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Today we are very excited to share an interview with author DeAndra Davis!

Read on to learn more about the author, the book, and a giveaway!

 

 

 

 

Meet the Author: DeAndra Davis

DeAndra Davis is a neurodivergent, Jamaican-American author who lives in the swampy heat of Florida. Her debut All The Noise At Once follows an autistic main character as messy as she is. She loves 100%’ing video games and reading worlds more interesting than the one she lives in. She has too many kids, dogs, and songs from Wicked on her phone. She holds an MFA in Fiction from Florida International University. Her claim to fame is that her Florida man birthday headline features an alligator and a drive-thru and that is very on brand. DeAndra can be found on most socials @deandrawrites.

Website * Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Book: The Lovers, The Liars, and Me

A teen travels to Jamaica hoping to answer questions about her absent mother, only to discover more about her identity than she could have ever expected—and find herself caught up in an unexpected love triangle—in this dazzling young adult coming-of-age novel.

Jaliya Powell has never had a real adventure, a real boyfriend, or spoken up for herself. She’s never even been kissed. Despite being valedictorian of her high school class, Jaliya is used to fading into the background.

But this summer will be different.

This summer, Jaliya is visiting her uncle and his family in Jamaica. Under the guise of one last vacation before college, she plans to find out more about her estranged mother, whose absence has remained an unspoken mystery. But things have changed in the seven years since Jaliya last visited. Her cousin has his own life and is reluctant to let Jaliya in, her childhood crush has only gotten hotter and more unavailable, and her aunt and uncle aren’t everything she remembered, either. Then she meets India, who’s vibrant, gorgeous, and free-spirited. And who makes Jaliya feel something she’s never felt before.

While searching for traces of her mother across the island, Jaliya finds herself entangled in complicated relationships, tricky secrets, and a passionate new love. As she navigates this perfectly complicated summer, Jaliya must choose between who she has always been or who she hopes to become.

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~Author Chat~

 

YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write The Lovers, The Liars and Me?

Definitely my own experiences, which I think is true of so many authors, but also so many questions I was asking myself and wanted to answer. What does it mean to belong to a specific community or culture? What does it feel like to feel outside of that no matter how hard you try, or rather, to feel as though some within that culture would rather exclude you for whatever reason? How do we deal with abandonment?

I have had so many conversations, especially with others within the Caribbean diaspora about feelings of belonging and that weird line you walk when you’re a first-generation immigrant especially that is an experience that is hard to quantify and difficult to not feel othered by at times, from all sides. I really wanted to touch on that and reach out to other teens who are experiencing all the big feelings! Especially in a world that is so diverse as ours where so many move from their homes to new ones for a variety of reasons.

YABC: What research did you do to write The Lovers, The Liars and Me?

A lot of the research was personal, in terms of navigating my own memories and experiences, but also in talking to people like me. Other first-generation immigrants; queer BIPOC, immigrant, and Caribbeans; those who have dealt with an estranged parent. A lot of those conversations really helped me shape things so that it felt as authentic as possible without it just being a self-insert. I also spoke to other people, elders in Jamaica, my own mother, uncle, cousins. I wanted all the characters to feel alive and representative of a vibrant ecosystem of people.

One thing that is known in Jamaica is the saying, “Out of Many, One People” and I wanted to make that apparent in the characters in my book.

YABC: What new release books are you looking most forward to in 2026?

So many! Bound By Fury by Noelle Monet, There Are Ghosts Here by Adrienne Tooley, Natural Selection by Clare Edge, 72 Hours Of You by Darianne Schram, Wicked Endeavors by Kamilah Cole, The Gravewood by Kelly Andrew and Until the Clock Strikes Midnight by Alechia Dow are a few!

YABC: What’s a book you’ve recently read and loved?

Recently, I read An Arcane Inheritance by Kamilah Cole and I am beyond obsessed! I also read An Ocean Apart by Jill Tew, Hazelthorn by C.G. Drews, and I Am Made of Death by Kelly Andrew and they changed my brain chemistry.

 

YABC: Which was the most difficult scene to write in The Lovers, The Liars and Me?

Without spoilers, I think the scene where Jaliya and her cousin are more open with each other and the parts of themselves they’ve been hiding. Especially for her cousin. He is very real in that scene, about the dangers for him and his secret, he’s so vulnerable, and I really wanted to handle the scene with a lot of care because it’s a difficult conversation that both can be beautiful because of the connection happening, but also hard because I am critiquing something important about a country and culture I belong to and love despite the flaws I see within it.

YABC: What can readers expect to find in your book?

Hmm, ice cream and break-ins! Love triangles and never have I ever. Swimsuits and hospital heists. Tarot cards and found family. Kisses and concerts. Family and figuring out what the heck to do after high school, ha!

YABC: What is the main message or lesson you would like your reader to remember from The Lovers, The Liars and Me?

The biggest thing I hope people come away with is what I wanted Jaliya to come away with. I say that because, we will all get out of a book what we want, and I don’t typically go in trying to teach the reader something, but more try to figure out what my character needs to know.

For her, and I hope for you, the most basic answer is: You’re enough, even when you don’t feel like it, even when no one else affirms it, even when you don’t fit in, even when you haven’t figured yourself out. You’re enough in every room you enter. You’re enough at every stage of your life. If anyone makes you feel like you need to earn your place or worth in their life, you don’t. Don’t ever convince yourself of less.

YABC: What is your favorite holiday or tradition and why?

Halloween: I dress up as anime character every year and it is just one of my favorite things to do. I’m a professor and I show up to teach in character. When I dressed up as bakugo, I told my students they had to address me as Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight or not at all. All day. I was not ashamed. Ha!

Also, Christmas: I have a ton of traditions I have built up over the years, so I love the expectation of those things. Elaborate cups of hot chocolate, tree decorating with my kids, baking cookies, board games. I just love it.

YABC: What is your favorite writing space?

My desk! Only because for a long time I didn’t have one and I wrote in bed or on the couch. Now I have a designated space and I love it so much. It’s cozy and it lights up and it’s very much me.

YABC: Is there an organization or cause that is close to your heart?

The Trevor Project means a lot to me and is so needed for LGBTQIA+ youth. I think, especially in times when things are trying, these are the organizations that we need to continue to support.

