. Here, we follow Selah at camp. How did you decide upon that timeline vs, say the start of a new school year?

MEG: Part of that is because I want to follow up on a well-meaning but troubling response I’ll get to Good Different that only focuses on Selah’s “superpowers” as an autistic person. I wanted to say, yes, there is great strength and joy in autism, but there are also challenges–let’s not forget both. Argument-wise, that really follows from Good Different. Plus, if I get to tell future stories with Selah, I think we’d need a whole separate book for that transition to public school. I know for me, the transition from private to public school was very hard. 

KATE: I love how you find ways to advocate for readers by giving them diverse characters to fall in love with and see themselves in. Followers of Selah know she is autistic, and we’ve witnessed how she navigates the world. In Perfect Enough we get to see her understanding of how others navigate the world – in particular through the lens of a character with ADHD. What inspired you to bring this storyline into your novel?

MEG: My husband is ADHD (or possibly AuDHD, we’re not sure) and that camp story I mentioned earlier, I knew a big part to me was about this autistic girl and ADHD boy learning to work together on a group project. My husband and I, we make a great team. In many ways we sync well. But in others, we are total opposites, and know how to get on each others’ nerves! We’ve only gotten to see Selah’s perspective so far, so I wanted to show that she’s only one neurodivergent person. In the story, we meet lots of neurodivergent folks, and see how we can have competing access needs–sometimes two people will need the complete opposite things! How do we navigate that? I don’t think there’s a simple answer, but I want all of us to think more about that question, and how we can all bend a little to make room so that everyone feels safe.

KATE: At Writer’s Camp, attendees are invited to team up for group projects. I’m not going to lie – I was reliving every anxiety and stress Selah was, thanks to past projects of my own childhood, lol. What a great universal idea for your school-aged characters to be put through. So, I’m super curious how easy it was for you to write the tension in these scenes? Were you tapping into your own experiences, or was this pure fiction for you?

MEG: Ha! Me too. Group projects can be quite unpleasant. I think that was part of why I wanted to write about it, because I’m so bad at plot, and that would create a great tension-generator! Writing Selah’s stories has been so easy. I know I mined lots of experiences with my husband, as well as roommates with college. 

KATE: Please tell us more about this writer’s camp. Is this something you had once attended, taught at, or always dreamed of being part of?

MEG: In high school, my friend attended Duke’s Young Writers Camp. I was so jealous! That was the starting inspiration. But I also sometimes teach at the Jimenez-Porter Writers House at the University of Maryland College Park, which offers a sort of summer program. Since I know the campus and the dormitories well, I sort of mixed the two in my imagination to make a writer’s camp where I could really feel the space like I was right there as Selah. 

KATE: Your dialogue exercise is one of my favorites. It starts off fun and silly, then Selah reveals how the other character makes her feel. The scene feels so effortless. I’m curious if this is something that got edited and edited, or if it simply wrote itself.

MEG: Nope, this was one of those things that wrote itself! I think that’s why it’s such a good exercise.

KATE: One of the camp teachers, Mr. Yi, discusses with Selah how poems are her voice. Selah responds by answering that poems give her courage to say things off the page too. I have witnessed you teach poetry to students, and love how you make it so easy to understand. What advice do you have for kids inspired by Selah who either currently write poetry or who wish to start writing it?

MEG: Thank you so much for your kind words, Kate! The biggest advice I give is to persist. Write, give yourself permission to take you and your writing seriously (you ARE a writer!), and if you want to, send out your work–but there’ll be rejection, so don’t lose heart! Just keep sending, writing, learning and growing!

KATE: Without revealing spoilers, can you describe your writing process and, can you give us an example of something you cut, changed, or reworked from draft to publication?

MEG: I’ll say generally, this idea was it’s own summer camp story at first, in dual POV, and more about combating ableism. But I kept getting stuck, until I realized–one of the main characters was basically Selah! So when I put Selah as the MC, everything came together perfectly. I know we did some changes between drafts, but I’m having trouble remembering anything too huge or radical. 

KATE: Thank you for taking the time to share the inside scoop on Perfect Enough. Is there something beyond Selah’s world you can hint at? Perhaps a new project in the works?

MEG: I have a YA with two autistic protagonists coming out from Scholastic in 2027–more soon! I’ve sent in some middle grade proposals to Scholastic, including an idea for a third Selah book. Fingers crossed to see what happens!

