Sarah Allen's Blog

From the Writing Desk:

We did it!!

The draft of the lower middle grade project I’ve been working on is complete. And since it’s a book about a circus, I had to make sure I went to my local magical circus to write the last chapter :)

I write by hand because it forces my brain to focus on the words, and so that I can claim the Magic Kingdom as a work space…

I’m very relieved to have it complete. It’s been much too long (years at this point) since I’ve finished a novel. Next steps are to get everything typed up and edited, then sent to beta readers for a quick dunce-check, then on to my agent. This book has been a joy, and I hope for really great things ahead for it. I can’t wait to tell you more.

(And show you more, because I’m going to attempt to pitch myself as illustrator for this one too…*gulp*)

Plus my adult novel is really calling loudly, so I’m excited to get this into someone else’s hands and move that adult book to the front burner.

The regular life things haven’t completely settled yet, but the pieces are there now, and hopefully that settling will happen this month.

Also, yesterday marks one year since Monster Tree hit shelves. If you haven’t gotten a copy yet, now is the perfect time!

I’m so, so glad it’s September.

Onward!

The Smorgasbord is a hand-kneaded, hand-shucked, reader supported publication. If you’d like to tip your waiter and keep the kitchen cooking, become a paid subscriber and help make this meal possible! Plus get access to special publishing resources, writing classes, the query letter that got me 4 agent offers, and more!

Subscribe now

Millions of views creating content for kids, with Sarah Maddack

Oh man, where to start.

So, we all know that social media is very often a cesspool, or a slop engine, especially in these days of majority ad/AI feeds.

BUT.

There is still a strong contingency of folks who use socials as a platform for true creativity and artistic expression.

Enter Sarah Maddack.

While there are some incredible creative people making beautiful work online, there aren’t terribly many making content for kids, and even fewer making content for the 7-12 ish crowd.

But Sarah Maddack does, and the people love it. She has over 260k subscribers on YouTube, 179k on Instagram, and approaching 1.5 million on TikTok, with nearly 30 million likes. She’s even gotten to collaborate with Larry the Cucumber!!

Wow.

She does it by creating delightful songs and raps that everyone in the family digs, and kids love memorizing the raps and lip-syncing the songs. I wanted to get a peak behind the scenes at how she does it, and her thought processes about creating for this group. I absolutely LOVED learning from her and seeing what she had to say, and I know you will too!

Welcome Sarah!

1: I love how fun and whimsical your songs are! It's clear that a ton of work goes into them, but they feel so light and breezy and at least for me, makes me want to write songs too! Did you take music lessons or are you self-taught? What is your process for creating and recording your songs?

Thank you so much!

My music background is a whole mix of things. I grew up singing with my sisters at church, and took basic piano lessons as a kid. I joined choir in high school, and taught myself guitar with a Guitar for Dummies book. That's when I started writing songs - some silly, some serious. I really don't know when I learned to rap - I just feel like I've always been able to! I think the biggest influence on my songwriting was how much my family made me fall in love with words as a kid. We're just all book people, and our sense of humor is constant wordplay and puns. I was also especially inspired by Shel Silverstein's goofy poetry books!

When I write songs now, it usually goes one of two ways. One way is me at my laptop with a blank Google Doc open and a song topic ready to go. This might be a suggestion from a follower or a topic I think would be fun to write about. Sometimes these songs are done in 15 minutes. Sometimes they take hours and I have several episodes of writer's block where I feel like the most uncreative bowl of oatmeal in the world.

Way number two is I'll be lying awake at night, or going for a walk, or making lunch, and BOOM - a catchy lyric and melody just pops into my head, I capture it with a voice memo, and the rest of it just starts flowing out. Those are my favorite moments, and I wish every song could be written that way.

2: You also create for a really interesting demographic--the best demographic imo, roughly 7-12 year olds. It seems to me, though, that this is a really underserved group when it comes to creator content because it's they're not fully teens or adults yet, but they're also not the preschool/Miss Rachel audience. In other words, it's a hard group because they're too young to necessarily interact with online but we're not really targeting their parents either. Any suggestions or tips for folks creating for this age group and navigating building that audience on these social media platforms?

I absolutely adore this age group. It's such a sweet time where kids are still kids that like kid things, but their unique personalities and interests are EXPLODING. How to best serve them is something I'm learning right now myself. They're my strongest audience on YouTube, and they love my character Jellybean the singing hamster. It sounds reductionistic, but they just love anything that's silly, weird, funny, and cute at the same time. They love participating and giving their creative ideas in the comments. They love filming themselves doing skits or little music videos to my songs where they get to act, especially for my song "Coffee Shop Bop". They love challenges, like being able to rap all the words to "Hey Slug", even though that's a super wordy song.

What I've found is a lot of them are watching with their parents - which I love and encourage! So I try to create content that can appeal to a whole family at once. I try to tow the line of not making it too "Dora the Explorer" (more like 6 years old and under audience), and also not too advanced or "adult talk" where kids are going to get bored.

3: Because of your songwriting you've had some amazing opportunities come up, like collaborating with Larry the Cucumber!! What other cool and/or unexpected opportunities have come your way because of your songwriting, and where do you hope to see your journey going in the future?

Making a video with Larry himself was a bucket list item I didn't even think to have until it happened. I still can't believe it. Mike Nawrocki is a super nice guy and so fun to work with.

This year, I got asked to fly to London to perform my Coffee Shop Song at a girl's Bat Mitzvah. I wish I could say I said yes, but it was too difficult as I'd recently had a baby! I did get to create a song about the girl and rap it to her in a video they played her, however. I was so honored someone would offer to fly me out there for that. I am also SO excited about something happening right now - I'm writing the theme song for a new animated preschool series! I can't say the name of it yet, but we just got the final version approved by the producer of the show. It's SO FUN.

As for the future, there are several things that sound fun to me. I would love to write more songs for movies or shows, or who knows, maybe my Jellybean character would have her OWN show! I also am obsessed with upbeat pop music in general, and would love to be on the writing side of pop songs for other artists someday. I've also been told a million times I should turn my songs into children's books, which I would love to do! Just don't want to add too much to my plate at once.

4: What is something quirky/strange that has been bringing you joy lately?

BEST QUESTION EVER. The immediate answer is my husband, a very quirky/strange person who is bringing me joy always. And he feels the same way about me! We are always laughing together about the stupidest/silliest things, and it's my favorite thing about our relationship.

Also, whenever I find an "incorrect" snack in a bag of snacks. Like whenever you find two Goldfish stuck together. For some reason this feel like a magical discovery to me and it tastes even better than the rest of the bag.

Thank you so, so much Sarah! Make sure to check out Sarah’s amazing songs on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube!

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What I’m Reading:

Look. This book had me from “ninety-year-old man who has never been kissed” and was as lovely and heartwarming and delightful as I hoped it would be.

What I’m Watching: So…I never, ever thought I’d be recommending a Hallmark-y1, TV movie here on the Smorgasbord, but I AM TODAY. Not only is it well-written, it’s Joss Ackland and Jean Simmons, so the acting and chemistry is *chefs kiss*. We all know I am constantly in search of mid-life/later-life romances (have been since age 12 idek smh) and this one was everything I wanted it to be. It’s on Prime, but also free on YouTube!

The Boredom Paradox: This was a really interesting take on how boredom now is different from boredom when we were kids, and what that means for our creativity.

What I’m Drawing: In August I posted an animal drawing/limerick a day for each letter of the alphabet. Maybe one of these days I’ll write about what I learned from forcing myself to post my silly drawings so consistently. This was Y :)

Also check out the bookish swag I’ve got up for sale in my new little swag shop!

“It is funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done by keeping things out.”

― C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

Writing Opportunity: If you write long short stories in the roughly 3000-5000 word range, then Short Story, Long is worth looking at. Due Oct. 1.

Teacher’s Table

Some goodies especially for the teachers:

Why Gen Z is Going Mad for Dostoevsky via

Everything needed to get your young writers started is here in Tools Not Rules: A Writing Guide for Young Creatives.

Free activity sheets up on my Teachers Pay Teachers store! More added all the time, so check back regularly.

I am so, so excited and honored to now be on the roster at the Macmillan Speakers Bureau! For school and other events, you can find my speaker page here.

You guys are rock stars!

Thanks for coming along everyone! The best way to support is to 1) subscribe, 2) get a copy of the book bebes, and 3) keep glowing, you shining star you.

-Sarah

Links include Amazon Affiliate links where I may make a small commission.

Thanks for reading!

1

Zero judgement, I’m all for people enjoying whatever brings them joy, its just Hallmark type movies usually aren’t my thing.

What middle grade and British detectives have in common.

Here at the Smorgasbord, I don’t necessarily have a preplanned content calendar or schedule ideas months in advance. I mean, my plan is that I do one interview and one essay a month, basically, but I like to keep it no tighter than that.

I wanna interview whoever I feel like.

I want to keep things honest by just writing about what’s truly been on my mind.

And what’s been on my mind is Ben Miller Professor T Ben Miller and Juliette Stevenson that I realized a big but maybe surprising thing that British detective shows and middle grade books have in common. And it’s possibly why I am obsessed with both of them.

Let’s start by pointing out what I think is a telling detail in the titles of both middle grade books and British detective shows.