Outside of that, I am always speaking about the Autistic Self Advocacy Network as well. This book may not be autistic, but I still think it’s so important to support autistic people whenever you can, especially now. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: The Lovers, The Liars, and Me
Author: DeAndra Davis
ISBN-13: 9781665952682
ISBN-10: 1665952687
On-sale date: Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Imprint: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Ages: 14 and up
Grades: 9 and up

 

 

 

 

 

 

~ Giveaway Details ~

Use the Rafflepress Form below to enter

*Be sure to include a complete mailing address for the second entry question to qualify to win*

Three (3) winners will receive a copy of The Lovers, The Liars, and Me (DeAndra Davis) ~US Only (No P.O. Boxes)!

 

 

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Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Mark Morton (The Headmasters)!

 

 

 

 

Meet the Author: Mark Morton

Mark Morton, author of the award-winning novel The Headmasters  is also the author of four nonfiction titles Cupboard Love: A Dictionary of Culinary Curiosities (nominated for a Julia Child Award); The End: Closing Words for a Millennium (winner of the Alexander Isbister Award for nonfiction); The Lover’s Tongue: A Merry Romp Through the Language of Love and Sex (republished in the UK as Dirty Words), and Cooking with Shakespeare. He’s also written more than 50 columns for Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture (University of California Press) and has written and broadcast more than a hundred columns about language and culture for CBC Radio. Mark has a PhD in sixteenth-century literature from the University of Toronto and has taught at several universities in France and Canada. He and his wife, Melanie Cameron, (also an author) have four children, three dogs, one rabbit, and no time.

 Website * Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Book: The Headmasters

How do you learn from the past if there isn’t one?

Sixty years ago, something awful happened. Something that killed everyone except the people at Blue Ring. Something that caused the Headmasters to appear. But Maple doesn’t know what it was. Because talking about the past is forbidden. Everyone at Blue Ring has a Headmaster. They sink their sinewy coils into your skull and control you, using your body for backbreaking toil and your mind to communicate with each other. When someone dies, their Headmaster transfers to someone new. But so do the dead person’s memories, and if one of those memories surfaces in the new host’s mind, their brain breaks. That’s why talking about the past is forbidden. Maple hates this world where the past can’t exist and the future promises only more suffering. And she hates the Headmasters for making it that way. But she doesn’t know how to fight them – until memories start to surface in her mind from someone who long ago came close to defeating the Headmasters. But whose memories are they? Why aren’t they harming her? And how can she use them to defeat the Headmasters? Maple has to find the answers herself, unable to tell anyone what she’s experiencing or planning—not even Thorn, the young man she’s falling in love with. Thorn, who has some forbidden secrets of his own . . .

Amazon * B&N * IndieBound

 

 

 

 

 

 

~Author Chat~

 

YABC: What inspired you to write this book?
I’ve always loved stories that take place in dystopian environments, whether they are novels like The Hunger Games and 1984, or TV series like The Walking Dead and The Last of Us, so I wanted to write the kind of dystopian novel that I’d have wanted to read as a young adult. To me, dystopias are compelling because they quickly reveal a person’s true character, pushing them towards becoming a hero or a villain. I also wanted to write a novel that focussed on resilience and hope. I think it must be very hard for a young person in our actual world not to feel discouraged and worried, when there are so many huge issues like climate change, global conflicts, pandemics, and the rapid change and impact of new technologies. So I wanted to write a book that showed that hope is possible, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges, and that the most important trait we can have – apart from love for one another – is resilience.

YABC: What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?
There’s a scene where a character named Ivy, who’s conspiring with the Headmasters, is pursuing Maple with the intention of killing her. It’s an exciting scene, because it takes place as the building around them is crumbling, but it’s also a scene in which we can see that Ivy is not merely “evil,” but rather is acting out of her own fear and her own need for certainty. In fact, Ivy is doing what she believes to be right. I think that makes her a compassionate character, but at the same time we don’t want her to harm Maple. I like creating that complexity of character.

YABC: Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?
The most important thing about being a writer is that you have to write. There are days where I don’t feel like writing or where I wonder if a given writing project is any good, but I still need to sit down in front of the laptop and make words appear on the screen. A writer can’t just wait for inspiration to come along out of thin air – you have to be persistent, you have to keep at it, both when the writing comes easily and also when it’s a struggle. No doubt that’s true of almost anything that a person wants to excel in. To put it another way, “grit” is just as important as talent.

YABC: What do you like most about the cover of the book?
The cover of The Headmasters depicts a creature that looks like a plate-sized wood tick attached to the back of a young woman, and the cover as a whole has a creepy greenish tinge. This perfectly captures how I imagined the Headmasters: as disturbing, inscrutable aliens that make themselves part of us. I also like that we can’t see the face of the young woman – who I imagine is Maple – because it suggests how she herself isn’t yet aware of who she can become.

YABC: What are your favorite themes or tropes?
My favourite trope is characters in the process of discovering themselves and transcending what they perceive to be their limitations.

YABC: Do you have a playlist you listened to while writing?
I don’t listen to music when I write because I find it distracting, but I do like to have a bit of hubbub in the background. That’s why I like to write in coffee shops where the conversations of other people blur into a gentle wave of sound. Sometimes I also like to listen to playlists of “Lofi beats,” but I don’t think of that as music so much as just a rhythmic beat laid over some soothing white noise. When I’m not writing, I listen to a diverse range of music, from 1920s blues to 1990s grunge, and from Bob Dylan to Sabrina Carpenter.

YABC: What kind of animal would your main character be and why?
One of the main characters in The Headmasters actually is an animal – namely, a dog named Farley, though in fact he’s really a kind of “spirit guide,” who only interacts with Maple, the main character, when she enters the collective “mindscape” of the Headmasters. The Farley in the novel is based on one of my own dogs, who was also named Farley. After my wife and I adopted two older children, Farley was so important in helping our new kids adjust to our family – it was as if they were adopting him. The relationship that humans can have with dogs – a relationship that dates back tens of thousands of years – is one of the most important aspects of being human. As for Maple herself, I think of her more like a tree than an animal — specifically, as her name suggests, a maple tree. I gave her that name partly because the novel is set in a remote part of Canada, and Canada’s national tree is the maple. Second, maple trees are incredibly strong and resilient, and in the fall their leaves turn into explosions of color — reds, and oranges, and yellows. I see that as symbolic of Maple as a young woman: as she discovers who she is and her capabilities, she turns into a brilliant and powerful hero.