KATE: Where can readers best find you if they want to reach out?

MEG: I tend to not be on social media much anymore, to be honest. These companies have all proven to be exploitative and gross, and I’m wrestling with: is this edifying? Is it good for me or others? Do I want to be complicit in this system? I still haven’t fully let go, so you might see me occasionally on Instagram or updating my Facebook page, but the best ways to keep in touch with me are through my website and newsletter:

http://eepurl.com/buwBXX

www.megedenbooks.com

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Interview with Author/Illustrator J.C. Phillipps

By on May 8, 2026   /   Articles, Author Interviews  
Today, please join me in giving a hearty Mixed-Up welcome to author and illustrator J.C. Phillipps. Originally from Toledo, Ohio, J.C. took art lessons at the Toledo Museum of Art and went on to get degrees in art and theater from Hope College in Holland, Michigan, and Emerson College in Boston.
More recently, J. C. has been working as an artist, author, and illustrator in West Hartford, Connecticut. She has written and illustrated four published picture books as well as the graphic novel series Pacey Packer Unicorn Tracker. Her latest graphic MG novel, The Ghost in Cabin 13, has been praised by Kirkus as “A coming-of-age journey worth sharing around a campfire” and is out now from Penguin Workshop.

The Ghost in Cabin 13: A Summary

Twelve-year-old Leah is nervous to attend Camp Cottontail for the first time. She’s worried about meeting new friends, sleeping out in the woods, and being away from her family. But Leah didn’t expect to be freaked out about the ghost in Cabin 13. It’s a good thing she brought her beloved doll, Beverly, for comfort. But after getting picked on by the older girls in her cabin, participating in a séance gone wrong, and befriending—and then ditching—a possessed doll, Leah’s experience at camp goes from anxiety-ridden to straight-up spooky. Will she survive or hightail it home?

Interview with J.C. Phillips

MR: Welcome to the Mixed-Up Files, J.C! (May I call you Julie?)

JCP: Absolutely! Thank you so much for having me.

It Started with Inktober

MR: I read that the inspiration for this book came from your participation in a month-long drawing challenge called Inktober. Can you tell MUF readers more about this?

JCP: Sure. Inktober is a 31-day drawing challenge that takes place in the month of October. Each day there is a one-word prompt, like Salty or Bluff, and artists all over the world draw their interpretations and post them on their Instagram pages with the hashtag #inktober and details like the year and prompt. In 2022, one of the prompts was Uh-oh. I thought back to my childhood when my friends and I would play spooky games at slumber parties, and I drew a séance gone wrong. Four poor girls are startled by a Victorian ghost that they have accidentally summoned. I loved the memory of having fun being scared and developed that feeling into the story of The Ghost in Cabin 13.

What a Doll!

MR: Leah, the doll-toting, 12-year-old protagonist, is an extremely sympathetic character. Did you share traits with Leah at that age? Also, did you go to sleepaway camp? If so, what was your experience like? Did you encounter any ghosts? 🙂 

JCP: I absolutely shared (and still share) character traits with Leah. Leah is nervous with new people. My nightmare is a party where I only know one person. Leah wants to be part of the group but she’s afraid of being teased and rejected. I think most of us feel that way. At the end of the day, I think we all want to be around people who like us for who we are. But sometimes it’s hard to find those people, so we pretend we don’t really need them. I’m no different.

As for personal camp experience, I had a one-night sleepover camp during my Girl Scout years and I used to be a counselor for a day camp called Camp Seafaring in the Boston area. (That camp was a major influence on Book 2 in the Cabin 13 series.) I’ve never encountered a ghost, and I’m okay with that. I prefer them in fiction. 🙂

Portrait of an Artist

MR: In addition to writing the novel, you created the illustrations. What was the process like for you? Did you do both at the same time or add the illustrations later? Also, how does being an artist influence your writing and vice-versa?

JCP: I write the story first. Sometime in the first draft I might start to draw the main characters. Knowing what they look like helps me capture their voice. I probably go through two or three drafts of writing before I get serious about illustrating. And I will intentionally over-write scenes knowing that I will cut them down when I start sketching out the pages.

It’s easy to write a long conversation, but once you start to draw it, it becomes visually boring if the characters stay in the same place for too long. It’s great to be both the writer and illustrator because I can choose what I want to say visually. Maybe I want a character to respond with a scowl. Or maybe I want a panel where someone’s jaw drops open in disbelief. I can visualize those moments as I’m writing and just make myself a little illustration note in the text. I call them Notes to Future Julie because I might not draw that scene for months.

