Author: Katie L. Carroll (Page 8 of 144)

Middle Grade Author Micki Bare on Needing Distractions from Writing

May 31, 2022 / Katie L. Carroll

I’m very happy to have children’s author Micki Bare on the blog to talk about the writing life and her latest release, the middle grade novel SOCIETY OF THE SENTINELIA. Welcome, Micki!

What do fairy tea, gardening, and closet karaoke have in common?

Let’s start with the fairy tea. I recently discovered it in a boutique shop a few blocks from my house. It smells amazing and is quite soothing after a long day of work on top of author obligations. It’s whimsical, yet practical. It occupies all my senses as I sip.

Next we have gardening. My hubby built a new raised bed this year. The tomato plants are heavy with green fruit. The cucumber and pepper plants I grew from seeds tossed in the soil are huge and healthy. The grapevine I planted last year has dozens of clusters bursting forth. The plants require almost daily attention, pulling me outside into weather of all sorts.

Then there’s closet karaoke. That’s when I crank up the music on our Echo Show (it displays lyrics) and I belt out my favorite tunes along with the artist. I do this when no one is home. When I’m writing, editing, or working, I have the music on in the background. But when a song jolts me into the present with a blast from my past, I have to get up and sing. I stand, I stretch, and I forget everything except the lyrics as scenes from the 30-something-year-old music video flash through my memory.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, fairy tea, gardening, and closet karaoke are distractions. And while distractions often get a bad rap, they also have a glass-half-full side. Distractions can reignite creativity. They can ease the messy, uncomfortable aspects of life. Distractions can also help an author who is on the precipice of a book release maintain their sanity.

Writing a book is a huge accomplishment. If you also want your work “out there,” being an author includes the publishing process and marketing. Many authors, like me, also work full time. When I signed the contract for my Zahra of the Uwharries middle grade series in August 2021, I essentially took on a second full time job.

When you write, edit, and market before work, then write, edit, and market after work, and then write, edit, and market on weekends and holidays to make your dream a reality, you can burn out. You can become a little batty. You can run out of every ounce of steam. That’s why you need distractions.

My closet karaoke habit, which I developed as a tween with my boom box and my version of lyrics, gives me an extra boost of energy. It also cranks up feel-good hormones, which help authors overcome imposter syndrome.

My thumb wasn’t always green, but I enjoy being out in the dirt so much that I’ve gotten better over time. The smell of dirt, vegetable plants, and herbs always makes me feel better. That feeling of accomplishment when I pick herbs for Friday pizza or harvest tomatoes and squash for summer recipes fills me with hope, inspiration, and resolve to make healthy choices.

Discovering the fairy tea a week before the release of the first book, Society of the Sentinelia, was serendipity. I’m going from the moment I wake up until I try to sleep at night. The tea pulls me away from the chaos without pesky ‘I’m wasting time I need to be doing something’ guilt tied to it. Technically, because it’s called fairy tea, I’m researching a product I can use in my marketing or networking endeavors. For example, I may bring some to the session I’m presenting at the SCBWI-Carolina’s fall 2022 conference and give it away as a door prize. Or maybe I’ll send fairy tea to my editor as a thank you.

You don’t have to be a crazy busy writer to need distractions in your life. We’re all busy and we all need the oasis of a rejuvenating break now and again. Reading is another great distraction. For tweens (and adults, too), I humbly recommend Society of the Sentinelia. And while you’re busy reading, discussing, and recommending it, I’ll be knee-deep into book 2, THE BLIND FAIRY, due out May 2023.

SOCIETY OF THE SENTINELIA blurb:

Zahra, a sprite-like tween no bigger than a loblolly pinecone, befriends an 11- year-old human on a quest to find her parents and sister. When a neighbor muddles their plans, kidnaps Zahra, and threatens her new friend, Zahra discovers unnerving truths about herself and her family.

Set in the Birkhead Wilderness of the Uwharrie Mountains in central North Carolina, Society of the Sentinelia is the first book in the Zahra of the Uwharries series that chronicles Zahra’s unique and critical role in saving her species.

Buy Link: https://tinyurl.com/yc4myafz

About the Author:

Micki Bare is a graduate of N.C. State University. In addition to Society of the Sentinelia, she’s the author of three early reader chapter books and has short stories published in two anthologies. She wrote a weekly human-interest column for 18 years and published articles in Thrive Magazine, Piedmont Parent, Asheboro Magazine, and Our State. Her career in early childhood spans more than two decades, with service as a teacher, administrator, and marketing director. She currently serves as the Director of Marketing and Community Engagement for Randolph Partnership for Children. She has three grown sons. She and her husband, Dave, live in central North Carolina.

Visit her website at www.mickibareauthor.com or connect with her on social media: Twitter @turtleauthor, TikTok @inspiredscribe, Facebook @MickiBareAuthor, Instagram @mickibare.