YABC: What would you say is your superpower?
As a writer, I think my superpower is coming up with a good idea for a story, and then trusting that the story will reveal itself as I work on it. I see it as being kind of like driving on a highway in the fog: you know where you want to get to, but you can’t see more than 50 yards ahead, and yet you trust that the highway is there, even though you can’t yet see it.

Has The Headmasters received good reviews?
It’s got a 4.5 rating on Goodreads, so ordinary readers are really liking it. And here are some of my favourite reviews that it’s received:

“A new science fiction novel that feels like it’s already a classic… Morton’s The Headmastersinvites the reader into a dystopian future that is rife with traditional science fiction world building. His work brings to light the challenges of control and the puzzles that come with trying to navigate a future when the past is lost to memory. . .  This well-paced young adult novel captures the readers’ attention right from the beginning, engaging them in epic storytelling and reminding them that there is a time when it’s important to stand up and fight for what you believe in.”— Arlene Barlin Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy Jurors, 2025 CCBC Book Awards

“Mark Morton’s The Headmasters is a brilliant science-fiction debut from one of Canada’s best-loved nonfiction writers. This compelling YA novel is a spot-on updating of Robert A. Heinlein’s classic The Puppet Masters for the new millennium, with intricate world-building, a great science-fiction puzzle, and — ironic for a novel about suppressed memories — a main character you’ll never forget. I loved it.” — Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award-winning author of The Downloaded

“A provocative and intelligent science fiction novel that challenges its readers to think about oppression and domination, what it means to truly resist, and what motivates one to fight against a tyrannical system even when the citizens don’t know that they are being tyrannized.” – LitPick (Five Star Book Review Award winner)

“Eminently readable and exciting . . . The Headmasters is a worthy companion to books such as Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and John Wyndham’s The Chrysalids . . . in contemplating humanity and freedom in a Canadian context.”— Bill Rambo, The Winnipeg Free Press

YABC: What’s up next for you?
I’ve completed another novel called The Child I Once Was that takes place in the same world as The Headmasters, but its darker in tone and it’s intended for adults rather than young adults. I see it as kind of similar to Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel or The Road by Cormac McCarthy. And I’ve also started to work on another novel that takes place just after the First World War and is about a golem (that is, a human-like creature made of mud) and an illusionist who runs in the same circles as Harry Houdini.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: The Headmasters

Author: Mark Morton

Release Date: 2024

Publisher: Shadowpaw Press

Genre: Science Fiction

Age Range: Young Adult (12+)

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Today we are very excited to share an interview with author Michael Slack!

Read on to learn more about the author, the books, and a giveaway!

 

 

 

 

Meet the Author: Michael Slack

MICHAEL SLACK is the author and illustrator of many books for young readers, including Kitties on Dinosaurs, Bunny Built, Shorty & Clem and Elecopter. His art and character design has been featured in books, television and games. He lives with his family in the Bay Area of California.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Book: Funjeepups: A Star Wish

Meet the Funjeepups, three curious and adorable woodland critters, in this “first comic” picture book series from the creator of Kitties on Dinosaurs! In this story, Button, Dot and Dollop go on an overnight camping adventure! Button, Dot and Dollop love exploring the magical forest they live in. They love vine swinging. They love guppie bumping. They love making nature art. But what they love most is returning home after an exciting day of adventuring. The Funjeepups want to make a wish on a star, so they decide to go on an overnight camping trip. But with clouds in the sky, there are no stars . . . and no wishes! Button, Dot and Dollop make the most of the night, though — with treats, games, and a brand-new friend who happens to glow. Maybe their wish can come true after all? Young readers will be inspired to go on their own nighttime adventure alongside the Funjeepups in this light and funny picture book series by Michael Slack!

Purchase * Goodreads

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Book: Funjeepups: A Beautiful Song

Meet the Funjeepups, three curious and adorable woodland critters, in this “first comic” picture book series from the creator of Kitties on Dinosaurs! In this story, Button, Dot and Dollop get a music lesson from a feathery friend! Button, Dot and Dollop love exploring the magical forest they live in. They love vine swinging. They love guppie bumping. They love making nature art. But what they love most is returning home after an exciting day of adventuring. When out on a morning walk, the Funjeepups spot a friendly bird who sings them a beautiful song, which inspires the Funjeepups to create their own song. But unfortunately, they can’t play any instruments! Thankfully, their feathery friend is there to lend a helping wing. Young readers will be inspired to create their own song alongside the Funjeepups in this light and funny picture book series by Michael Slack!

Purchase * Goodreads

 

 

 

 

 

~Author Chat~

 

YABC: What inspired you to write this book?

The characters were created while I was doing sketches for a solo gallery show. They went through many revisions over a couple of years and finally found their way into a book series. I wanted to create a peaceful world filled with simple magical moments, for kids to visit and find comfort.

YABC: What research did you do to write this book?

I sketched in the California desert and the forests of Northern California and Oregon. I also revisited some kids shows that I loved watching with my daughter when she was little.

YABC: What was it like to also be illustrator for your story?

It was probably the best experience I’ve had as an illustrator. Not only was it a pleasure working with the wonderful people at Tundra Books, but I just love the Funjeepups world so much. It was a place I wanted to be everyday. When things were tough I was comforted being in Dot, Button, and Dollop’s cozy world.

YABC: How long did it take you to create the artwork for this book?

If you count the original sketches of the characters, it would be eight years. The art work for both books, Fujeepups A Beautiful Song and Funjeepups A

Star Wish took about a year.

YABC: If you could only write one genre for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

Sci-Fi / Fantasy. I love world building. The possibilities in both these genres are limitless.

YABC: What can readers expect to find in your books?

Humor and heart. For the books in this series the focus is on simple magical moments. Things like the moment you realize you have just played a song,  or the childhood excitement of sleeping outside for the first time.

YABC: Which was the most difficult or emotional scene to narrate?