Both often include the protagonists name.

In our detective shows we’ve got Sherlock. Ludwig. The trio of Endeavor, Lewis, and Inspector Morse. McDonald and Dodds. Rosemary and Thyme. Shakespeare and Hathaway. The made-just-for-me Professor T.

And think of how often that happens in middle grade. Percy Jackson. Odder. The Ramona books. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Harry Potter. Simon Sort of Says. Efren Divided and The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez. Plus books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Bad Guys, and The Last Kids on Earth, even if they don’t specifically state the name of the main character(s), the title still basically tells us who the character is, and that this character or group of characters is the focus.

And in middle grade media too…I mean, think of how many Disney movies are just named for the character.

In my own books, I always just think of them as the character’s name when I’m drafting. Stars was Libby. Breathing Underwater was Olivia. Nightmare House was initally called Penny Hope and the Fear Maker and Monster Tree was Linus Hyde and the Monster Tree before my publisher decided those sounded too series-esque for what we were going for.

Point being, in so many cases, its clear from the titles of these things that the main character is central.

Contrast that with the longest running and most popular American detective/crime shows—like Law and Order or Criminal Minds, where it’s clear from the title that the job and the procedures are the draw and interest.

(To be fair, there are a few American detective shows that follow this formula, but one stars a British actor in a role based originally on a British story (House). The other is Monk. No surprise to anyone that I love both of these shows. I quite like the new shows like Matlock and Elsbeth too.)

The protagonist is often a bit over the top.

The reserved, quirky, damaged British detective is a trope for a reason. Morse is obsessive. River is literally seeing visions and hearing voices. Professor T has all the tisms. And who is more over the top than Sherlock?

And same with middle grade. Think of how often middle grade characters have an obsession. Think of Ramona’s determination. How over the top and fun the characters in Wimpy Kid, Timmy Failure, and Dog Man are.

Even if the character themselves isn’t so over-the-top, their world often is, and the people around them. (Ahem Charlie.)

These characters often have a tragic history.

What’s a British detective without a dead partner/friend/spouse?

What’s a classic/award-winning middle grade protagonist without a missing parent?

The point is that we see so much about these characters initially, and see their arc more clearly, as we watch them cope with this heavy and hard backstory.

So why are they both so great?

Nothing is more satisfying to me in a middle grade novel than a cinnamon role character who has been trying so hard but been beaten down by the world and is so lonely finally finding their tribe and their team and their support and the beginnings of happiness.

Nothing is more satisfying to me in a British detective show than a cinnamon role character (in a grumpy, crusty, broken box) who has been trying so hard but been beaten down by the world and is so lonely finally finding their tribe and their team and their support and the beginnings of happiness.

So really, what middle grade books and British detective shows have in common is this:

In the end, both are about learning to make friends.

Even if its just one.

Now someone please, please, please go watch Professor T or any of these other shows and let’s talk about them :D :D :D

Any favorite middle grade or detective shows that match this formula? The Smorgasbord is a hand-kneaded, hand-shucked, reader supported publication. YOU make it possible! If you’d like to tip your waiter and keep the kitchen cooking, become a paid subscriber and help make this meal possible! Plus get access to special publishing resources, writing classes, the query letter that got me 4 agent offers, and more!

Subscribe now

9 Side Dishes Worth Sharing

The Orem library, my library from my home town, has put together a list of books to read if you loved K-Pop Demon Hunters. Check it out!

A really cool behind-the-scenes look at the careful and deliberate making of a picture book by and why AI could never.

Seat Assignments is a totally weird and cool series of photos taken on airplanes using only what’s available. I thought it was so creatively inspiring.

wrote a fantastic guest post on ’s newsletter about 10 storytelling tips from his years at Disney and I thought they were fantastic!

I loved this older post from about avoiding the talking head trap in comics.

This is an oldy but a goody from The Nelson Agency about pitfalls of middle grade books and how to avoid them.

Ok I wish I’d had this list from Kelli Estes about favors to do for your future author self a long time ago.

Just thinking about this scene from Remains of the Day gets me all shivery. Ugh that movie. (Speaking of a Brit trying (and failing) to learn how to make friends…)

Did you know that Kelly Clarkson wrote and released a song based on Meryl Streep and Martin Short’s characters in Only Murders?

Share your own favorite sides in the comments!Teacher’s Table

Some goodies especially for the teachers:

Gen Z are changing what it means to be a reader.

Everything needed to get your young writers started is here in Tools Not Rules: A Writing Guide for Young Creatives.

Various and free activity sheets up on my Teachers Pay Teachers store! More added all the time, so check back regularly.

I am so, so excited and honored to now be on the roster at the Macmillan Speakers Bureau! For school and other events, you can find my speaker page here!

You guys are rock stars!

Thanks for reading!

Thanks for coming along everyone! 1) Subscribe, 2) get a copy of the book bebes, and 3) keep glowing, you shining star you.

-Sarah

Links include Amazon Affiliate links where I may make a small commission.

Thanks for reading!

From the Writing Desk:

Hello friends!

I’m writing to you while listening to The Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack (all year long baby!) and with my writing assistant keeping very…ahem..diligent track of things.

so. much. fluff.

July was…fine. Life stuff is life-ing, and working on figuring some of those things out. Nothing too major, just some things to figure out.

But I got to see family out in Bryce Canyon, which was awesome. I have some really cool aunts and uncles and cousins and it was great to spend some time with everyone.

And the writing is still going well! Going slowly, but well. I’m at about 16k into this lower middle grade, which means that there’s only about 9-10k left to go. If I can keep the ball rolling, I really would love to finish that draft this month.

I’ve also been playing a bit of Epic Mickey (callbacks frfr!) and can NOT get this song from Oliver Richman out of my head. I’m obsessed with the dissonance.

Those adulty life things and this middle grade book are pretty much taking up all my spoons and brain space these days, and that’s fine for now. As long as the words are getting worded, I’m okay.

And now my spotify has changed to some Spencer Sutherland, who I’m a bit obsessed with lately.

So that’s it from the writing desk for now…

Onward!

If you’re reading this in email remember to click “View Entire Message” if it gets cut off before the end! The Smorgasbord is a hand-kneaded, hand-shucked, reader supported publication. If you’d like to tip your waiter and keep the kitchen cooking, become a paid subscriber and help make this meal possible! Plus get access to special publishing resources, writing classes, the query letter that got me 4 agent offers, and more!

Subscribe now

What kid lit booksellers are *actually* looking for, with Melissa LaSalle

I knew I wanted to get behind the scenes of all the cool kid lit things Melissa LaSalle does, but MAN she blew my expecatations out of the water with her amazing, practical, and in depth answers.

Melissa LaSalle, aka The Book Mommy, wears many kid lit hats. Melissa is a book blogger, professional reviewer, kid lit and teen buyer for Old Town Books in Virginia, and has over 17k followers on her kids bookstagram. So…yeah, she is about as much of a current-state-of-children’s-books expert as its possible to be. (Her book buying roundups in her stories are pure gold!)

I loved what she had to say, and know you will too!

Welcome Melissa!

1: Most important question first--what middle grade book are you trying to get in as many people's hands as possible these days?

You can't actually expect me to answer with just one title, right?! This summer at the bookstore, we are trying to get as many kids as possible to read the first title in James Ponti's new series, The Sherlock Society. For one, it's the kind of summer read that so many different kinds of readers can pick up and get sucked right into: mystery! mafia! funny dialogue! high stakes action sequences! boy and girl characters! a former-investigative-journalist-turned-chaperone grandfather in an aquamarine convertible! But it's also well timed because we are going to have the honor of hosting James Ponti in a big public event this September for the launch of the second book in the series, and there's nothing better than the excitement of a kid who gets to meet the author of a book they loved (and then go home and immediately start the sequel!).

Another series you'll find me selling all day long is Katherine Marsh's "The Myth of Monsters" (Medusa and The Gods' Revenge). It's another high-action series, which is what so many kids are hankering for right now, but it also uses the popularity of mythology retellings to introduce tantalizing and (very) timely questions about who's centered in the stories we tell, who stands to win and who stands to lose, and what happens when the quest for truth upends power structures and paves the way for revolution.

A new personal favorite--my favorite of the year, if I'm being honest--that is going to appeal to a quieter, more literary reader is HW Bouwman Scattergood, an historical novel set in Iowa farmland during WW2. I have been chasing a reading experience like this ever since I read Lauren Wolk's Wolf Hollow nine years ago. It's a book that speaks straight to the anguish, uncertainty, and unbridled wonder of learning to be human in a world that rarely gives easy answers. It's a tear jerker, it's heart swelling, and it showcases the timeless power of gorgeous storytelling. And while I'm flinging copies of Westfallen and The Bletchley Riddle into the hands of insatiable WW2 readers left and right, it's nice to hold this one back for a special kind of reader.

2: You wear a lot of amazing hats that all seem like authors would want to clamor for your attention--bookstore buyer, member of a kids book review committee, not to mention your blogging and social media platforms. What is an example of a time an author reached out to you in the best way possible and made you want to work with them and recommend their books?