Her main character in her middle grade novels also has an Instagram account: @Zahra_Aylward.

New England SCBWI Conference Gems 2022

May 19, 2022 / Katie L. Carroll

This year’s New England SCBWI conference was yet again in a digital format, but just like in 2021 (see those conference highlights here), it was a weekend full of inspiration and community. As is my tradition, I’m sharing some conference gems here on the blog.

Since I was presenting both an intensive workshop on self-publishing (reminder to check out my Self-Publishing Reources) and leading an Ask-a-Mentor session, I wasn’t able to attend as many live sessions as I normally do. One of the advantages of the digital format is that the sessions were recorded, so I’ve been catching as many as I can before the viewing period is up.

Jane Yolen, author of over 400 books and founding member of the New England SCBWI, is a staple at the annual conference. She kicked off the conference with her words of wisdom. Her first dinosaur book, illustrated by Mark Teague, How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight took 20 minutes to write and her book Owl Moon, illustrated by John Schoenherr, took 20 years. She encouraged everyone to go and find the time to write, make the time to write, steal the time to write.

Heidi E.Y. Stemple and Rajani LaRocca engaged in a conversation that offered insight and advice into staying creative. Heidi said to know your process and trust your creative brain. She admitted that a creative block can be scary, but if you believe in yourself and trust your process, you can get through it. Rajani said to “follow the dopamine” when writing and to “find that thing that makes you light up and hold on to that.”

In a workshop on work-for-hire, Rebecca Allen and Meg Thacher shared many insights on best practices in this particular field of children’s writing. One suggestion was to be comprehensive in selecting your genres and age ranges so you don’t limit the projects you’re eligible for. They reminded writers that you can always say no to an opportunity if it doesn’t fit your schedule or writing interests.

Looking not so professional in the social rooms

I always enjoy the evening social rooms. I stayed up later than I intended on Saturday night catching up with my fellow NESCBWI kidlit friends and meeting a few new ones. It seems I always end up dressing up like a pirate (it is on brand for my middle grade book Pirate Island). Last year, I donned my actual pirate hat, but this year I opted for a filter. I think I pulled off the 5 o’clock shadow!

Tara Lazar, founder of the idea-generating Storystorm, presented a very funny keynote filled with memes. She made the mistake of sending out stuff too early (haven’t we all!) and had to learn how publishing worked before finding success.

Illustrator John Parra offered up an insight that particularly resonated with me as I work on developing my illustration skills. He said to make sure your supplies are out and not in a closet. He reminded us that procrastination is not an artist’s friend. His words have inspired me to start setting up a space where I have easier access to my art supplies.

Padma Venkatraman in her session “STARRY-EYED: Looking at a story through different lenses” asked these questions when thinking about point-of-view in your story: What’s best for this story? Whose story is this? How do I want my reader to feel?

What has inspired your writing lately?

Picture Book Recommendations for Adults

April 27, 2022 / Katie L. Carroll

I’ve been doing a series of videos on TikTok (find me @katielcarrollauthor) where I recommend picture books for adults, even if they don’t have children to read to. I truly believe that picture books are for all ages. They have such a unique way of presenting the world to us, and the illustrations can be beautiful works of art.

I mentioned in my post “What Nonfiction Picture Books Teach Us About How Rich A Billionaire Is” how I often turn to nonfiction picture books when I want to begin learning about a new topic. They have a way of breaking down information into clear, concise explanations.

Sneak peek of the cover of MOMMY’S NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS!

In my videos, I’ve been focusing on fiction, mostly because my upcoming picture book MOMMY’S NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, illustrated by Phoebe Cho, is fiction. This book truly is geared more toward adults—think GO THE F*** TO SLEEP without any swearing—though it is fun for kids as well…my kiddos like it!

So here are five picture books I think adults should read and a short video about each: IN A JAR by Deborah Marcero; BEEKLE by Dan Santat; WHEN A DRAGON MOVES IN AGAIN by Jodi Moore, illustrated by Howard McWilliam; THE DIGGER AND THE FLOWER by Joseph Kuefler; and SOAKED! by Abi Cushman.