This is more on the illustration side rather than the writing side, but I was halfway through book one and decided to scrap all the backgrounds I had finished and start over. I’m glad I did. I worked differently for this book. I did all the line work and color for the characters first then I went back and painted the final backgrounds. It’s kind of like how animations are made.

YABC: What is your favorite snack when writing?

These days it some sort of dried fruit and nuts and seeds trail mix concoction.

YABC: If you could time travel what would you want to see?

I would want to go the future and see what causes the demise of the human  species. However, if I went to a future without humans there would be no way to get an answer. Unless every thing is run by robots then I could probably find out.  I’m going to change my answer to being in the audience for the Lumiere brothers first Cinématographe screening.

YABC: What other age group would you consider writing for?

I would love to tackle middle grade at some point.

YABC: What daily thing do you see that brings you joy?

My family, my dogs, and my espresso machine.

YABC: What do you do when you procrastinate?

Make stuff. I paint, draw, sculpt, or work on new book ideas.

YABC: What’s a book you’ve recently read and loved?

Sea of Rust by C. Robert Cargill.

YABC: What is your favorite writing space or routine?

I love sitting in a sun lit room with a sketch book, a pile of note cards, and two pads of sticky notes in different colors. One for character traits, and the other for scene/dialogue iteration.

YABC: What’s up next for you?

Lots of fun Funjeepup related events. Also, I will have two books I illustrated coming out in 2027 as well as a second Smoosh & Mallow level 2 reader that I both wrote and illustrated. Currently I’m wrapping up a comic book reader that will be going out on submission soon.

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Funjeepups: A Star Wish / Funjeepups: A Beautiful Song

Author / Illustrator: Michael Slack

Release Date: June 9, 2026, for both titles

Publisher: Tundra Books / Penguin Random House Canada

ISBN-10: 1774887029 / 1774887002

ISBN-13: 9781774887028 / 9781774887004

Genre: Children’s Picture Book / Graphic Novel

Age Range: 3-7 years old

 

 

 

 

 

 

~ Giveaway Details ~

Use the Rafflepress Form below to enter

*Be sure to include a complete mailing address for the second entry question to qualify to win*

Ten (10) winners will receive a copy of Funjeepups: A Star Wish  and Funjeepups: A Beautiful Songr (Michael Slack) ~US/CAN Only!

 

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Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Sylvia Walker (THE UMBRELLA)!

 

 

 

 

Meet the Author: Sylvia Walker

Sylvia Walker, a Southern California native, brings a natural affinity to the artistic painting of diverse images, especially children. She expresses herself in a variety of media, including watercolor, pencil, ink, acrylic on canvas and wood, and recently digital images. After earning a BFA at California Institute of the Arts, she began a career in fashion illustration for department stores, fashion houses, and the Simplicity and McCall’s pattern companies. Sylvia has years of experience illustrating children’s books. The Umbrella is her author-illustrator debut. Sylvia lives in Bellevue, Tennessee.

 Facebook * Instagram * X

 

 

 

 

 

About the Book: THE UMBRELLA

Getting caught in the rain at the park leads a little girl to discover a remarkable umbrella and, with it, the magic of friendship and community in this charming picture book inspired by Jan Brett’s classic The Mitten.

Amazon * B&N * IndieBound

 

 

 

 

 

 

~Author Chat~

 

YABC:  What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

Inclusion. My second inspiration for writing this book came from growing up in a happy, diverse neighborhood.

 

YABC: How do you know when a book is finished?

When Zora found new friends

YABC: If you could meet a character from a book, who would it be?

I would love Zora to meet Suri from my first written and illustrated book “HAIR TO SHARE”

 

YABC: How do you plan to celebrate the launch of your book?

I plan to launch THE UMBRELLA on social media, school visits, library readings, and workshops.

 

YABC:   What is your favorite reading space?

My favorite reading space is relaxing in a comfy chair on my deck surrounded by my favorite plants and flowers.

 

YABC: What hobbies do you enjoy?

My current favorite hobby is learning to play the guitar.

 

YABC: What is your favorite holiday or tradition and why?

My favorite holiday tradition is Thanksgiving because I’m surrounded by family

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: THE UMBRELLA

Author: Sylvia Walker

Illustrator: Sylvia Walker

Release Date: June 9, 2026

Publisher: S&S/Denene Millner Books

Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Age Range: 4-8

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Today we are very excited to share an interview with author Maddie Frost!

Read on to learn more about the author, the book, and a giveaway!

 

 

 

 

Meet the Author: Maddie Frost

Maddie Frost is an award-winning, bestselling author and illustrator. She has been praised as a “powerhouse creator,” making over a dozen books for kids. You might recognize some of her books like the WOMBATS! series, Cats on Cats on Cats, and Little Boo. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and daughter. Really Rubie is her first middle grade novel. For more about Maddie, visit her website at Maddie-Frost.com. Or on Instagram @HelloMaddieFrost.

Website * Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Book: REALLY RUBIE

The true middle school experience—awkward, DRAMATIC, and really fun!—comes to life in this hilarious diary-style series featuring color-lined pages and black and white illustrations. In the first book, Rubie has to face sleepaway camp without her BFF!

Purchase

 

 

 

 

 

 

~Author Chat~

 

YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

This book was inspired by my own trip to summer camp when I was Rubie’s age. It was all-girls and in Vermont for one month. But my best friend didn’t break her ankle, she came with me. Looking back, I wondered what kind of experience I would have had if I had gone alone. Rubie is the product of that daydream. Even though this story is set at summer camp, it isn’t really about summer camp. It’s about braving the unknown for the first time.

 

YABC: What research did you do to write this book?

I picked the brains of my nieces in middle school, and my brother who is a middle-school teacher. A lot has changed since I was eleven, and I wanted Rubie’s story to feel modern, yet have a vibe of nostalgia for my satisfaction (and for any other millennial readers out there). I even read through the diary I brought with me to that summer camp. Here’s an entry, ready? “June 22, 2000. Dear Journal, I said my final goodbyes to my parents and a high-five to my brother. God forbid he hugs his sister! Now I’m on my own for a whole month. Eventually I will get used to it, but right now, I’m scared. Oh my god, you won’t believe this. There’s 2 ducks right outside my cabin door. Lol. I guess those are my other two bunkies! Well, I’m gonna go. I have no clue where. TTYL.” There were indeed woodchips everywhere, I had two bunkmates from France, and I really did get thrown off a horse. The character of Eliza was inspired by a girl I met and became instant friends with. She was wacky and fun like me. There were mega jealousy vibes from my best friend. Yikes, I know.