Pacey Packer, Unicorn Tracker 

MR: In addition to The Ghost in Cabin 13, you have written and illustrated the popular Pacey Packer, Unicorn Tracker series. How did your experience crafting The Ghost in Cabin 13 differ from your creation of Pacey Packer? What was similar?

JCP: The writing of both projects was similar, although I remember having more difficulty in finding the right tone for Pacey Packer Unicorn Tracker. It took me a long time to figure out how evil or silly the unicorns were going to be. But for The Ghost in Cabin 13 I knew what vibe I was going for, so I had an easier time developing that plot.

I did have a hurdle at the beginning, because in the first draft there was no summer camp. Leah and her parents went to an AirBnB with their extended family. Instead of a cabin of teen girls, Leah was being teased by her teenage cousins who made TikTok videos. But the story focused too much on the relationship between Leah and her mom and it wasn’t as very fun. I had to figure out how to get rid of Mom. Once I landed on sending Leah to summer camp, things really came together.

The biggest difference between the creation of both books was in the illustrating. Pacey Packer Unicorn Tracker has only one color, purple. The Ghost in Cabin 13 is in full-color. I’m so glad Pacey was only in purple. It was the first time I’d worked digitally and it was a lot for me to learn Photoshop, Procreate, and the fundamentals of paneled storytelling without having to deal with color theory. Now that I know how to use the digital tools, I can spend more time working on the color palette and how to use color to help with the mood and tone of the story, especially the spooky parts!

Picture Books vs. MG

MR: Besides being a middle-grade author and illustrator, you have written and illustrated several picture books. What was it like for you to take the leap to middle grade? Were there any specific challenges creating stories and illustrations for an older audience?

JCP: If anything, the jump from picture books to graphic novels was a little easier. Writing for a middle-grade audience suits my sense of humor a bit more. I can be a little more snarky. A little more myself. Picture books are shorter, but that doesn’t mean they are easier. The ideas and the execution of those ideas have to be clear and concise in picture books. In graphic novels, I have more time to explore character arcs, include a small side plot, or even develop some of the supporting characters.

In Pacey Packer Unicorn Tracker I was able to develop a comic relationship between two unicorn guards. In The Ghost in Cabin 13, I had space to give more details to the counselors and Camp Leader. I think those small details are so much fun! In picture books, I might have been able to sneak some extra details into the art, but there was never space in the text. The biggest challenges for me in creating a middle-grade horror story was staying within the boundaries of what is acceptable spooky fun for the age group without overdoing it. I want the readers to have the thrill of being scared without any nightmares.

Path to Publication

MR: Can you tell us a bit about your path to publication? Was it smooth sailing or bumpy seas?

JCP: Arg! I think, relatively speaking, it was smooth sailing, but it was a roundabout path to get there. I never planned on being an author/illustrator. I got a Bachelors Degree in Art and Theater and a Masters Degree in Theater Education. I wanted to teach college-level theater. After I had graduated from Emerson College, I got a job teaching for a K-1 classroom at an afterschool program, and every day I would read picture books to the class. This was the first time I was looking at picture books as an adult. I looked at the art and knew I could create illustrations. And I looked at the stories, similar to plays, and I knew I could write them. So I shifted my focus to creating literature for children.

I read some books on the craft and joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. One day, they had an Illustrators Day in New York City. I attended workshops while agents and editors looked at my portfolio. On the Greyhound bus back to Boston, I looked at my responses (the agents and editors left cards in my portfolio) and saw that an agent was interested in me. About a year later, I had a contract for my first picture book, Wink the Ninja Who Wanted to Be Noticed.

Julie’s Writing Routine

MR: What is your writing and illustrating process like? Do you have a specific routine or word-count goals? Also, are you a plotter or a pantser?

JCP: I wish I was a plotter! I’m such a type-A person that it would make sense if I was a plotter, but no, I love to sit down with an idea and just type away and see what happens. I’m a pantser through and through.

I always compare writing with pottery. The first draft is making clay. At the end of that draft you just have a big pile of clay in front of you. Then, in revisions, you shape it, remove excess, and it starts becoming a clear story with characters, plot, theme. I usually write in the mornings when my head is clear. I don’t have word-count goals when it comes to writing. For me, the writing process is most successful when I allow myself to be organic and free-flowing.