Oooooh boy. This is a great question and a tough one for me, because I feel a lot of guilt for the dozens of DMs and emails I get daily from authors--many of them self-published--asking me to consider promoting their book. I understand the noble intentions behind them, and kid lit people are undeniably some of the loveliest people on the planet, but it also feels entirely overwhelming to me in a space where I already do an inordinate amount of unpaid work late into the night, and while I would love to sift through everything and find the gems I'm sure are there, I end up tuning out 99% of it in what's probably a misguided plan of what I don't know won't stress me out.

Most of my contact with authors is in response to already being a fan and posting about their work; they might respond to one of my Stories, for example, and offer to come into the store and sign copies, or just establish a connection that they can circle back to when they have a new book. Sometimes, if a recognizable name drops into my DM, asking me if I'd like a review copy of a recent book, I'll pause for a moment, but even then I'm pretty hesitant to agree. I feel infinitely better about asking publishers for review copies of things I think I might like than asking the authors themselves, because I feel like the latter comes with added pressure. I want to keep my content as uninfluenced as possible. It's never perfect, of course, but I try really hard to read with the critical lens of today's young readers and that gets especially tricky when I know a really nice author really wants me to like their book. (This is a terribly roundabout non-answer that I will now feel guilty about LOL.)

Ok but I loved this answer, because it takes the pressure off of us, right??

3: In your 30 years of children's literature experience, are there certain common elements that you've noticed in books that really hit it big with the kids? And vice versa, are there things you've noticed in a lot of middle grade books that end up being a turn off?

Today's readers are pickier than ever when it comes to books. Their attention spans are challenged, their stamina for reading is down, and they are growing up in a culture that rewards visual media and instant gratification. Hot take: you know what's a big red flag for me? When authors say that they've written the book that they wish they had had as a child. Today’s kids bear little resemblance to the readers we once were.

Pacing is EVERYTHING. We need plot-forward books with propulsive action from page one and short chapters. We need white space on the page1 (thank you, Katherine Applegate!). We need more illustration in middle grade to bridge the transition from graphic novels. We need characters who talk like real kids, who make mistakes and are allowed to feel the consequences of those mistakes. Today's readers are savvy, they know how inaccessible so much of the world is for kids, and they want to see that truth reflected back to them on the page.

Lots of booksellers will tell you that contemporary realistic fiction is dead, that kids are running away from it because their world feels heavy and they want the escape of fantasy, or the delicious distraction of a good mystery, or the shock of horror, or the riotous visual humor of Dog Man. I would challenge this claim slightly. I think realistic fiction can still work wonders IF IT HAS A COMPELLING HOOK. I think where we've failed readers is twofold: 1) we're taking way too long to suck readers into the narrative tension of the story (or leaving out meaningful tension completely) and 2) we're highlighting the "issues" inside the stories instead of the story itself. Let's all agree that we should rewrite jacket copy so it doesn't lead with, "Jimmy's mother is suffering from severe depression after losing her job and can barely afford to make ends meet..." I'm all for diverse representation and weighty themes, but why are we leading with that when what is actually going to get kids to read books are things like humor, mystery, mistakes?

A recent example of a great narrative hook in realistic fiction is Maria Marianayagam's No Purchase Necessary, which explores microaggressions, bullying, economic strain, and the expectations of immigrant parents in a story about a boy who steals a chocolate bar that turns out to have a winning ticket for a million dollars, setting off one heck of a chain reaction cloaked in a massive ethical dilemma. What kid wouldn't be fascinated by how that plays out?!

Thank you so, so much Melissa! Make sure to check out Melissa’s amazing book blog and popular Instagram! And why not order some books from Old Town Books!

What I’m Reading:

I’ve had quite a good middle grade run this last month, which has been really nice. A couple of my favorites are Return to Sender from and The Beatryce Prophecy by Queen Kate. Return to Sender had one of the most fascinating and real and engaging main characters (a boy MG protagonist!) that I’ve come across in a while. Kate’s book made me remember the power of story and fairytale language in a way that made me want to write like that more than ever before.

What I’m Watching: Two of my favorite EVER shows, Would I Lie To You and Taskmaster, had new seasons come out last month so YOU BET I binged them in a weekend. Also the new season of QI. My soul is married to England. And David Mitchell.

What You Don’t Need to Create: Fascinating video essay about how restrictions actually boost creativity, through the lens of filmmaking.

What I’m Drawing: Hope is the thing.

Also check out the bookish swag I’ve got up for sale in my new little swag shop!

“You never know what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from.”
― Cormac McCarthy, No Country for Old Men

Writing Opportunity: IHRAM press is seeking submissions on disability and chronic illness. Really cool opportunity, Due Sep 1!

Teacher’s Table

Some goodies especially for the teachers:

4 Principles for Classroom AI, From an Experienced Educator via

Everything needed to get your young writers started is here in Tools Not Rules: A Writing Guide for Young Creatives.

Free activity sheets up on my Teachers Pay Teachers store! More added all the time, so check back regularly.

I am so, so excited and honored to now be on the roster at the Macmillan Speakers Bureau! For school and other events, you can find my speaker page here.

You guys are rock stars!

Thanks for coming along everyone! The best way to support is to 1) subscribe, 2) get a copy of the book bebes, and 3) keep glowing, you shining star you.

-Sarah

Links include Amazon Affiliate links where I may make a small commission.

Thanks for reading!

1

We are HUUUGE fans of white space around here!

What books should my kid read?

In this the year of our lord twenty twenty five, the problem in kid lit is no longer one of scarcity. It was an issue before the dawn of the kid lit enlightenment brought about by people like Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary (All hail the queens.)

Now there are truly incredible books for kids—picture books up through middle grade—published every month. Now the issue is how to sort through all of it. How to keep your finger on the pulse of books your kids might like as the fresh wordy waves rush by. How to answer questions like, my kid has read every fantasy on the NYT list…what next? What can I give my kid after he’s devoured Diary of a Wimpy Kid AND Dog Man?1

Fortunately, there are people who can help. Experts and folks who sort through kid lit on a professional level.

The goal of this here post is to be like that telephone pole with all the flyers on it, only instead of finding a dog-walker, you can come here to find the next read for your kiddo. It will all be compiled here.

This will be a growing list. I will keep it as fleshed out and complete as possible, but inevitably I will miss folks who are doing great work. So tell me about them in comments and I’ll possibly add them to the list! (One note: I am going to try to keep this list to bloggers/substackers and Instagrammers. I think that will keep things manageable.)

So bookmark, save, and come back later when your kid needs a book.

And now, in the words of my new favorite TV star, “Do it, lady.”

Subscribe now

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And hey…one of these might be a good place for your middle grade reader to start… ;)Where do you find your best kid lit recommendations? The Smorgasbord is a hand-kneaded, hand-shucked, reader supported publication. YOU make it possible! If you’d like to tip your waiter and keep the kitchen cooking, become a paid subscriber and help make this meal possible! Plus get access to special publishing resources, writing classes, the query letter that got me 4 agent offers, and more!

Subscribe now

9 Side Dishes Worth Sharing

Ok, this list from of soothing content for both kids and adults was absolutely delightful.

Also this insider behind-the-senes of how an early reader chapter book is made was really fun and super interesting. Thanks for sharing, .

I already recommended above but her grade-level summer reading lists are top notch. Check out this one for fifth graders.

Who knew an interview with R.L. Stein could be so uplifting and delightful. I mean…okay, yeah, of course it is.

This awesome video of writing advice came my way courtesy of

Not every writer is super great at explaining what they do, but is. recommended these two podcast episodes and I devoured them. Listen to Jon on The Reading Culture podcast and The Island of Brilliant podcast.

Sometimes listening to marketing and social media advice makes me want to stab my eyeballs, but occasionally it’s delightful and creative. This interview with social media manager (manager of the Columbus Library social media) and is both a delightful read, and inspiring to any of us creatives wondering how not to lose our souls as we try and use social media in fun and innovative ways.

You all know that is on Substack, right? RIGHT???

Why Children’s Books? from The London Review of Books, via

Share your own favorite sides in the comments!Teacher’s Table

Some goodies especially for the teachers:

13 signs you used Chat GPT to write that, by

Everything needed to get your young writers started is here in Tools Not Rules: A Writing Guide for Young Creatives.

Various and free activity sheets up on my Teachers Pay Teachers store! More added all the time, so check back regularly.

I am so, so excited and honored to now be on the roster at the Macmillan Speakers Bureau! For school and other events, you can find my speaker page here!

You guys are rock stars!

Thanks for reading!

Thanks for coming along everyone! 1) Subscribe, 2) get a copy of the book bebes, and 3) keep glowing, you shining star you.

-Sarah

Links include Amazon Affiliate links where I may make a small commission.

Thanks for reading!

1

The answer to this is + , Arianne Costner, and Rob Harrell.

From the Writing Desk:

The most challenging part of working on my current quirky lower middle grade WIP hasn’t been the writing. That part has actually been going quite smoothly. Slowly, yes, but smoothly.

Nah, the most challenging part has been the art.

I was absolutely obsessed with Shel Silverstein and Gary Larson as a kid. I’ve wanted to be able to add some sort of visual element to my writing for nearly as long as I’ve been writing books. Like what Cressida Cowell does. I wanna do that!

The trouble is, one of the key factors of non-verbal learning disorder is issues with visual and spatial awareness. “Many kids with NVLD have trouble understanding visual imagery. For example when they are asked to copy a shape like a cube they produce ‘profound distortions.’”

