In this week's episode we are joined by James Ponti!

James Ponti is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of four Middle Grade book series, including City Spies and The Sherlock Society. His novels have been named to more than seventy state award lists, translated into sixteen languages, and sold over one million copies. City Spies has been optioned by Amazon MGM Studios for development as a film franchise. He’s a two-time Edgar Award-nominee, winning in 2018 for Vanished!

​James was born in Italy and grew up in Atlantic Beach, Florida, where he could usually be found on the beach, at the movies, or playing sports. Despite being a reluctant reader, he decided to become a writer in the fifth grade. ​

A graduate of the University of Southern California’s film school, he spent thirty years working in television, first as a scriptwriter for Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, and PBS; and then as a writer/producer for History Channel, Spike TV, Golf Channel, and NBC Sports. He wrote, produced, and co-directed the Emmy-nominated documentary 27 Years: The Exoneration of Valentino Dixon.

 He loves to travel with his family and visit museums, historic landmarks, major league baseball parks, and, most of all, bookstores. He lives in Orlando, Florida.

Buy his latest book here: bookshop.org/a/19191/9781665983563

Check out his website here: www.jamesponti.com

Follow James on IG: jamespontibooks

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In this week's episode we are joined by Regina Brooks!

Ms. Regina Brooks is the founder and CEO of Serendipity Literary Agency in New York, New York. Her agency is the largest African American owned agency in the country and has represented and established a diverse base of award-winning clients in adult and young adult fiction, nonfiction, and children’s literature. Her authors have appeared in USA Today, the New York Times, and the Washington Post as well as on Oprah, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, FOX, MSBNC, TV One, BET, and a host of others. In 2015, Publishers Weekly nominated Regina Brooks as a PW Star Watch Finalist, and she was honored with a Stevie Award in Business. Writer’s Digest Magazine named Serendipity Literary Agency as one of the top 25 literary agencies. She is currently the President of the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA) and co-chair of its Communications Committee, co-producer of the U.S. Book Show, a founding member and board member of Literary Agents of Change (LAOC), and a board member of the Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP). Formerly, she held senior editorial positions at John Wiley and Sons (where she was not only the youngest but also the first African American editor in their college division) and McGraw-Hill.

Prior to her publishing career, she worked as an aerospace engineer and made history as the first African American woman to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from The Ohio State University. She is a graduate of The School of the Arts High School in Rochester, NY.

She is the author of Essence Magazine’s quick pick children’s book, Never Finished, Never Done (Scholastic), Writing Great Books for Young Adults: Everything You Need to Know, from Crafting the Idea to Getting Published, 2e (Sourcebooks), and You Should Really Write a Book: How to Write, Sell, and Market Your Memoir and is a well-received blogger for the Huffington Post. Brooks is also on the faculty of the Harvard University publishing program, Western Connecticut MFA low residency programs, and Writer’s Digest University and teaches annually at more than twenty worldwide conferences. She has been highlighted in several national and international magazines and periodicals, including Publishers Weekly, Forbes, Media Bistro, Writers and Poets, Essence Magazine, Ebony, Jet, Women on Writing, Writer’s Digest Magazine, The Writer, The Network Journal, and Rolling Out.

She was named Woman of the Year by The National Association of Professional Women, A New York Urban League Rising Star Award winner, and a finalist for the StevieTM Award for Women Entrepreneurs. Regina Brooks is featured in books such as Guide to Literary Agents and the NAACP-nominated Down to Business: The First 10 Steps for Women Entrepreneurs, How to Build a Platform, and Bill Duke’s Dark Girls. She is also listed in International Who’s Who under the categories of Professional Management, Technology, Entrepreneurs, and Engineering. In 2010, Brooks partnered with Marie Brown of Marie Brown and Associates and Marva Allen of Hue Man Bookstore to launch a new publishing imprint with Johnny Temple’s Akashic Books called Open Lens.

Further, Possibiliteas is the brainchild of the literary agent and tea enthusiast, Regina Brooks, who believed that tea—the world’s oldest performance-enhancing beverage—could have a beneficial effect on her clients—writers, artists, and other creative professionals who were looking for fuel for their creative fire.

She is a pilot and cofounder of Brooklyn Aviation as well as a member of New York Women in Film and Television.