However, illustration is completely different. I absolutely set goals for myself. Usually it’s one spread (two pages) per day. That can take 4-6 hours depending on how detailed the drawing is. I ink (in Procreate) the entire book then submit it to the editors for notes. Once the ink drawings are approved, I move onto the coloring process. Again, I have a goal of one spread per day, but sometimes I can go faster and get 3-4 pages done per day. Making a graphic novel is a marathon-type project. I have to set a pace for myself that I can maintain for a year. Sometimes it can feel long, but, all in all, I like the routine of it.

Successful Author Visits

MR: Rumor has it you enjoy doing author visits at schools. What is your secret sauce for a successful visit?

JCP: This is where my theater degree gets put to use. I trained as an actor in my undergraduate program. I do not fear a stage. I can project my voice. And I enjoy interacting with young people. When I’m creating a school visit presentation, I build in games, quizzes, and different ways I can interact with the audience. I think of it as an audience-participation show. My goal is to give a 50-minute presentation that informs and entertains, that the students can be a part of.

The Ghost in Cabin 13: What’s Next

MR: The Ghost in Cabin 13 is the first in a series. Would you mind sharing a bit about what readers can expect in the books that follow?

JCP:  Cabin 13 is an anthology series, so every book is its own individual story. Different characters. Different camp. Different ghosts/monsters. But they are all spooky and there’s always a Cabin 13. I’m not sure how much I’m allowed to say about Book 2, but here’s a clue: Arrr, mateys!

When my editor and I were discussing book 2 of the series, we debated continuing Leah’s story or expanding the world of the books beyond Camp Cottontail. I figured I could extend Leah and Beverly’s story for one more book, but it would be challenging after that. Then I started brainstorming all the fun ideas for new monsters in new camps, and that seemed a lot more exciting. Plus, after the series is built up a bit, readers can choose any book in any order, which also appealed to me. I also like the idea of having many main characters so readers can hopefully find themselves reflected in one of the books.

Merch!

MR: Last question. You have the most incredible selection of artistic merch on Redbubble, including T-shirts, mugs, notebooks, phone cases, and more. What inspired you to branch out in this way? Also, will you have merch available for The Ghost in Cabin 13?

JCP: Okay, business talk. As an artist, it’s good to have multiple revenue streams. I love making books, but sometimes I don’t have a book under contract. So, I also have art in several local galleries and gift shops. I do art fairs. I teach paint-n-sip watercolor classes for adults. I do author visits. And I upload my art to print-on-demand sites like TeePublic and Redbubble.

I started uploading work to Redbubble about ten years ago. I liked being able to print my work on bags, T-shirts, and stickers so I could sell them at my art shows. But it’s also a good way for people to find my art online. If, say, someone in Chicago who follows me on Instagram likes a painting, they could buy a print on Redbubble. Or, sometimes people tell me they like one of my Inktober drawings and ask if I’ll post it on Redbubble so they can buy a print. I’m happy to do that. Right now there are two Cabin 13 designs in my Redbubble shop, so if you wanted to check them out, you’d go to Redbubble.com and search JCPhillipps Cabin13.

Lightning Round!

MR: No MUF interview is complete without a lightning round, so…

Preferred writing snack? Pretzels.

Coffee or tea? Iced coffee.

Zombie apocalypse: Yea or nay? In fiction, Yea – all the way. I love zombies. In reality, I think the zombies would eat my brains pretty quickly. Surviving a zombie apocalypse isn’t in my skill set.

Favorite camp activity? I’d be a theater girlie: painting sets, sewing costumes, making puppets. The show must go on!

Favorite ghost story? This is a tough one. The first thing that comes to mind isn’t a ghost story, but rather a scary, creepy story and it’s Edgar Allan Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado. It’s a story about cold, calculated revenge. My favorite ghost movie is The Sixth Sense, where a little boy can see ghosts, many of whom don’t know they are ghosts. He’s scared at first, but then he learns that he can help them. Neither of these stories are for kids, although I think I read The Cask of Amontillado in high school. I love Edgar Allan Poe.

Superpower? Teleportation. I love being places, but I hate getting there. I’d love to blink my way to Paris!