Not exactly ideal for learning to draw.

I would love to be able to sketchy whimsy sketchy sketch like Cressida and Shel and use shapes and shading and hatching like Gary does. I’ve been doing online art classes and practicing off and on for a few years now, and trying to figure out how to hold two thoughts in my head simultaneously:

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First—I’m not ever going to be a Gary Larson or Shel Silverstein or, gosh, Don Wood or . If only. I’m just not. The most frustrating times as I’ve been trying to teach myself to draw remind me of the near decade of piano lessons I took as a kid, where I would practice and practice, and then come back the next day feeling like I was starting from scratch all over again. And I really don’t think this is one of those “Yes you can, Sarah, you can do it, just keep practicing, you’ll get there,” type of things. I wish it was, but in this case, like the Gallup Speed-reading test illustrates, fighting against our own strengths and weaknesses is not very productive.

Second—Like my mom has told me before, a bumble bee doesn’t know that, according to the laws of physics, it shouldn’t be able to fly. I can’t do what Shel and Gary and Cressida do. But I can do something dangit. I’ve followed tutorial after tutorial of the typical cartooning method—drawing the undercircle of the head, the bifurcating lines, etc. And when I try and replicate that process in something else…nope. So there’s got to be a different way. A method of creating art that works around my mental gaps.

A way to do this smarter, not harder.

I’ve been trying to figure this out for the last few months, and this last month in particular. If I’m going to pitch myself as the illustrator of my current book, I need to be able to not only design a character I like, but be able to replicate that same character in different positions and poses and expressions throughout the book. Consistently.

I’m still figuring it out. I’m still refining my methods and strategies and processes. But I think I’m closer now than I’ve ever been. I’m leaning into a process that maybe feels more like 2D sculpting than drawing? A process where I can plop shapes down and then erase and add in bits, and stretch and move and experiment with layers until it morphs into the right shape, even if I couldn’t draw the right shape. That doesn’t rely on me getting the 3D shape right in my head with shading and lighting, etc. Blobbing, not drawing.

we aspire to Jon Klassen eyes

I might talk more about all of this later on, but yeah. This is what I’ve been working on and am still working on. It’s likely more painstaking than other processes, but…I think it’s working?? I don’t think I’ll ever feel like a “real artist,” or that I know what I’m doing, and who knows what editors and art directors etc will think, but…here we go!

I have some sillhouetty, stamp-like, high contrast characters developing for this quirky book that I can’t wait to show you :)

What are you working on?

Onward!

The Smorgasbord is a hand-kneaded, hand-shucked, reader supported publication. If you’d like to tip your waiter and keep the kitchen cooking, become a paid subscriber and help make this meal possible! Plus get access to special publishing resources, writing classes, the query letter that got me 4 agent offers, and more!

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"Ear reading" and other ways to help your (neurodivergent) kid read this summer, with language therapist Kathy Tenney

Wow wow, guys. We’re all interested in helping kids find reading joy, and today we have a true expert.

Kathy Tenney is a Certified Academic Language Therapist, Qualified Instructor (CALT-QI). In her own words: “I help people with dyslexia and related disorders, and train graduate level students to do the same thing. I was an elementary school teacher, and when my oldest couldn't learn how to read, and I tried teaching him with what I'd been taught in college with no success, I returned to school to learn how to help him. I've been helping kids become readers and writers ever since, for over 30 years.”

Kathy is also the founder of Dyslexia Therapy Utah. I absolutely loved getting her wisdom about how to help all kinds of kids love reading. And for you parents trying to incorporate some sort of summer reading in your family plan, I thought this was a perfect time to get her expertise.

Welcome, Kathy!

1: Give us a quick basic overview of what you do as a Certified Academic Language Therapist?

I teach the structure of the English language, starting with the basic, predictable patterns, using as many senses as possible, with lots of repetition. I gradually move from the most reliable predictable patterns to the less common patterns, while adding in prefixes, suffixes, syllable division patterns, and more; while teaching comprehension strategies along the way. As a therapist, I can make individual adjustments according to the needs of each student.

2: Are there things that authors can do in their books to make them appealing to the kids you work with? Are graphic novels really more accessible?

There is a great need for more books that are high interest, yet easy to read. Students that struggle with reading want to read books that appeal to their interests, but cater to their need for easier, decodable words, as they gradually work on increasing their words that are automatic. A dyslexic student needs extra repetition before a word becomes automatic in their brain, with some needing 40X more repetitions than a typical reader.

Graphic novels are appealing to a lot of these students. The book appears thicker, matching the chapter book sizes their peers are reading, there are less words on the page, and it is often easier to keep their place as they are reading. The word choices in graphic novels, ideally, would be easier to decode, but that isn't consistent in all graphic novels.

3: Parents are often looking for ways to keep their kid reading over the summer. You work particularly with kids with language difficulties, but based on your experience are there any overall strategies you'd recommend?

The end goal of reading is getting knowledge into the brain. If reading comes easily for a student, they can get that knowledge in faster by reading. For those that struggle with the written word, it is faster and more engaging for them to LISTEN to books. Audio books are a gift to dyslexic individuals, allowing them access to the same books their peers are enjoying. Audio books provide kids with access to rich vocabulary and world knowledge.

Most of my students actually listen to audio books at higher speeds than their peers (my son once shared that the fast speed keeps his mind from wandering), so they can actually listen to books faster than their peers, with great comprehension. Granted, this varies child to child, but audiobooks, or "ear" reading, keeps kids engaged with their interests, building a richer vocabulary, and deeper knowledge while they are working on improving their "eye" reading.

*Is this a good time to remind you that two of my books come in audio form?? ;) What Stars Are Made Of and The Nightmare House.

4: What is something odd or unusual that's bringing you joy lately?

I collect Duplo Legos, and love finding retired pieces that are missing from my collection. I also use Duplo Legos as I teach. They work great for breaking a word into its sounds, and then spelling the word ON the duplo with dry erase markers. The red squares represent vowels, other random colors represent different sounds within a word.

Thank you so, so much Kathy! Visit Dyslexia Therapy Utah to learn more about Kathy and her amazing work!

What I’m Reading:

YOU GUYS. This book. I absolutely loved it. One of the most special middle grade books I’ve read in a while. It’s got a starred review from Kirkus and was one of Amazon’s best children’s books of 2025 so far. It’s about a between life and death fox who escorts the lost souls of dead animals to the appropriate realm of the afterlife, until a new soul arrives that changes everything. It’s just such a beautiful book.

What I’m Watching: So I saw Elio. It’s gotten more press after it came out for being Pixar’s lowest at the box office than I ever saw before it came out, promoting the actual movie. That’s a shame, because I really enjoyed this one. It’s not Pixar’s best, but it is definitely better than some of the more recent ones. Highly recommend going to see it in theaters. Do a double feature with this and How To Train Your Dragon, which is also excellent. (Not as good as the original, but still good. Mason Thames did a great job.)

How To Draw Cartoons: This channel is a new discovery and I think it’s pretty fun and delightful. The videos are shorter than most tutorials and fun and easy to follow. Great for teaching yourself some cartooning skills and/or for young budding artists. (Even with my Can’t Shapes Brain, it’s still been really helpful to see other people’s different processes and the more traditional cartooning process so I can sort of deconstruct it and build it into a process that works for me).

What I’m Drawing: Things the universe is always trying to teach me.

Also check out the bookish swag I’ve got up for sale in my new little swag shop!

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”

― Rabindranath Tagore, Stray Birds

Writing Opportunity: Write dark fantasy? Check out this short story anthology opportunity from Wordsmyths! Due July 31.

Teacher’s Table

Some goodies especially for the teachers:

Summer Reading Challenge for fifth grade with book list EDITABLE Printable Log

Everything needed to get your young writers started is here in Tools Not Rules: A Writing Guide for Young Creatives.

Free activity sheets up on my Teachers Pay Teachers store! More added all the time, so check back regularly.

I am so, so excited and honored to now be on the roster at the Macmillan Speakers Bureau! For school and other events, you can find my speaker page here.

You guys are rock stars!

Thanks for coming along everyone! The best way to support is to 1) subscribe, 2) get a copy of the book bebes, and 3) keep glowing, you shining star you.

-Sarah

Links include Amazon Affiliate links where I may make a small commission.

Thanks for reading!

low energy habits that improved my writing practice

A while ago, this post about low energy mental health habits by went absolutely bonkers viral. I thought these were some really great ideas, but it also got me thinking—aren’t there low-energy habits that have helped me in my writing practice? (I’m not lazy, I’m efficient.)

And what better time to talk about low energy writing habits then summer!

I’m not perfect at all of these, and writing practices are always evolving. You may already be doing most of these and I’m preaching to the choir. But maybe one or two of these tips will help you grease the wheels a bit on your writing habits.

So here we go:

1. writing by hand.

This is the biggie for me. And I know it might not seem like this is an energy-saving writing habit, but I swear it is. At least it has been for me. I save so much energy by writing by hand because 1) I can write from the couch or bed, and 2) I’m not fighting that constant pressure and temptation that comes from sitting in front of a wifi connected device. My thoughts stop whirring and the slower pace helps me see those thoughts. Nothing has helped me feel more connected to the world and to myself than when I write by hand.