Ms. Brooks is the founder and Co-Executive Director of Y.B. Literary Foundation, Inc., a not-for-profit organization designed to kindle a passion for literature within high school students and an appreciation for the possibilities and opportunities that reading can provide.

When Regina’s not agenting, she’s gardening, fishing, and flying her own plane (always in a dress).

Buy her latest book here: https://bookshop.org/a/19191/9781402293528

Check out her website here: www.serendipitylit.com

Follow Serendipity Lit on IG here: www.instagram.com/serendipitylit/

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In this week's episode we are joined by Dr. Seema Yasmin

Seema Yasmin is an Emmy Award-winning journalist, medical doctor, professor and the author of five books and three forthcoming books. She is director of the Stanford Health Communication Initiative, clinical assistant professor in Stanford University’s Department of Medicine, and visiting professor at the Anderson School of Management at UCLA where she teaches crisis management and communications. She is a popular keynote speaker and has been invited to speak at the Vatican, White House, Aspen Ideas Festival, and Skoll World Forum. 

Yasmin was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in breaking news in 2017 with a team from The Dallas Morning News for coverage of a mass shooting. She is the recipient of two awards from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. Her reporting appears in Rolling Stone, The New York Times, WIRED, Scientific American, and other outlets. She is a medical analyst for CNN and a correspondent for Conde Nast Entertainment.

Her scholarly work focuses on the spread of health misinformation and disinformation, the growth of medical and news deserts, and the impact on public health. She teaches creative nonfiction including health and science journalism, global health storytelling, practicing medicine with empathy and compassion, and advanced clinical communication skills.

Her unique combination of expertise in epidemics, science communication and journalism has been called upon by the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, the Aspen Ideas Festival and the Skoll World Forum.

Buy her latest book here: bookshop.org/a/19191/9781665953429

Check out her website here: seemayasmin.com

Follow her on IG here: www.instagram.com/drseemayasmin

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In this week's episode we are joined by Claudia Rueda. 

Claudia Rueda is a Colombian author and a New York Times Best Seller illustrator of over thirty picture books. Rueda's books have been published in the United States, Mexico, and Spain and have been translated into seventeen different languages. She’s a 2016 Hans Christian Andersen and Astrid Lindgren Awards nominee. Claudia went to Law and Art school and worked as a political cartoonist in Colombia. She then studied Children’s Book Illustration at UC Berkeley and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. Claudia lives in New York City and teaches a course on picture books at the School of Visual Arts. 

Buy her latest book here: bookshop.org/a/19191/9781536236583

Check out her website here: claudiarueda.com

Follow her on IG here: @claudiarueda

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In this week's episode we are joined by Torrey Maldonado.

Torrey Maldonado was born and raised in Brooklyn, growing up in the Red Hook housing projects. He has been a teacher for New York City public schools for nearly 25 years and his fast-paced, compelling stories are inspired by his and his students’ experiences. His popular novels for young readers include What Lane?, which garnered many starred reviews and was cited by Oprah and the New York Times for being an essential book to discuss racism and allyship; Tight, which won the Christopher Award, was an ALA Notable Book, and an NPR and Washington Post Best Book of the Year; and his very first novel, Secret Saturdays which has been in print for over ten years. Connect on Instagram @torreymaldonado

Buy Torrey's latest book here: bookshop.org/a/19191/9780593624968

Check out all of Torrey's books here: bookshop.org/beta-search?keywords=Torrey+Maldonado

Visit his website here: torreymaldonado.com

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In this week's episode we are joined by Jason Reynolds.

Jason Reynolds is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of many award-winning books, including Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks, All American Boys (with Brendan Kiely), Long Way Down, Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You (with Ibram X. Kendi), Stuntboy, in the Meantime (illustrated by Raúl the Third), and Ain’t Burned All the Bright (with artwork by Jason Griffin). The recipient of a Newbery Honor, a Printz Honor, an NAACP Image Award, and multiple Coretta Scott King honors, Reynolds is also the 2020-2022 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. He has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Late Night with Seth Meyers, CBS Sunday Morning, Good Morning America, and various media outlets. He is on faculty at Lesley University, for the Writing for Young People MFA Program and lives in Washington, DC.