Favorite place on earth? Buck Island. It’s a small uninhabited island off the coast of St. Croix. If you go on a snorkeling trip, a boating company will take you out there, you can snorkel for an hour then spend about 20 minutes on the most beautiful beach I’ve ever seen. The sand is soft and white. The water is warm. It’s so peaceful and lovely. If I need to calm down, I just take a deep breath.

MR: Thank you for chatting with me, Julie, and congratulations on the publication of The Ghost in Cabin 13! I thought it was a lot of fun, and I know readers will think so, too!

JCP: Thank you so much. What great questions! I really hope your readers enjoy The Ghost in Cabin 13.

Bio

Originally from Toledo, Ohio, J. C. Phillipps took art lessons at the Toledo Museum of Art. She went on to get degrees in art and theater from Hope College in Holland, Michigan, and Emerson College in Boston. More recently, J. C. has been working as an artist, author, and illustrator in West Hartford, Connecticut. She has written and illustrated four published picture books as well as the graphic novel series Pacey Packer Unicorn Tracker. Learn more about J.C. Phillipps on her website and follow her Instagram.

 

Melissa Roske is a writer of middle-grade fiction. Before spending her days with imaginary people, she interviewed real ones as a journalist in Europe. Upon returning to her native New York, Melissa contributed to several books and magazines, selected jokes for Reader’s Digest, and received certification as a life coach from NYU. In addition to her debut novel Kat Greene Comes Clean (Charlesbridge), Melissa’s short story “Grandma Merle’s Last Wish” appears in the Jewish middle-grade anthology, Coming of Age: 13 B’Nai Mitzvah Stories (Albert Whitman). Learn more about Melissa on her Website and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

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Interview with Margaret Gurevich

By on March 19, 2026   /   Articles, Author Interviews  
Today, please author Margaret Gurevich to the Mixed-Up Files! Margaret’s latest MG novel, Yasha’s Amazin’ Bar Mitzvah, hailed by Kirkus as: “A loving, carefully delineated portrayal of growth,” is out now from Penguin Workshop. But first…

A Summary

It’s 1986, and 13-year-old Yasha Reznik doesn’t understand why his parents moved from their Russian community in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, to the suburbs of New Jersey. Sure, it may be their American Dream, but it’s not his. Yasha’s dream is to make it through his Bar Mitzvah, watch the New York Mets make it to the playoffs, and fit in at his new school.

But fitting in is harder than he thinks, when he’s one of only two Russian families in town; he even starts going by “Jake” instead of “Yasha.” The only person who seems to really get him is Bernie, his pal from the senior citizen home where Yasha is doing community service for his bar mitzvah project.

When Bernie says his dream is also to see the Mets win the World Series, Yasha knows that somehow, someway, he’s going to get those tickets–even if he doesn’t know his Torah portion yet, or why he feels alone even with his new “friends.”

Yasha’s Amazin’ Bar Mitzvah

MR: Welcome to the Mixed-Up Files, Margaret! Before we dive in, can you tell readers a bit about Yasha’s Amazin’ Bar Mitzvah?

MG: This book means so much to me as it’s based on some of my own experiences growing up as a Russian-Jewish-American in the 1980s. Yasha and his family emigrated from the former Soviet Union to Brighton Beach, New York. Eight years later, they move to the suburbs of New Jersey. While in New York, he lived in a community with many others who were Russian; in New Jersey, he is one of two in his grade. He struggles to fit in while planning for his Bar Mitzvah. He finds a friend in Bernie, a senior citizen he meets for his Bar Mitzvah project. They both love the Mets, and this propels Yasha to try and get tickets to the 1986 World Series.

Memories from Childhood

MR: Like Yasha, you emigrated to the United States from the former Soviet Union as a child. How was your experience similar to Yasha’s? How was it different?

MG: Yasha is a little older than I was. We moved to New Jersey when I was eight, and I was 10 in 1986. Yasha is 13. Also, while we lived in Brooklyn, we did not live in Brighton Beach, so the atmosphere was  different. I never had a Bat Mitzvah project or a “Bernie,” but I was very close to my grandfather and based some of Bernie on him.

The discrimination Yasha experiences is very much based on my own experiences. It took a long time  for me to accept the Russian part of me. I felt really “othered” because of that. Our love of the Mets is the same, and I remember watching (on TV) the Mets win the World Series in 1986 and all the hype around that. Like Yasha, my father’s brother and mother stayed behind in the former Soviet Union when my parents, sister, and I came to the United States. My mother’s parents came with us. So, there are many similarities.