For all of these, your mileage may very, obviously, but if you’re feeling stuck and tired in your writing, try out good old fashioned pen and paper.

2. the power of fifteen minutes

We’ve all heard of writing sprints, and fitting the words into the five, ten, fifteen minute cracks in our day. Yes to all of that, particularly because most of us aren’t writing full time. We have to squeeze in the time or it won’t happen.

But I’m talking about the retroactive power of fifteen minutes. I’m talking about the end of the day, where all you managed was two, maybe three of those fifteen minute chunks, and it doesn’t feel like enough. It never feels like enough.

It was enough. Every word you got down is one more word than you had before. This is how books are written.

3. B+ first drafts

Coming from the girl who was frustrated by the A- she got in her A.P. biology class, this is huge. This rule is akin to the 80% effort rule. Your first drafts don’t have to be perfect, or even that good. In fact, if you’ve written an A+ first draft you haven’t followed the rule. Also because A+ first drafts don’t exist, and trying to pretend they do is using up valuable energy. (She has to remind herself constantly…)

4. the drawer of black and grey tshirts

I have a specific drawer stuffed full of unfolded black and grey tshirts. I like black and grey. The tshirts are comfy. And when you’re a perpetual insomniac who wakes up exhausted most mornings, there just ain’t no energy to try and pick through clothes. But grabbing a tshirt from the drawer still provides the ritual of changing clothes out of pajamas in the morning, so you can get to werk.

This is my rack of black shirts (I like black clothes, okay?) as opposed to my drawer of specifically cozy stay-at-home black tshirts. When I can’t find my shy black kitty Morticia, she’s usually here camouflaging.

4b. the closet rack of sun dresses

In addition to my drawer of staying-at-home-in-black-and-gray-tshirts drawer, I also have a section of my closet rack apportioned for sun dresses. When I can’t stand the sight of my apartment walls any longer and have to get OUT, I don’t have to use thought-energy as I change out of my black staying-home shirt into a brighter going-out dress. The dresses are cheap, usually from Ross, and comfortable, and because they’re sun dresses, they take thirty seconds to put on but I still feel put together when I head out the door.

5. the mental list of Gotta Go Write Now places

Related to the rack of sun dresses, I have a mental list of three, maybe four places I can go to to write, when I can’t stand my desk or even couch any longer. My places include the cafe at my local Barnes and Noble, the Land area at EPCOT when it’s hot, and the bench by the fountain in the Italy pavilion at EPCOT for the five minutes when its cool.

Make your own mental list of nearby writing places, like parks or cafes. And the other major place on my list that pretty much everyone can (and should!) use is the most magical place of all—the library. Please, please, please go to and use and support your local public library.

6. marketing after but sometimes before

Theoretically, I much prefer to get the actual writing done first, before I move to the platform buildy authory businessy stuff. That’s how I try to do things most days. But some days there’s just something hanging over my head—an email I need to respond to, an idea for a post, or *ahem* a newsletter to write—and it won’t stop making my brain itch until I just take care of it. I’ve learned that fighting that itch takes way more effort than just doing the thing and then going back to writing.

7. prime the pump reading

The most energy consuming part of the writing process is just getting started. Getting out of my own head. I’ve sometimes found that reading someone else’s words aloud to myself for a few minutes first helps expedite that process. It reminds me that, oh yeah, this is how words can sound. This works particularly well with extremely voicey and unique writers that totally jar you, like Cormac McCarthy or Dostoevsky or Roald Dahl or Beverly Cleary or Lemony Snicket.

8. leave books (poetry) within arms reach

I think most of us have lots of books in basically every room of our house. What I’m suggesting is to be intentional about it, and have books not just in every room, but specific books in specific places, like the back of the toilet or under the TV that we can reach for instead of our phones. I’m bad at this, but trying to get better. The books that work the best for me are poetry, and for the best grab-and-read poetry books I highly recommend Mary Oliver, Billy Collins, Shel Silverstein, ‘I’m Just No Good At Rhyming’ by Chris Harris, and ‘Good Poetry for Hard Times’1 anthologized by Garrison Keiller. When I’m good at reaching for poetry instead of my phone, it keeps me in the word-play zone, and greatly reduces the effort it takes for me to get into the writing mindset.

9. prime the pump paragraph

Sometimes, frustratingly, the only way to get writing is to sit yer tuchus down and just…get writing. When I’m at that point, the minor mental trick I play is to tell myself I only have to write a paragraph. When done in conjunction with writing by hand, this works particularly well, because you can be sitting on the couch or be in line at the DMV, and you’re pulling out your notebook not because you Have To Sit Down Now and Be A Serious Literary Author (sorry ) but because you’re simply jotting down the next sentence or two.

And the trick is, once you’ve got those first two or three sentences down, the next two or three come even easier, and then the next two or three after that.

10. name the monster under the bed

This one is for my fellow insomniacs, and I think in the writing world we are legion. These energy saves are so helpful for us because we often struggle with a baseline energy in the first place. One of the reasons for that, for me, is that when I’m lying in bed at night, my brain still doesn’t feel like it has permission to shut off. Like it should still be doing the mental work until I drift off. Only, I don’t drift off.

So I’ve offloaded that mental work. Or at least, I try to. The monster who lives under my bed takes his shift. It’s him and my subconscious’ turn to work on our projects. That way, work is still being done, but hopefully I can maybe sleep a little too.

11. offload the brainstorming

You know that thing where you struggle for hours and hours to open a jar, and then someone else comes along and pops it right open? I feel like that with ideas and brainstorming all the time.

So when I’m stuck, instead of wasting energy trying to open an idea jar that isn’t opening, I’ll deliberately put it off and work on something else. I have a few writer friends I meet with regularly, and I basically put that brainstorm problem on our next meeting’s agenda and then call it good. And you know what, other people have been able to open my idea jars for me almost every single time.

And there we have it! Those are some low-energy habits I try to incorporate into my writing practice and writing life that help make things a little easier. Hopefully some of them will help you too.

What are your best energy-saving writing habits? The Smorgasbord is a hand-kneaded, hand-shucked, reader supported publication. YOU make it possible! If you’d like to tip your waiter and keep the kitchen cooking, become a paid subscriber and help make this meal possible! Plus get access to special publishing resources, writing classes, the query letter that got me 4 agent offers, and more!

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7 Side Dishes Worth Sharing

The wonderful posted about the art tools she uses, and I thought this was definitely worth sharing. I’m always curious to see how art tools impact an artist’s practice.

“How I read poems, with aphantasia.” This post from was fascinating. Via

I loved seeing the handwritten letters of writers like C. S. Lewis and Dorothy Sayers in this cool post.

This YouTuber is one of my favorites when it comes to building a platform and doing marketing as a creative.

I absolutely LOVED this essay from Ann Braden about the value of fun, rompy, escapy books, and letting kids read what they want to read. Highly recommend reading in conjunction with the essay from about DogMan.

Don’t miss ’s awesome list of kidlit Substackers! I hope to spend some solid time going down the list and discovering more great kidlit folks!

I feel like I’m seeing more and more authors be so clever and creative in their book promo and marketing, and I’m learning so much from watching them. I can’t wait to incorporate and adapt this weeks thoughts from on book events.

Share your own favorite sides in the comments!Teacher’s Table

Some goodies especially for the teachers:

This teacher video of the classic Peanut Butter Sandwich lesson went viral, and for very good and delightful reason.

Everything needed to get your young writers started is here in Tools Not Rules: A Writing Guide for Young Creatives.

Various and free activity sheets up on my Teachers Pay Teachers store! More added all the time, so check back regularly.

I am so, so excited and honored to now be on the roster at the Macmillan Speakers Bureau! For school and other events, you can find my speaker page here!

You guys are rock stars!

Thanks for reading!

Thanks for coming along everyone! 1) Subscribe, 2) get a copy of the book bebes, and 3) keep glowing, you shining star you.

-Sarah

Links include Amazon Affiliate links where I may make a small commission.

Thanks for reading!

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This is my particular favorite one to keep on the back of the toilet hehehehe…

From the Writing Desk:

Wow what a month was May!

Seems like we all had lots going on, eh?

I could keep rhyming all day.

But I’ll stop…okay.

Anyway.

Srsly it seems like it was a full month for many of us! (oy vey).

I went on an absolutely whirlwhind, jam-packed, very quick trip to the fantastic Storymakers Conference. I actually taught a class on Substack! (And Disney hehe). Always my favorite conference of the year, inspiring and exhausting, and of course I managed zero pictures. But the keynote speakers were Brandon Mull and Martine Leavitt, and if you haven’t read their books, I can’t recommend either of these writers highly enough.

(There is one picture I have to share. Check out ’s latest post for the backstory on this work of absolute majesty:)

The Orlando Book Festival was this month, held at the downtown Orlando library, which I’d never been to before. (I’m much closer to my local branch). But it was an awesome building, an awesome keynote by Brad Meltzer that successfully converted me into wanting to read his books, and the downtown location had all four of my books! I was surprised and totally thrilled, so I did document that one.