 

YABC: What came first, the concept, landscape, characters, or something else?

Characters always come first before the story, no matter the book. I heard Rubie’s voice loud and clear from the very beginning. I always believe that writing is just listening. Listening to what your characters are saying, and letting them move their story forward. My job is to keep up. To see it through and write it all down. Rubie is me at age eleven and also at age thirty-seven. Part of adolescence will never really leave my heart. The awkwardness, anxiety, heartbreak, and giddiness of being a tween will stay with me forever. And thank goodness for that.

 

YABC: If you could only write one genre for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

I would write middle-grade forever. I promise I’m not just saying that. It comes so natural, because like I said, those tween memories are still a part of me. I also feel like middle school girls need a funny-female hero. Both on and off the page. I hope Rubie and I can be that for our young readers.

 

YABC: What is your favorite snack when writing?

Is coffee a snack?

 

YABC: What is your favorite writing space or routine?

Favorite writing space changes depending on the season. I’m a New Englander. I write Rubie on my tablet and never anything else. And always first thing in the morning after my daughter goes to school. I have a laptop and computer, but I’m a little superstitious that it has to stay on the original source of creation or else the *magic* won’t come. When it’s warm out, I take my tablet outside to the patio. My dog Mozzy, likes to lay beside me and tell me how great a writer I am. In the colder months, I write on the couch in my living room. I like the sunlight in there, and it’s the one room in the house with the least amount of toddler toys.

 

YABC: If you could time travel what would you want to see? 

I would love to see a real dinosaur. But like…from a safe distance.

 

YABC: What do you do when you procrastinate? 

Clean! When the house is tidy, thennnnn I’ll be ready to write.

 

YABC: What daily thing do you see that brings you joy?

My daughter, Birdie.

 

YABC: What can readers expect to find in your books?

Readers can expect to find a new friend in Rubie. She’s full of humor and heart, and she’s hear to remind everyone to be themselves at a time when it feels the hardest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: REALLY RUBIE

Author: Maddie Frost

Illustrator: Maddie Frost

Release Date: June 2, 2026

Publisher: Aladdin/S&S Children’s

ISBN-10: 834710399C

ISBN-13: 9798347103997

Genre: Middle Grade

Age Range: 8 – 12

 

 

 

 

 

 

~ Giveaway Details ~

Use the Rafflepress Form below to enter

*Be sure to include a complete mailing address for the second entry question to qualify to win*

Five (5) winners will receive a hardcover copy of REALLY RUBIE (Maddie Frost) ~US Only!

 

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Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Lynette Noni (SHADOW REAPER)!

 

 

 

 

Meet the Author: Lynette Noni

Lynette Noni is an Australian author who studied journalism, academic writing, and human behavior at university before venturing into the world of fiction. She is the #1 bestselling and award-winning author of the Prison Healer series, the Medoran Chronicles, the Whisper duology, and Wandering Wild. Her books have sold more than one million copies in over twenty countries. When not writing, you can find her living on the beautiful Sunshine Coast, baking, reading, watching Disney movies, and—always—dreaming of more adventures.

Website * Facebook * Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Book: SHADOW REAPER

“This year’s must-read YA fantasy.” —Rebecca Yarros, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Fourth Wing

A young reaper hunter must conspire with her enemy to uproot the ancient evil that threatens her world in this heart-pounding romantic fantasy from the bestselling author of The Prison Healer.

The city of Aravell is in peril, plagued by a deadly blackmist that kills all it touches and reapers who roam the streets, stealing magic from innocent children in their thirst for power. Seventeen-year-old Viridia Solace has trained for years to hunt these reapers, but their ranks keep growing, led by the man who murdered her parents: the Reaper Priest.

When the Priest’s most loyal follower, Reeve Ashton, is captured, he offers Viri a chance to avenge her parents . . . for a price. She knows better than to bargain with a reaper, let alone this reaper, but his offer is too good to resist.

Soon she’s breaking him out of prison, colluding with his crew of magic thieves, and following him deep into the blackmist forest in search of an ancient legend, all so they can stop the Reaper Priest’s plot to doom the city. Viri is staking her life on Reeve’s plan, but how can she trust a silver-tongued criminal to keep his word? And how can she trust her own heart when a buried secret could shatter everything?

Full of relentless twists, enemies-to-lovers romance, found family, and high-stakes action, Shadow Reaper is the start of a breathtaking new duology from international bestselling author Lynette Noni.

Purchase

 

 

 

 

 

 

~Author Chat~

 

YABC: What inspired you to write this book?

The main inspiration for Shadow Reaper came from one of those “shower thoughts” moments when, out of nowhere, an image popped into my mind of an attractive guy leaning against a wall looking like he was waiting for someone. The casualness of his pose intrigued me because, in the mental image, he was in what appeared to be a dungeon cell, yet he seemed completely unfazed by his situation. I immediately wanted to know more:

Who was he?

Why wasn’t he worried about being locked away?

Who was he waiting for? (And why?)

Those questions marinated in my brain and I worked backwards from there.

YABC: What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?

Not a scene, exactly, but I would have to say I’m most proud of the journals. In the book, we have the narrative story where we follow the main character/s in their current timeline, but every few chapters there is also a short journal entry written from the POV of a mage living in ancient times. These journals provide a historical account of the world and its magic, as well as insight into the then-vs-now differences. The entries weren’t included in the early drafts of the manuscript — I only wrote them during the editorial stages, and I really love the extra layers they add to the story!

YABC: Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?

To be honest, I’m still trying to learn it, but the main thing would be to have (and maintain) a better work/life balance and to not sacrifice so much of myself along the way. I definitely made mistakes early on that led to years of acute burnout (that I’m still trying to crawl my way through), so if I could tell past-me one thing, it would be to protect myself and my non-writing life as much as possible.

YABC: What do you like most about the cover of the book?