Buy Jason's latest book here: bookshop.org/a/19191/9798347102372

Check out Jason's website here: www.jasonwritesbooks.com

Check out Heirloom Literary here: www.heirloomliterary.com

www.instagram.com/jasonreynolds83/

www.instagram.com/heirloom_literary/

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In this week's episode we are joined by Selina Alko. 

Selina Alko is an award-winning author and illustrator known for blending lyrical storytelling with vibrant mixed-media art. Raised in Vancouver by a Turkish Jewish father and Jewish mother, she grew up immersed in culture, creativity, and diverse perspectives that continue to shape her work. Selina has a degree in art history from University of British Columbia and a BFA in illustration from the School of Visual Arts. She has created more than twenty-five acclaimed children's books, with features in The New York Times, NPR, People, and Time Out New York Kids. A two-time National Jewish Book Award winner, her titles have also been honored as Junior Library Guild Gold selections and Bank Street Best Books of the Year. She is the recipient of the Mills Tannenbaum Award for Excellence in Children’s Literacy.

Buy her latest book here: https://bookshop.org/a/19191/9780316570633

Check out the rest of her work here: https://www.selinaalko.com/

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In this week's episode of the SCBWI Podcast we are joined by Kate DiCamillo!

In her own words, here is her bio: "I was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, raised in Clermont, Florida, and currently live in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I write for both children and adults and I like to think of myself as a storyteller.

Here are a few more facts about me: I am short. And loud. I hate to cook and love to eat. I am single and childless, but I have lots of friends and I am an aunt to three lovely children (Luke, Roxanne, and Max) and one lovable dog (Franklin).

I think of myself as an enormously lucky person: I get to tell stories for a living."

Buy her books here: https://bookshop.org/beta-search?keywords=Kate+DiCamillo

Check out her website here: www.katedicamillo.com

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In this week's episode we are joined by Shannon Messenger. Shannon Messenger graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts where she learned—among other things—that she liked watching movies much better than making them. She’s studied art, screenwriting, and television production, but realized her real passion was writing for kids and teens. She’s the internationally, New York Times, and USA Today bestselling author of the award-winning middle grade series, Keeper of the Lost Cities, as well as the Sky Fall young adult series. Her books have been featured on multiple state reading lists, published in numerous countries, and translated into many languages. She lives in Southern California with her family and an embarrassing number of cats. Find her online at shannonmessenger.com and on Instagram, X, and Facebook at @sw_messenger.

Buy her latest book here: https://bookshop.org/a/19191/9781534463400

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In this week's episode, we welcome back Dan Gutman! New York Times best-selling and award-winning author Dan Gutman has written more than 190 books for readers from kindergarten through middle school. Dan’s My Weird School series includes 100+ titles, and has sold more than 35 million copies globally over the past 20 years. Dan also is the author of the best-selling Genius Files series, the Baseball Card Adventure series, and many more.

Dan’s books have been named Junior Library Guild Selections and Bank Street College’s Best Children’s Books of the Year, and have been awarded numerous state book awards, including: The California Young Reader Medal, the Massachusetts Children’s Book Award, and the Iowa Children’s Choice Award, among others. When he’s not writing books, Dan loves to ride his bike, play pickleball, throw Frisbees, and explore New York City where he lives with his wife Nina. To find out more, follow Dan on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can follow him on IG @dangutmanbooks

Purchase his latest book here: https://bookshop.org/a/19191/9780823453856

Check out his website here: https://dangutman.com/

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Rachel Renée Russell is the author of the #1 New York Times Best Selling book series, Dork Diaries which has spent 331 weeks on the New York Times Bestsellers list for Children’s Series. She’s an attorney who prefers writing Tween books to legal briefs mainly because books are a lot more fun, and pajama pants and bunny slippers aren’t allowed in federal court.

Rachel first introduced us to Nikki Maxwell in 2009 and has written 17 books in the Dork Diaries series which have sold more than 55 million copies worldwide. For a peek at some of the books that have been translated into 52 languages in 57 countries, check out the Dorks Around the World section of this website.

Nikki Russell is an artist. She is also the illustrator of the Dork Diaries series, which have sold over 50 million copies and translated over 32 languages.

Buy their latest book here: https://bookshop.org/a/19191/9781665988384

Follow them here: Tiktok and IG @dorkdiaries

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