Then I did one more quick whirlwind overnight trip to Kansas City because my youngest sister just came home from serving an eighteen month religious mission in Latvia!!! So yeah, seeing her again after a year and half was pretty darn amazing, although it sort of felt like no time had passed at all because she’s just that wonderful and fun to be around. But hey, whatever CIA agent is assigned to my internet, if you need a Latvian translater, I have a recommendation. (She’s also a genuinely genius ((I mean it)) pianist, so Imma resist as long as I can until I start bugging her for some song collabs).

So those are the biggies of the month.

On the writing front, things are happening. Specifically, kidlit things. I am officially a decent percentage of the way through my current lower-middle grade WIP (that I’m possibly hoping to also illustrate?? Myself??? *gulp*). We’ll see how this goes! I can’t wait to tell you all more about it.

For those of you familiar with the Gallup Strengthsfinder test, one of my top five categories is Focus. I’ve been thinking about that this month, because I’m realizing that for the last several years I’ve been trying to multi-task and juggle multiple things, and I’m re-remembering how terrible I am at those things. I’m most definitely jealous of y’all great multi-taskers. So I’m leaning into Focus and putting all the attention I can into this weird little quirky book until it’s donezo.

Then on to the next Focus.

What are you working on?

Onward!

The Smorgasbord is a hand-kneaded, hand-shucked, reader supported publication. If you’d like to tip your waiter and keep the kitchen cooking, become a paid subscriber and help make this meal possible! Plus get access to special publishing resources, writing classes, the query letter that got me 4 agent offers, and more!

Tip Your Waiter

The Editorial Advice That Changed One Life and Maybe Yours Too, with Lisa Mangum

Eeee!! I’m so excited because today we have an absolute legend, editor extraordinaire Lisa Mangum! Lisa has worked in publishing since 1997 and now works as managing editor at Shadow Mountain Publishing. She has worked with biggies like Brandon Mull and Ally Condie. Her book Write Fearless. Edit Smart. Get Published. is a fantastic resource for writers who want to level up creatively and professionally. Lisa loves movies, sunsets, spending time with her family, trips to Disneyland, and vanilla ice cream topped with fresh raspberries.

Welcome, Lisa!

1. We both recently finished a fantastic and overwhelming Storymakers Conference. What is the best interaction you had with a writer at the conference (or previous conferences!) and what about their behavior made it so great?

I met so many people at Storymakers and had so many great conversations, so I'll just share one. It happened during the Whitney Award gala. Shadow Mountain had several authors nominated in multiple categories, so I was there to cheer for them. Before the evening got underway, a nice lady approached me with a story and a gift. She said that she remembered the keynote address I'd given at Storymakers in 2020 when I'd said, "Be bold enough to write the story of your life in ink." She said that message had stuck with her for a long time, and so she had drawn that quote along with some line art on a small bit of cardstock. She had been hoping to meet me during the conference weekend to give it to me. I was touched by the gesture and honored that something I had said all those years ago had been the thing she needed to hear at that time.

I think that is why I love editing and helping authors so much: The stories we tell are because we have something to say that is the exact thing that someone else needs to hear.

2. What is the editorial note you find yourself giving the most, and how can authors improve in that area?

I don't know if this is the note I give the most, but it is one that I give often: "Can we raise the stakes here?" Most of the authors I work with do a good job with their plot structure and character development, but I think there is often room to raise the stakes—either internally or externally—in a story. And high stakes with powerful payoffs usually can help elevate a story to the next level.

One way to improve in that area is to ask two questions of a scene: "What's the worst thing that could happen right now?" and "How can I make that 'worst thing' personal to my character?" Often the answers to those questions will revolve around adding pressure to the characters' relationships to each other. Sometimes the answers will deepen a character's backstory, or sometimes they will provide a new path for the plot moving forward.

3. What is something you wish every writer knew before working with an editor?

Editorial notes and corrections are not because we don't like you or because we think you wrote a bad book. Just the opposite in fact: We want you to succeed! We are on your team! We see the potential in you and your story, and we want to help however we can. Trust us, and let's be friends!

4. What is something odd or quirky that's been bringing you Joy?

Lately, I've been obsessed with watching TikToks of people pin trading at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

Thank you so, so much Lisa! Make sure you check out Lisa’s book, and remember that Shadow Mountain is accepting submissions until June 7th!

What I’m Reading:

My best audiobook life is when I have great nonfiction while I’m on the road, which is what happened this month. I also love it when nonfiction authors also make interesting and fun narrators of their own books. Cue The Body by Bill Bryson. It was fascinating.

I also really enjoyed this very quick and fun chapter book about poetry by the Origami Yoda creator, Tom Angelberger. I think this is a great way to show the young readers in our lives how unintimidating poetry really can be.

What I’m Watching: So, to be totally honest with you guys, this month I’ve been rewatching a lot of one of the most oddly comforting shows ever. It’s simply fun and delightful and just interesting enough that its engaging but also makes for excellent background while I’m working on stuff. Plus both Adam and Jamie are just awesome.

The Thursday Murder Club Teaser Trailer: This is absolutely about to be my next favorite movie.

What I’m Drawing: Lots of free activity sheets to keep the kiddos engaged and reading this summer!

Also check out the bookish swag I’ve got up for sale in my new little swag shop!

"The universe rings true whenever you fairly test it."

-Surprised by Joy, C. S. Lewis

Writing Opportunity: Shadow Mountain is accepting manuscripts of all sorts until June 7th!! Check out the wishlist and see if your book fits!

Teacher’s Table

Some goodies especially for the teachers:

Gen Z Are Changing What It Means to be a Reader (via )

Everything needed to get your young writers started is here in Tools Not Rules: A Writing Guide for Young Creatives.

Free activity sheets up on my Teachers Pay Teachers store! More added all the time, so check back regularly.

I would love to do an author visit with your class! Reach out to me via my website and let’s schedule something.

You guys are rock stars!

Thanks for coming along everyone! The best way to support is to 1) subscribe, 2) get a copy of the book bebes, and 3) keep glowing, you shining star you.

-Sarah

Links include Amazon Affiliate links where I may make a small commission.

Thanks for reading!

Remembering Who You Write For

When I do school visits, there’s usually a particular student sitting on the front row—in front of the front row, really. They bounce up and down. They laugh the loudest at my jokes. They raise their hand at every single question, regardless of what the question is, to tell me that they wanted a golden retriever but their dad is allergic so they got a hedgehog instead and the hedgehogs name is Pickle and he really likes iceburg lettuce and french fries.

Needless to say, this student is my favorite. Other than Pickle the hedgehog.

Occasionally at book signings or after school assemblies, a student stops me and talks for a genuine and solid five minutes about Star Wars, or, especially lately, the Minecraft movie. (Blessings on your head, Jack Black!) My only job in that situation is to listen enthusiastically, and its my favorite job in the whole world.

Sometimes the parent tries to pull the kid along, assuming I’m bothered and have something better to do with my time, which I’m not and which I don’t.

I always wish I could express to the parents and teachers of these front-front row sitting, fan-theory-spieling kids how much they’ve made my day.

There are a few characters that stand out to me that lead us down the Weird Girl Pipeline. Girls who I imagine as the front-front row type student, or else the one listening intently and writing obsessive notes in their notebook.

On the young end we’ve got our weird girl Bluey, who I think has revolutionized preschool animation and characters for very good reason. Age her up a couple years and we get to our girl Lilo, who has earned her place as a neurodivergent icon. A few more years and we get Eliza Thornberry. I would have given VERY MUCH to be Eliza Thornberry when I was young. Early teen years we get to Tina Belcher and that so relatable early-teen weird girl feeling of having your emotions take over so bigly sometimes that all you can do is aaaaaaaahhhh. Older teen we get to the whip-smart Velma Dinkley, and if we’re very, very lucky, these weird girls get to grow up and be Miss Frizzles.

(There’s absolutely a Weird Boy Pipeline too, starting with our boy Russell from Up, or Jimmy Neutron, and if, again, we’re very, very lucky, they get to grow up and be Bob Ross or Steve Irwin.)

Now, humans are of course not cartoon characters, and not as neatly categorizable as I’m making it to be here. As the saying goes, we all contain multitudes. And we need all different kinds of people.

But sometimes there are little girls whose exuberance and curiosity seems to be too big for their body. Often they’re not particularly feminine or particularly athletic. Their enthusiasm has to effervesce outward somehow, into the world around them. Into wildly creative games, obsessions with zombies or sunburnt tourists, and extra long conversations with visiting authors about why goliath spiders are their favorite animals.1

Of course, it’s shocking to nobody that with this Weird Girl Squad is where I feel most at home.

My point here is not so much that I relate to these weirdos (which I do), but that one of the things I want most in the world is for these weird girls (and boys) to see how crucial and valuable their weirdness really is.

This is why adolescence scares me—because its the age when so many feel they have to tamp down their weirdness, and I want to scream nooooo!!!! We need you!!

And this is why I believe middle grade books are some of the most crucial a person will ever read. They’re often someone’s best chance of being told to value their Lewis Carol style Muchness before they forget it.

Everyone is welcome on The Weird Squad. The only qualification is enthusiasm, which can emerge and express itself in an infinite variety of ways, so long as you don’t let yourself get in your own way.

C.S. Lewis said, “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.” I remember having one of the most mind-blown moments of my life when I read that. I thought, that’s what this feeling is. The Muchness that feels too big for my body because it is.