But I feel Yasha’s story is universal. Anyone coming from another country or culture who is trying to fit in will be able to relate to his experiences and struggles with his parents and peers. Even if one did not come from another culture, everyone has felt left out, and I think that theme will resonate. (For more on Margaret’s emigration experience, check out her first-person Newsweek essay.)

Meet the Mets!

MR: Baseball is a huge part of Yasha’s story, particularly his love for the New York Mets. I know you’re a Mets fan, too. How did your love of baseball originate?

MG: To be honest, I’m not sure! It was not a big thing in my family. My parents were not very familiar with baseball. My dad loved soccer and hockey and then got into American football. Every summer, my sister and I went to the Catskills with my grandparents. There were many kids our age. All those kids were into the Mets, so I think that’s where it started. I learned about the sport and team from them. The Mets won the World Series in the fall of ’86, and when we went back to that same bungalow colony the summer of ‘87, everyone was still talking about the win like it was yesterday. So, it was Mets hype all over again.

Intergenerational Friendships

MR: Another important part of Yasha’s story is his friendship with Bernie, a resident of the Heavenly Skies retirement home whom Yasha met while working on his bar mitzvah project. Can you tell readers more about Yasha’s connection with Bernie? Also, what were you trying to say about intergenerational friendships?

MG: I think it’s so telling that the person Yasha connects with first is not in his own age group. Growing up, I loved hearing my grandparents tell me about their parents and what they went through. Even now, I remember that while their exact experiences differed from mine, there were universal moments–first love, loss of friends, loneliness, sibling connections, academic woes and successes, etc.–that resonated with me.

The school where I teach has many opportunities for students to connect with the town’s more senior residents, and it leaves both the seniors and teens feeling fulfilled. In terms of Bernie and Yasha, they are both lonely and have undergone similar family issues. They find hope and a friend in each other, and each help the other heal.

Margaret’s Amazin’ Bat Mitzvah

MR: Speaking of B’nai Mitzvahs, did you have one? If so, was it anything like Yasha’s?

MG: My Bat Mitzvah was close to Yasha’s date, albeit three years later. When I was that age, we were part of a conservative synagogue and women were not permitted to read from the Torah. So, I did not have a Torah portion like Yasha does. I did have to memorize prayers, though. My party was not in a Russian restaurant, and it had a mix of Jewish and American food. However, we did have a DJ who added some Russian songs into the party mix. The thing I remember most about my Bat Mitzvah was the fun, family, and friends. Two of my friends made a memory glass for me. It was a thing back then. They melted candle wax and put flowers and ribbons and things in it.

(For more books that feature B’nai Mitzvahs, check out this article from the Mixed-Up Files archives.)

The Importance of Jewish Books

MR: As a follow-up, Yasha’s Amazin’ Bar Mitzvah is a quintessentially Jewish book, which showcases Jewish joy. Why are Jewish books so important, especially now in our current political climate?

MG: There has been a big uptick in antisemitism in recent years. That is very sad and scary. I think it is important for everyone to see each other as human beings who have more commonalities than differences. If people who hate read Yasha’s Amazin’ Bar Mitzvah, they will hopefully find room in their heart to see humanity rather than whatever image or story they created in their minds about Jewish people as a whole.

Ain’t It Funny

MR: Yasha’s Amazin’ Bar Mitzvah is your second middle-grade novel. Ain’t it Funny, about an 11-year-old wannabe comic with OCD, came out in 2024. How will your experience as a previously published author affect your approach to launching and marketing Yasha? What will you do differently this time? What will remain the same?

MG: I feel this time I put myself out there more. I have been on various podcasts, did more interviews, scheduled a virtual book tour, and promoted publicly more. I am not the best at self-promotion and a part of me feels it will annoy people. I’m trying to push past that. I feel if it bugs people, they can always mute me or keep scrolling. 🙂

In terms of what’s the same, I had my Ain’t It Funny book launch at the local library and will do the same for the release of Yasha’s Amazin’ Bar Mitzvah. For AIF, I had joke stations and people who attended were able to make up their own jokes or share one of the one already there. This time, the theme is Bar Mitzvah party! I’m excited for the party atmosphere and the activities I have planned: Bar Mitzvah games, photo booth, snacks, etc.