Can I say everything? This is seriously the cover of my dreams! The colours! The shiny foil! The mystery! Even the bold, dramatic font! I love everything about it! But I especially love how many parts of the book are incorporated into it: the cloaked hunter figure, the magic fading away as if it’s being siphoned by a reaper, the Mistwood, the three mountains, the comet (and other celestial things, like the moon and stars)… I really, truly love this cover!

YABC: What is the main message or lesson you want your reader to remember from this book?

Like all of my books, I try to remind readers that even when things feel dark, when everything is terrible and you can’t seem to see a way forward, there is still light, there is still hope. You just have to keep going, keep believing, keep fighting.

YABC: What are your favorite themes or tropes?

I’m a mood reader so it changes from book to book, but the one thing that I will always love is a found family trope.

YABC: Do you have a playlist you listened to while writing?

Definitely not. I’m the kind of writer who needs absolute silence to get anything done. Distractions and me do not mix well — if I’m listening to music, I’m more likely to start singing along with it than anything else. (And trust me, no one nearby wants that!)

YABC: Do you have an unusual office supply that helps you in your writing routine?

I’m not sure if it counts as “unusual,” but I do use a treadmill desk — ie. a treadmill under my desk which allows me to walk while I’m working. (I’m actually walking while answering these questions!) I have frequent chronic pain and inflammation flare-ups and I find that my body doesn’t love sitting for long hours at a time, so I do a mix of treadmill and non-treadmill work throughout the day. I also find that walking while writing can often help get the creative juices flowing, so that’s an added benefit on top of the health side!

YABC: What would you say is your superpower?

Look, this may sound weird, but I can make chocolate icing (as in, for a chocolate cake) using the tip-and-pour technique and without fail end up with perfectly rich and fudgy icing every single time. It’s never too sweet, never too bitter, never too runny or dry, always the absolute perfect taste and consistency — all without using any kind of measuring. It might not be teleportation or reading minds or anything else fancy, but if you want delicious icing on your cake? I’ve got you covered! (Please note that this only applies to chocolate icing. My superpower begins and ends there, alas!)

YABC: How do you cope with criticism from editors or the public?  

Shadow Reaper will be my fourteenth traditionally published book in eleven years, so I guess I’m just pretty used to it by now? It’s par for the course, in this industry. That said, it’s important to keep in mind that a (good) editor’s critique is intended to help improve the story, so whenever I get edit notes, I make sure to remember that they want to help me create the very best version of the book that it can be. They’re on my side, not my enemy! As for public critique, I always remind myself that there are books I love that some people hate, and there are books I hate that some people love. That’s the beautiful thing about reading — we all have different tastes and opinions!

YABC: What new release book are you looking forward to in 2026?

There are some Really!Big!Books! coming out later this year, many of which are on a lot of peoples’ lists — like the next ACOTAR book by Sarah J. Maas and the upcoming “Not Book Four” Empyrean release by Rebecca Yarros. But beyond those, there are quite a few well-known YA authors who have their adult fantasy debuts this year, and, at the risk of sounding nerdy, I’m really looking forward to seeing what changes there are (or aren’t) in their writing from a craft perspective with the shift in genre. Three books/authors that immediately come to mind are Victoria Aveyard with Tempest, Adalyn Grace with The Wretched Divine, and Alexandra Bracken with Immortal Rose.

YABC: What’s up next for you?

I’m currently finishing the draft for the sequel to Shadow Reaper and then I’ll be deep-diving into the edits for that over the following few months. After that… you’ll have to wait to see! *Insert wink here*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: SHADOW REAPER

Author: Lynette Noni

Release Date: 6/2/26

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers

Genre: Fantasy

Age Range: 14+

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Today we are very excited to share an interview with authors Stacy Cervenka & Diane Debrovner!

Read on to learn more about the authors, the book, and a giveaway!

 

 

 

 

Meet the Author: Stacy Cervenka

Stacy Cervenka is the director of the Iowa Department for the Blind and previously led the Blind Parents Group of the National Federation of the Blind. She divides her time between Des Moines and Lincoln, Nebraska, where she lives with her husband and two children. Just like Roxie’s family, Stacy and her husband, Greg, are blind, while their children, Leo and Josephine, are sighted.
Website

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet the Author: Diane Debrovner

Diane Debrovner is the former deputy editor of Parents magazine and author of the article “What Blind Parents Want You to See,” which provided the spark for this novel. She now helps nonprofits share their stories to raise the funding they need. Diane lives in New York City with her family and a dog who loves watermelon.

Website

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Book: Roxie in Color

Roxie wants to blend in at a new school, which is hard to do when your parents are blind, in this remarkable novel about friendship, misperceptions, and family—plus a dog’s view of the world.

Roxie loves her parents, but other people can’t seem to see past the fact that they’re blind—and they don’t really see Roxie, either. To them, she’s just “the girl with the blind parents.” So when her family moves to a new town and Roxie starts seventh grade at a new school, she’s determined to be known for the other parts of who she is: an artist, an animal lover, and the kind of person who bakes cookies for people she cares about for no special reason. But that means keeping her parents’ blindness a secret from the kids at school and definitely not telling anyone that she might inherit the eye condition that caused her mother’s vision loss—at least until they get to know her.

For a while, Roxie is happier than she’s ever been. But when her lies and omissions lead to a visit from Child Protective Services, will Roxie find and the courage to be fully honest with her friends, her parents, and herself? This heartfelt depiction of a girl establishing her own identity, with some chapters told from the perspective of her mother’s loyal guide dog, is an authentic portrayal of the joys, challenges, and everyday ordinariness of being raised by parents who have a disability.

Note: The novel is typeset in Atkinson Hyperlegible, a font developed by Braille Institute specifically for low-vision readers.

Purchase * Goodreads

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~Author Chat~

 

Diane Debrovner:

 

YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

I wrote a magazine article about blind parents, which is how I met Stacy. She and other parents I interviewed told me about how their families are often judged unfairly, and I started wondering what that might be like for a sighted 12-year-old with blind parents. As a dog lover, I also became fascinated with guide dogs and what they could be thinking.

 

YABC: Is your main character like you?