And that’s why I think we need about three thousand percent more of these type of characters—because there’s something about seeing a weirdo be weird, an enthusiastic nerd get to enthuse, that is one of the most freeing experiences possible. It’s permission for the rest of us to be…whatever.

I spent quite a lot of 2024 with my kidlit motivation dialed pretty low. I had done several middle grade books on tight deadline, which is a wonderful and lucky blessing, but I was tired.

Then I remembered that girl on the front front row.

This week I started a brand new middle grade book.

It’s for you.

Who are your favorite Weird Girls and Boys? The Smorgasbord is a hand-kneaded, hand-shucked, reader supported publication. YOU make it possible! If you’d like to tip your waiter and keep the kitchen cooking, become a paid subscriber and help make this meal possible! Plus get access to special publishing resources, writing classes, the query letter that got me 4 agent offers, and more!

Tip Your Waiter

9 Side Dishes Worth Sharing

This list of Questions From First Graders via is one of the best list of questions I’ve ever seen. So beautifully Weird.

The ever wise has an excellent post on the current State of Book Publicity. Very much worth checking out.

Speaking of weirdos, this evolution of Bugs Bunny is really fun and interesting.

We have learned something new and good about Shakespeare! A newly discovered letter reveals that his relationship with his wife might have been better and more loving than we thought it was. (Pretty sure I found this via )

There’s a new family horror movie coming out from Angel Studios that looks promising for giving us more weird girls. A kid’s monstrous sketches coming to life? Tony Hale? Yas please. Via .

I had never heard of Bande Dessinée and The Ninth Art but now thanks to I do and my life has been VERY BLESSED. I mean, look at this gorgeousness:

This calligram website lets you paint with words and I spent way too much time distracting myself with it.

If you’re feeling like the online world is so much worse than it once was and feeling heavy with Internet Fatigue, you are not alone. This video essay made me feel quite a bit better about things, tbh.

Authors almost always feel so so uncomfortable and squidgy about trying to promote their books and build a platform. The good news is, says self-promotion doesn’t work anyway, and has some great ideas on what you can do instead.

Share your own favorite sides in the comments!Teacher’s Table

Some goodies especially for the teachers:

From NPR: Five years since COVID, Louisiana's readers are thriving. This is their secret.

Everything needed to get your young writers started is here in Tools Not Rules: A Writing Guide for Young Creatives.

Various and free activity sheets up on my Teachers Pay Teachers store! More added all the time, so check back regularly.

I would love to do a virtual author visit with your class! Reach out to me via my website and let’s schedule something.

You guys are rock stars!

Thanks for reading!

Thanks for coming along everyone! 1) Subscribe, 2) get a copy of the book bebes, and 3) keep glowing, you shining star you.

-Sarah

Links include Amazon Affiliate links where I may make a small commission.

Thanks for reading!

1

Shout out to the kids in the particularly neurodivergent church class I helped sub for on Sunday, multiple of whom told me spiders were there first or second favorite animal. They had lists. Obviously.

From the Writing Desk:

Hello from the land of the sky-gators.

Things have definitely warmed up quite a bit here in the sunshine state. We’re back to step-outside-and-immediately-need-a-shower weather.

And inside, at the air-conditioned writing desk, things are plugging along.

The adult novel continues to be slow but sure. I’ve been watching some Golden Girls for inspiration, and I really hope one of these years this book will be A Thing that I can share with y’all For Real.

On the kid lit front, I’ve been trying to be thoughtful and deliberate about narrowing in on next projects. And I think we’re getting close. Very close. More soon.

And there’s been some really fun stuff this last month:

Monster Tree was selected for the 2025 Kansas NEA Reading Circle List which is a really tremendous honor. And it’s also finalist for the Association of Mormon Letters award and a Whitney Award in the middle grade categories, along with the likes of Josh Allen (no relation, sadly) and Jennifer Nielsen. These particular awards are something really special to me, and it means a lot. Sometimes its hard to tell what the response is to a book, so things like this really, really do make all the difference for us kid lit writers.

I also got to go to one of the coolest school events ever. And I mean cool. A local elementary school honors students who read all 15 books on the SSYRA list with author visits and a limo ride to a pizza place. I truly just lucked out that I’m nearby and they asked me to join, along with incredible authors like James Ponti, Peter Raymundo, Taryn Souders, and Christina Farley. It was such an amazing day, riding in a limo with a bunch of fifth graders. There were lots of signs that the kids are all right, but especially when they asked for Michael Jackson music. Mad, mad props to teachers, media specialists, and school admins who are doing the most important work. These kiddos will have this seed of reading joy forever.

These kinds of way cool state list, awards noms, and school event things don’t happen every day, or every month, so I’m super, super grateful.

And now I’m going to go keep listening to ’s Spotify playlist of good songs for kids.

What are you working on this month?

Onward!

The Smorgasbord is a hand-kneaded, hand-shucked, reader supported publication. If you’d like to tip your waiter and keep the kitchen cooking, become a paid subscriber and help make this meal possible! Plus get access to special publishing resources, writing classes, the query letter that got me 4 agent offers, and more!

Tip Your Waiter

Setting Isn't Just Adjectives (Plus a Cover Reveal!) with Celesta Rimington

I’ll be honest…setting isn’t something I spend a ton of time thinking about. When it comes to craft, I spend more of my time being excited about characters or angsting about plot. (Grrr plot). So when I have writing friends who’s ideas often start with setting, I’m automatically curious.

Enter Celesta Rimington! Not only does she have fantastic settings in her books that are integral to the story, she has a new book coming out that is also about a sentient, kind of terrifying tree. So yep, we HAD to have Celesta on this month.

Celesta Rimington is the award-winning author of magical middle grade books. Her debut novel The Elephant’s Girl won the 2020 Reading the West Book Award and has been recommended on multiple state library association lists and readers’ choice lists. She was also one of my co-writers on our book, Tools Not Rules: A Writing Guide for Young Creatives. Celesta is one of the best school presenters I know, so teachers and media specalists, you really want to get her in your classroom.

And keep reading for the gorgeous, incredible cover of her new novel, REACH!

Welcome, Celesta!

1. Often your ideas start with setting. How does that work? How do you go from setting inspiration to a story idea?

I do often get inspired by setting first! I think this happens because I connect sensory details to memories and emotions, and then those seem to fill and inhabit a space, providing mood and atmosphere for a story. I may start to think of the setting as a character, and this leads me to imagine the setting's backstory and the possibility for personality and motivations. Perhaps the setting has old wounds or holds a grudge. Maybe it has a sense of humor. Then, I'll let my mind wander to characters whose own backstories, personalities, and motivations could be either inspired by or heavily challenged by that setting. And that's often when the plot and themes show up for me.

2. Is this similar to the way you got the idea for Reach? How did that idea start?

This is very much how the idea for Reach began! I was hiking with my family in the mountains near my home, and as we moved through a dense section of evergreen trees, a strong pine fragrance plumped in the air around me. All the sensory details of that moment made me feel as though the trees were speaking to us with that burst of aroma. I noticed the emotions and memories connected to that experience and to other times I'd been in a forest of trees. I began building a backstory for the forest, for the single tree that may have been responsible for the fragrance, and for characters who might be at odds in such a forest.

3. Some writers might view setting as simply lots of adjectives or lush descriptions. Is setting more than that, and how can we make it more in our own writing?

I like to focus at least one full revision with an eye on how the setting serves the overall story. I make sure that setting details are there for an important reason other than just to be lovely (although we writers do adore lovely writing!) It helps to remember that setting details can forward the plot by showing the passage of time and by adding to conflict and character growth. Setting can support the theme, give tone and mood, and force change. It can be so much more than the backdrop. It can have a personality. Setting can be the platform that holds the entire story.

4. Do you have a line or paragraph of setting from Reach that you're particularly proud of that you'd be willing to share with us?

Aw, that is a fun question! Many of the setting-rich passages in Reach will give away important surprises, so I'll share a brief one. At this moment, the main character Denver is worried about his magically transformed younger brother but also at a loss for how to solve the personal problems he faces. This setting glimpse reveals something that affects the plot, contributes to conflict, and reflects Denver's conflicting emotions.

"The early-evening summer sun washed the clearing and Spiro’s branches in gold. . . I pushed away from the stump. I’d only noticed the dead wood and the blackened parts before. Now something else caught my attention—a tiny hole in the center of the stump, where the dead wood had cracked and split. I glimpsed a hint of green, so I leaned closer. Somehow, a small part inside the stump was green with life." --REACH, by Celesta Rimington

Cover art by the incredible Ramona Kaulitzki

Thank you so, so much Celesta! Make sure you check out Celesta’s website and preorder REACH!

What I’m Reading:

I love when I find a writer whose voice is so delightful that I automatically want to read all of their work. That happened this month with Rob Harrell’s illustrated middle grade novel, The Life of Zarf. It’s pitched as Shrek meets Dork Diaries, which is absolutely perfect. I loved every bit of it.

What I’m Watching: Am I over my awkward/gruff British detective phase? No, nor shall I ever be. And Endeavor is interesting, because it’s actually the ensemble around the main, awkward British detective that’s the real draw. I’m basically in love with every single person Morse works with in this show. In fact, am I naming my newest middle grade character after one of them? Well…

If Lin-Manuel Mirando Wrote Defying Gravity: I hate this and I love this so much.