The Juggler

MR:  In addition to being a novelist, you are a middle-school teacher, editor, and writing coach. How do you juggle these different facets of your life? What are the biggest challenges? The greatest rewards?

MG: Besides what you mentioned, my friend and I recently started a college consulting business, https://caringcollegeconsulting.com/. We have both worked independently assisting students with college essays and applications and decided to join forces. So, yes, all of these ventures require balance, and sometimes it’s a challenge. However, it has forced me to become more organized, which has been a struggle since elementary school. As I have become older, I have learned what works for me. For the college consulting, my business partner and I make detailed spreadsheets that keep us on track.

Teaching requires daily and weekly planning. And, thanks to deadlines, I can keep up with my writing. The biggest reward of all my ventures is connecting with and helping others. I love encouraging my middle-school students and celebrating their accomplishments. The same holds true for our consulting clients. It’s so rewarding seeing their faces light up when they get into the college or university they want or when they see how far their Common App essay has come.

Finally, I adore connecting with readers as well and hearing their thoughts about my novels. When a student says they saw themselves in my characters, it means a lot.

Writing Routine

MR: What is your writing process like, Margaret? Do you have a specific writing routine? Also, are you a plotter or a pantser?

MG: I write when I can. Usually, that’s on weekends or over school breaks. I used to be a pantser, but I would inevitably get stuck toward the middle of a book. Now I write out all the major plot points and make a chapter-by-chapter outline. I’m lucky my agent is editorial. She always provides great feedback on my outlines and any scene I’m stuck on. One of my closest friends is a writer too, and she and I swap pages and brainstorm all the time as well, and that’s also very helpful.

Next Up…

MR: What’s next on your writing agenda? Any new projects you can tell us about?

MG: My friend and I are working on a book for an adult audience. It’s fun and quirky and still very much in the planning stages. I also have another middle-grade idea, and we’ll see what happens. Fingers crossed.

Lightning Round!

And finally, No Mixed-Up Files interview is complete without a lightning round, so…

Preferred writing snack? Goldfish crackers

Most memorable World Series moment? The ball going through Buckner’s legs in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series

Favorite Mets player, past or present? I can’t pick just one: Past would be Tom Seaver, Keith Hernandez, Mike Piazza, and David Wright. The present would be Francisco Lindor.

Coffee or tea? Coffee to wake up, chamomile tea to calm down

Zombie apocalypse: Yea or nay? Nay, because I have no survival skills at all.

Superpower? The ability to go back in time

Favorite place on earth? Anywhere with my family and my cat, Goose 🙂 

You’re stranded on a desert island, with only three items in your possession. What are they? Assuming I can’t bring my family, then sunscreen, a water purifier, and a huge box of matches

MR: Thank you for chatting with me, Margaret—and congratulations on Yasha’s Amazin’ Bar Mitzvah. I thought it was fab, and I know MUF readers will agree!

MG: I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you so much for having me. This was so fun, and your questions really made me think!

Bio

Margaret Gurevich had wanted to be a writer since she was seven years old. Her first story was about a girl who got kidnapped in the woods, and she entered it in the second-grade writing contest. Unfortunately, her teachers thought the story was too scary, and the prize went to a girl who wrote about a talking strawberry. However, if you ask Margaret, talking strawberries are plenty scary, so she was definitely robbed! Lucky for her, she recovered from this slight and went on to write for magazines (SELF, Ladies’ Home Journal, Parents, and more) and publish novels. Her Chloe by Design series was billed as a “Project Runway for Teens,” and received praise from School Library Journal, VOYA, Booklist, and Kirkus. She is also the author of books in Penguin Workshop’s Who Was series. Her middle-grade novel, Ain’t It Funny, was published by Penguin Workshop in 2024. Learn more about Margaret on her website.

Melissa Roske is a writer of middle-grade fiction. Before spending her days with imaginary people, she interviewed real ones as a journalist in Europe. In London she landed a job as an advice columnist for Just Seventeen magazine. Upon returning to her native New York, Melissa contributed to several books and magazines, selected jokes for Reader’s Digest (just the funny ones), and received certification as a life coach from NYU. In addition to her debut novel Kat Greene Comes Clean (Charlesbridge), Melissa’s short story “Grandma Merle’s Last Wish” appears in the Jewish middle-grade anthology, Coming of Age: 13 B’nai Mitzvah Stories. Learn more about Melissa on her Website and follow her on Facebook, and Instagram.

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