I am not a talented painter! But I had a lot of the same emotions as Roxie when I was in middle school. I wanted to fit in with a new group of girls, wasn’t always sure what to say, and felt embarrassed by my parents sometimes. I think our experiences at that age often stay with us for life.

 

YABC: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I was a journalist for many years but never thought about writing fiction until my own daughter couldn’t find enough realistic contemporary books that she wanted to read. Those were the types of stories I loved most when I was her age. I soon discovered that writing a book was much harder than I thought it would be.

 

YABC: How do you keep your ‘voice’ true to the age category you are writing within?

I’ve spent a lot of time with kids this age, but wherever I am, I try to overhear their conversations without being too obvious. Reading scenes out loud is the best way for me to know when the voice isn’t quite right.

 

YABC: What type of scene do you love to write the most?

I love writing dialogue, and in especially long-awaited scenes that characters have been worried or excited about. It’s fun to weave in their observations and emotional reactions moment by moment.

 

YABC: What is your favorite reading space?

A shady porch.

  

Stacy Cervenka:

 

YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

People don’t always think of blind people as adults, who get married, have children, and pursue careers. I’ve seen up close how inaccurate assumptions and systemic discrimination cause real harm to blind parents and our families. I want to put accurate information into the world in whatever form that takes.

For much of my career, I did that work by lobbying Congress and federal agencies. As a co-author of this book, it takes the form of educating young readers, teachers, librarians, and anyone else who encounters the story. The audience is different, but the goal is the same: to replace myths with reality and to portray blind parents and their families in a way that reflects how we actually live.

YABC: How do you know when a book is finished?

A book is finished when the main character has learned something big enough to move into the next season of their life. In Roxie in Color, the ending isn’t about everything being resolved. Roxie still faces the same middle school pressures, the same ableism toward her family, the same possibility of her own vision loss. What changes is that she stops organizing her life around fear—fear of what her peers think of her, fear of what other people think of her family, fear of her own potential vision loss, fear of being different in general. Roxie still has a lot to learn as she grows and as her understanding of the world matures, but this particular season of her life is over.

 

 

YABC: What hobbies do you enjoy?

I really enjoy the speed and power of figure skating. I competed locally in middle and high school, then stepped away for years. When my kids started Learn to Skate classes, the adult skaters were on the ice at the same time, and I found myself pulled back in. What started casually turned into getting a private coach, putting together programs, and competing locally against other adult skaters in Nebraska.

 

YABC: What is your favorite holiday or tradition and why?

My extended family has always loved game nights. Some of my best memories are laughing so hard I cried around my aunt’s or my grandma’s kitchen table while playing Outburst, Taboo, or Scattergories. My husband and I have carried that tradition into our own family, and now our kids love Apples to Apples Jr., First to Worst, and Outburst Jr. It’s loud, competitive, and we all love it.

 

YABC: What’s up next for you?

I currently serve as the Director of the Iowa Department for the Blind, and I’m focused on doing that work well. Longer term, I’m open to where the work leads. I’m drawn to leadership roles in states up north or further west, because our family loves hunting and fishing and I love those areas of the country. I’m interested in the possibility of running for office someday. I’d love to write a young adult novel from the perspective of a blind high school student or adult fiction featuring a young blind professional. Storytelling has been central to my work—both as a federal lobbyist and now as an author—and I’d like to keep using it to shape policy and public understanding in meaningful ways.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Roxie in Color

Author: Stacy Cervenka & Diane Debrovner

Release Date: 6/2/26

Publisher: Candlewick Press

ISBN: 9781536246605

Age range: 9 to 12

Page count: 336

Dimensions:50 × 7.75 in

Publication date: June 2, 2026

Price: $18.99

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~ Giveaway Details ~

Use the Rafflepress Form below to enter

*Be sure to include a complete mailing address for the second entry question to qualify to win*

Five (5) winners will receive a hardcover copy of Roxie in Color (Stacy Cervenka & Diane Debrovner) ~US/CAN Only!

 

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Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Gabriela Gonzales (HOW TO LOVE YOU WHEN YOU’RE GONE)!

 

 

 

 

Meet the Author: Gabriela Gonzales

Gabriela Gonzales holds a BA in creative writing from Belmont University. A former literary nonprofit program coordinator, she has had her poetry and fiction featured in Wigleaf, Lost Balloon, Chestnut Review, The Lumiere Review, and elsewhere. She has been nominated for Best of the Net, Best New Poets, and the Pushcart Prize. She has also performed at TEDxNashville. Gabriela lives in Pennsylvania. How to Love You When You’re Gone is her debut novel.

Website * X * BlueSky * Facebook * Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Book: HOW TO LOVE YOU WHEN YOU’RE GONE

For fans of Ann Liang and Lynn Painter, this humorous, relatable novel gives an honest look at what it’s like to fall in love for the first time—while simultaneously healing from loss.

High school senior Mayte has never been kissed, but it hardly matters. Her abuelita has cancer, her half sister with special needs has moved in, and college is off the table—family comes first. She keeps her problems to herself; why burden everyone she loves with more?

Meanwhile, fellow senior Auggie is set on attending an elite creative writing program. But as the self-proclaimed most boring person alive, he can’t exactly write the next great American novel when he’s struggling to write a short story for college applications.

After an awful blind date (“disaster” doesn’t even begin to describe it), Mayte and Auggie never want to see each other again. When forced together by their merging social circles, the pair must at least pretend to get along…but soon they develop actual feelings. Then tragedy strikes Mayte’s family. Auggie feels compelled to write her story to help her process and heal—but are his intentions truly selfless? The best story he’s ever written could impact the best friendships he’s ever had.

How to Love You When You’re Gone is equal parts heartbreaking, soul-healing, and absolutely hilarious from the very first page.

 

 

 

 

 

 

~Author Chat~

 

YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

In 2020, my sister unexpectedly passed away. The next day I met the love of my life. This was my first experience with the loss of someone very close to me. This was also the first romantic relationship of my life. I was devastated. I was filled with joy. I was heartbroken. I was in love. And I was really confused about how I could possibly be holding all of this at once.

To this day, we’ve still never been given a cause of death. My sister was 14 years older than me, non-verbal, had developmental disabilities, and didn’t live with my family growing up, so we didn’t have a typical sibling relationship. After she died, I had a really hard time with the complex grief of grieving both my sister and the relationship I never got to have with her.