What I’m Drawing: Also maybe there could be a Best Seller List Elf and a Pajama Gnome?

Also check out the bookish swag I’ve got up for sale in my new little swag shop!

"Let's have no fighting, please. This is, after all, a council of war."

-Jingo by Terry Pratchett

Writing Opportunity: “We're asking for your tales again, this time not for Graveside Press, but for GRADEside Stories! Gradeside is your haunted carnival for the tales geared toward younger readers—still spooky, but with a little restraint.”

Unknown deadline, so get it in soon!

Teacher’s Table

Some goodies especially for the teachers:

Very interesting article about tech in the classroom, via : Luddite Pedagogy: It’s OK to Ignore AI in Your Teaching

Everything needed to get your young writers started is here in Tools Not Rules: A Writing Guide for Young Creatives.

Free activity sheets for teachers and librarians to keep at your desk or use in or between lessons! More added all the time, so check back regularly.

I would love to do an author visit with your class! Reach out to me via my website and let’s schedule something.

You guys are rock stars!

Thanks for coming along everyone! The best way to support is to 1) subscribe, 2) get a copy of the book bebes, and 3) keep glowing, you shining star you.

-Sarah

Links include Amazon Affiliate links where I may make a small commission.

Thanks for reading!

From the Writing Desk:

SURPRISE!!

I wrote a book hehehe.

BIG NEWS, SMALL WORLD is part of the HarperCollinsUK Big Cat scholastic series, with twenty books coming out on April 28th in the UK that all look absolutely incredible.

BIG NEWS, SMALL WORLD is a book for older chapter book readers set during the Vietnam War. It’s about a young girl named Lily who has Turner syndrome, and who decides to create a newspaper to celebrate the people and stories from her own community, like the soldier next door who’s just come home from the war very different than when he left. Lily hopes that even though she’s small and the world is so big, listening and telling this soldier’s story will make a difference, even if its a small one.

I wrote this last year, which was quite a creatively dry year for me. For some reason, in the midst of that desert, this story just…flowed. I haven’t had an easier or more natural or more fun time writing a story in a long time. It came out quickly, with very few issues, which is pretty much never the case. I was and am very grateful for this little story being my creative oasis in an otherwise very dry and frustrating time.

Also, holy cow am I obsessed with the stunning black and white graphic illustrations by Linh Nguyen-Glen.

I am a very lucky writer.

Other than that, this last month I’ve been:

Plugging away on the new draft of my adult novel. It’s coming along!

Brainstorming, pitching, drafting, collaborating, pondering etc about what my next kid lit project is going to be

Fleshing out and revising a second draft of my speculative midlife rom com script hehe

What are you working on?

Onward!

The Smorgasbord is a hand-kneaded, hand-shucked, reader supported publication. If you’d like to tip your waiter and keep the kitchen cooking, become a paid subscriber and help make this meal possible! Plus get access to special publishing resources, writing classes, the query letter that got me 4 agent offers, and more!

Tip Your Waiter

Common School Visit Mistakes and How To Fix Them, with Melissa Taylor

In the world of kid lit, school visits are our bread and butter. But the thing is, a lot of us writers aren’t trained teachers and educators. We’re not experts at classroom management and entertaining rowdy elementary schoolers and reticent preteens.

But…we can be! We have help!

Melissa Taylor is an author, an education blogger & writer, a children’s book expert, a former award-winning bilingual teacher with an M.A. in Education, a former literacy trainer for teachers, and a passionate advocate for literacy, representation in children’s literature, and high-quality education. She’s taught ESL, bilingual kindergarten, bilingual 4/5, 4th, and 5th grades, and coached teachers in K-12 grades, so she really knows what she’s talking about.

Basically, she’s an expert at helping writers level up their author presentations to something really engaging and exceptional. And she’s here to give us her advice! (And seriously, it’s incredible advice.)

Welcome, Melissa!

1. What are some of the biggest mistakes you see authors make in their school visits?

Two major things I see often that could be improved are the following:

- Not noticing when the crowd is squirmy and talkative--and continuing to talk over them. (Better would be to stop, use the quiet signal, and THEN, go on when the crowd is quiet again.)

- Boring presentations that talk AT the kids. Kids do not want to sit and listen to you drone on about your childhood hopes and dreams, let alone hear your life story to the present moment for 40 minutes. (Better would be to bump up the interactiveness and to block your presentation in shorter chunks of 3-20 minutes, depending on the ages, with games, activities, and storytelling, and keep the back story to a minimum.)

2. What is a tweak authors could make to their current presentation that would take it to the next level?

Add interactive elements to your read aloud. Read slowly and stop at every page to ask questions and show the pictures, aka. engage with the audience. Do a call and response if you have a refrain that repeats. Have the PreK-1st graders search for items in the illustrations. Basically, you're trying to make the read aloud experience fun and participatory -- even with a large group. (I'd also recommend putting the individual pages on slides.)

3. So many authors' presentations are about the process of writing or how they came up with the ideas for their books, etc. (Guilty!). Is this a good presentation topic? What school visit topics work even better?

Sorry, no. You need to go beyond your life story to not bore kids, and also to provide educational value. Both being exciting and educational will get you asked back and referred to other schools. Plus, giving students more educational value than your life story justifies your prices.

Most kids don’t want to hear your life story for 40 minutes. Maybe five or ten. Not 40. The backstory of a book, while interesting to avid fans, shouldn’t take up too much time either. (Although both can be launching points for teaching something else like ideation and growth mindset.)

Plus, teachers like it when you're exciting, inspiring students, and providing value that students can apply to their lives.

Better, more engaging ideas for your school visit include:

Interactive games and activities around your book(s)’s theme or topic (SEL, science, nature, curiosity)

Interactive writing activity (ideation, character creation, sequential storytelling)

Readers theater (add puppets and costumes)

Storytime with participation (search and find, call and response)

4. We want our presentations to be engaging, right? But what does that look like when presenting to an elementary school class versus a middle school class? Are the strategies and best practices different between those two?

In a former life, I trained teachers in K-12 grades and found that good instructional practices are the same across all the grades. You want to say what you're going to teach, model what you're talking about, be clear in your examples and instruction, scaffold the instruction step by step, and have a quick way to assess if the kids understand.

Yes, you'll pace things differently for a kindergartner than you would for a middle schooler who can listen and work for longer. You can't be sarcastic with the littles (or you'll make them cry) but middle schoolers love it! Personally, I'd take our Kinders out of any large group presentations and do a shorter presentation (20 minutes max) with them with different activities. You will be glad you did. These kiddos will love lots of movement, singing, and silliness. (And no, I wouldn't charge extra for this 20 minutes.)

As far as pacing for elementary grades, I recommend activity blocks of 5-10 minute chunks. (10 minute read aloud. 5 minute game. 10 minute interactive activity. That sort of thing.) You can double the time chunks (10 - 20 minutes) for middle schoolers if the activity calls for that length of time.

Connect with me at my websites MelissaTaylor.net or ImaginationSoup.net, melissa@imaginationsoup.net, or on Instagram or Bluesky.

Thank you so, so much Melissa! This is so unbelievably helpful and practical, and I know the students we visit will be better for it. Make sure you check out Melissa’s website, Imagination Soup, and keep an eye out for her upcoming books!

What I’m Reading:

On the kid lit front, I read and was absolutely delighted by a backlist title from a well-established writer. Bless This Mouse by Lois Lowry is the sweetest, most delightful thing I’ve read in a while, and the illustrations are amazing too.

On the adult front, I’ve been reading The Life Impossible by Matt Haig, and it’s lovely and unlike anything I’ve read in a long time.

What I’m Watching: As usual, my BritBox extension on Amazon is completely blessing my life and I’m flush with cute, adorkable, socially awkward, middle-aged British detectives and that’s all I’m really looking for in life.

So…go watch McDonald and Dodds and Ludwig like…right now.

Draw people quickly and simply: I watch a lot of drawing tutorials while I eat lunch and this one was really fun and seemed simple to follow. Plus I really like his style.

Also come hang out with me and my author friend P.J. Gardner while we talk all things writing and creativity!

What I’m Drawing: Sometimes we feel like a mouse, and sometimes…not.

Also check out the bookish swag I’ve got up for sale in my new little swag shop!

"This is an interesting planet. It deserves all the attention you can give it."

―Marilynne Robinson, Gilead

Writing Opportunity: Trollbreath Magazine is accepting speculative fiction and poetry! Due April 30.

Teacher’s Table

Some goodies especially for the teachers:

Don’t miss this NPR article about why Louisiana’s readers are thriving right now.

Everything needed to get your young writers started is here in Tools Not Rules: A Writing Guide for Young Creatives.

Free activity sheets for teachers and librarians to keep at your desk or use in or between lessons! More added all the time, so check back regularly. I recently added this one about how to write a limerick!

I would love to do a free virtual author visit with your class! Reach out to me via my website and let’s schedule something.

You guys are rock stars!

Thanks for coming along everyone! The best way to support is to 1) subscribe, 2) get a copy of the book bebes, and 3) keep glowing, you shining star you.

-Sarah

Links include Amazon Affiliate links where I may make a small commission.

Thanks for reading!