Nerding Out Over Cryptology with Jennifer A. Nielsen - Rescue
Marissa chats with Jennifer A. Nielsen about her new middle grade historical novel - RESCUE - as well as how historical fiction is a great tool for showing kids and teens how exciting history actually...
8 Mar 202139min
Revision and Worldbuilding Goals with Isabel Ibañez - Woven in Moonlight
Marissa chats with Isabel Ibañez about her YA fantasy duology - WOVEN IN MOONLIGHT and WRITTEN IN STARLIGHT - as well as how family stories and history can contribute to your research and add a deeply...
1 Mar 202140min
A New DC Icons Superhero Novel - Alexandra Monir - Black Canary: Breaking Silence
Marissa chats with Alexandra Monir about her newest YA novel - BLACK CANARY: BREAKING SILENCE - the latest in the DC Icons series, as well as Alexandra's inspiring story of taking chances and going af...
22 Feb 202151min
A YA Rom-Com about Food, Traditions, and Family Rivalries with Loan Le - A Pho Love Story
Marissa chats with Loan Le about her debut YA contemporary romance - A PHO LOVE STORY - as well as developing character arcs for teen protagonists who don't start off with a life plan; writing about f...
15 Feb 202141min
The Hero's Journey and YA Western Fantasy - Ellie Cypher - The Girl from Shadow Springs
Marissa chats with Ellie Cypher about her debut YA fantasy western - THE GIRL FROM SHADOW SPRINGS - as well as some tips for writing settings that are harsh and barren, and how we can use that setting...
8 Feb 202139min
A Prolific Picture Book Series Inspired by The Night Before Christmas - Natasha Wing - the Night Before (Series)
Marissa is joined by two co-hosts - her daughters, Sloane and Delaney! - to chat with Natasha Wing about her NIGHT BEFORE picture book series. We talked about how the standard length of picture books ...
1 Feb 202134min
Writing in Times of Grief with Rori Shay - the Elected Trilogy
In this bonus episode, I invited my good friend Rori Shay, author of the Elected Trilogy, to join me for an open discussion about writing during periods of grief and sadness. We talked about using "gr...
29 Jan 202147min
Using a Then and Now Plotting Structure with Ryan La Sala - Be Dazzled
Marissa chats with Ryan La Sala about his newest contemporary romance - BE DAZZLED - as well as structuring a novel in alternating Then and Now chapters, and how the Then chapters can be used to build...
25 Jan 202143min