@katielcarrollauthor
#booktok #picturebook #inajar #readaloud #bookrecommendations #bookrec #booktoker #childrensbook #picturebookrecs #picturebookswelove
♬ original sound – Katie L. Carroll

@katielcarrollauthor
#bookrecommendations #booktok #booktoker #picturebook #picturebookrecs #beekle #kidlit @katielcarrollauthor
♬ original sound – Katie L. Carroll

@katielcarrollauthor
Picture book recommendations for adults #booktok #picturebook #bookrecommendations #picturebookrecs #kidlit #dragon #childrensbook @katielcarrollauthor @katielcarrollauthor
♬ original sound – Katie L. Carroll

@katielcarrollauthor
The Digger and the Flower by Joseph Kuefler #bookrecs #picturebook #picturebookrecs #booktok #picturebookrecommendation #bookreview #constructionvehicles #flowers #childrensbooks @katielcarrollauthor @katielcarrollauthor @katielcarrollauthor
♬ original sound – Katie L. Carroll

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTdV5f5RT/

Still Mourning Kylene 20 Years Later

April 18, 2022 / Katie L. Carroll

This weekend marked the 20th anniversary of my sister’s death. I’ve written a lot about Kylene, her life and mourning her. On the 8th anniversary of her death, I shared a poem she wrote. A year later, in my post “A Lonely Anniversary,” I expressed having a feeling of loneliness that I could place…until finally realizing I was missing my sister. And I shared another one of her poems.

On the 11th anniversary of her death, I was once again “Thinking of Kylene” while reading through one of her journals. One of my favorite posts about her is “No Matter How You Do The Math, Death Death Just Doesn’t Add Up,” where I memorialized her life and tried to make sense of her death. And, of course, there is “The Story of How I Became A Writer.”

Mourning is a life-long process, and something that often weaves its way into the stories I write. In my upcoming middle grade novel WITCH TEST, I once again explore this concept. The main character, Liza, was only three when her mother died in a car crash. Now 13 and friendless because her ex-best friend, Abby, has turned on her, Liza finds herself thinking of her mother. New and confusing feelings surface.

An ache settles in my chest, strong enough to make me groan out loud.
I think I miss my mom. Maybe that’s what’s been causing this feeling of loneliness that has been overwhelming me all afternoon. I think somewhere deep inside of me I’ve been missing her a long time, but this whole Abby thing has finally made me realize how much I lost when I lost my mom.
I never thought of it like that because it’s weird to miss someone you can’t remember.
Witch TEst

I think about the complicated feelings of losing someone young. As time passes, you change and the person you are mourning would have changed. I’m no longer the person my sister knew, and she would no longer be the person I knew. I miss who she was, and I miss who she would have been, even without knowing who exactly that person would have been. I also miss who I would have become if Kylene had lived.

Like Liza, I wonder if “miss” is the right word. In her case, she wonders if she can miss someone she doesn’t remember. In my case, I wonder if I can miss the versions of my sister and myself that never existed. All the while knowing I miss who she was.

I’ve come to call this complicated set of feelings “long mourning.” When the sharpness of new grief has faded away, you’re left with a longer pain — an ache that never really goes away, occasionally punctuated by a sharper pain.

So I guess that’s my convoluted way of saying I still miss my sister — in all the many ways you can miss someone who died young — 20 years after her death. I’ll suppose I’ll continue exploring those feelings in the stories I write, and in my own way, celebrating and mourning my little sister, Kylene.

WITCH TEST Book Announcement & ARC Reader Search

March 29, 2022 / Katie L. Carroll

I’m very excited to announce that my middle grade novel WITCH TEST will be coming out later this year! I don’t have an exact release date, but look for it in September. Of course, I’ll have all the details here on the blog as things move forward. You can make sure you’re subscribed to the blog by entering your email address on my website homepage https://katielcarroll.com.

I talked a little about this book in my post “WIP Update: Witchy Middle Grade & a Fear of Asking for Help.” Think of it as an upper middle grade Mean Girls meets The Craft.

Not the real cover…just something I was playing around with.

Liza thought her summer fight with her ex-best friend, Abby, would blow over, but a month into eighth grade and the rumor firestorm has reach a whole new level of awful. And everyone believes that Liza is a witch! Even as a rekindled passion for art leads to new friends, Liza retreats into a bubble of depression. All these feelings get tied up in the never-ending grief of having lost her mom at a young age.

A glimmer of hope arrives when she finds her mother’s diary…until she actually reads it. Before Liza was born, her mom and aunt performed a ritual to conjure an ancestor persecuted in the town’s witch trials. So much for the witch stuff being rumors! As Liza digs into her witchy ancestry, everyone else is making plans for the Halloween night corn maze. If Liza can channel her inner witch on Halloween, maybe she can find the strength to stand up to Abby. If not, she risks losing not only her new friends but also a piece of herself to the growing depression.

I’m currently working on edits and developing a cover with the cover artist (not the real cover above, just a fun visual I put together myself). Some of my favorite things about this novel are the crows, the Halloween night corn maze, Liza’s aunts, her aunt’s shop Mother Goose Apothecary, and all the tea drinking! And the ending of this story never fails to get me all choked up, no matter how many times I read it.

I’ll be looking for ARC (advanced reader copy) readers soon, so let me know in the comments if that’s something that interests you. What is an ARC reader? That’s someone who gets an early copy of the book (these will be in ebook form) in exchange for a honest review.