How to Love You When You’re Gone started out as exploration for me of that complex grief. I remember a particular moment where I was feeling heartbroken for the characters, especially Mayte, as her story unfolded. She’s human—filled with flaws and faults, but my heart broke for her as she tried to press her grief down and forbid herself from missing someone that she didn’t always treat the way she would’ve wanted to. I cried for her while I wrote. And then I thought, wait? If I can feel this way for this fictional teenager, am I allowed to feel this way for myself? Can I accept this grace too? Can I still love my sister now that she’s gone?

 

YABC: What came first, the concept, landscape, characters, or something else?

The concept came first! I talked a bit about my sister in the previous question, but the first seed that sprouted How to Love You When You’re Gone was planted in my friend’s kitchen while we were drinking tea. She confessed me to that she hadn’t had her first kiss despite many dating app attempts, but that she was okay with that because she was having a good time learning how to knit.

“What if you gave a dating app match the hat you make when you’re done with it?” I asked.

“Are you telling me I should trade my hat for my first kiss? Should I be advertising that on my profile?” she asked.

“Please let me write about this,” I said.

It’s very funny seeing the attempts at flash fiction pieces and short stories about this concept. I did not imagine it would turn into the world’s worst first date in my debut novel.

 

YABC: If you could only write one genre for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

This is maybe a bit of a cheat answer as it isn’t a genre exactly, but I LOVE writing for young adults. Being a teenager is a wonky time and I remember feeling bombarded with media that tried to tell me what life was going to be like—and then it just wasn’t that. Or it was exactly that and I didn’t like it or it didn’t make sense to me or match up with the life that I wanted. I love to write stories that make readers, especially young readers, question answers they’ve been given and to ask more questions. To come alongside them and remind them there really isn’t a “typical” or “right” life. That their story is always their story.

 

YABC: What can readers expect to find in your books?

Readers can expect to find Latinx representation. I am Colombian/Mexican myself, and remember a moment as a teenager where I noticed all my characters defaulting white. I guess it was just because most of the books I was reading in school featured white protagonists. But my culture is a huge part of my life and I know it so intimately, in a way that I don’t know other cultures. I also noticed that books I was encouraged to read in school that had Latinx characters focused a lot on the trauma and the pain of being part of the community. Of course my family has experienced that. But my family also experiences the beauty and the vividity and the closeness and the musicality and the joy and the everything else-ness of Latinidad. Give me Latino astronauts and monsters and royalty and love interests and villains and heroes and everyday human beings.

 

YABC: What is your favorite snack when writing?

I’ve been really obsessed with dipping gummy bears into tajin, but I like my gummy bears Haribo branded and either straight from the freezer or (don’t judge me) just a little bit stale.

 

YABC: What daily thing do you see that brings you joy?

My partner and I were trying to figure out how to make our living room look less cluttered and so we asked for advice online. We were told to give away some books and take down the stuffed animals and weird trinkets and legos and statues and random memorabilia. So instead we added more books (organized by color, and then each color is organized alphabetically by title—there’s a separate shelf for books in a series in the sunroom) and a whole shelf dedicated to giraffes, and multiple Stephen King Funko Pops, and then more stuffed animals. It is so cluttered. I am OBSESSED with our bookshelves.

 

YABC: What do you do when you procrastinate?

This is so silly, but I grow plants in a hydroponics set up in my kitchen (I think we’ve got lavender, various peppers, sunflowers, tomatoes, and more getting ready to sprout right now) and sometimes I just stare at the seeds. I understand they’re not going to grow faster just because I’m staring at them. That does not matter to be when I’m procrastinating apparently.

 

YABC: What’s a book you’ve recently read and loved?

I am a mega Hunger Games fan and Sunrise on the Reaping still has my heart. This might be a hot take, but I think it’s my favorite book in the series.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: HOW TO LOVE YOU WHEN YOU’RE GONE

Author: Gabriela Gonzales

Release Date: May 26, 2026

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Genre: Young Adult

Age Range: 12+

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Today we are very excited to share an interview with author Joy McCullough!

Read on to learn more about the author, the book, and a giveaway!

 

 

 

 

Meet the Author: Joy McCullough

Joy McCullough writes books and plays from her home in the Seattle area, where she lives with her husband and two children. She is the author of the middle grade novels Across the Pond, A Field Guide to Getting Lost, Not Starring Zadie Louise, Code Red, Kestrel Takes Flight, and Basil & Dahlia, as well as the middle grade series Team Awkward, and the picture books Harriet’s Ruffled Feathers, Champ and Major: First Dogs, and The Story of a Book. Her debut novel Blood Water Paint was longlisted for the National Book Award and was a William C. Morris Debut Award Finalist. Visit her at JoyMcCullough.com.

Website

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Book: Kestrel Takes Flight

A girl learns to stand up for herself and embrace the true meaning of home against the backdrop of the Montana wilderness in this heartfelt novel in verse by acclaimed author Joy McCullough.

A kestrel
is the smallest
bird of prey
in North America.

Kestrel doesn’t feel much like the fierce bird for which she is named. Not after being rushed away from her grandfather’s strict church community to the wilds of Montana. Her mother has gotten a job at a conservation institute, where she’ll work with a special breed of dog to help make interactions between humans and bears safer.

At first, Kes is terrified of the dogs and angry at her mother for ripping her from the only world she’s known. But with some distance from her grandfather, she starts to understand how badly his bark hurt. In this new terrain, can Kestrel discover a safe place to spread her wings and soar?

Purchase

 

 

 

 

 

 

~Author Chat~

 

YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

Kestrel Takes Flight began with unsold picture book about all the different kinds of penguins. While researching that book, I learned about fairy penguins, the smallest species of penguin, which live in Australia, where they are endangered by an invasive species of fox, but are protected from those foxes by enormous white livestock guardian dogs called Maremmas, who are trained specially for that purpose. Of course I immediately thought this had the makings of an excellent middle grade novel. But I wasn’t the only one.

Often when a book is announced with a very similar premise to what one is working on, an agent or editor will soothe the author, assuring them it’s all in the execution and of course their book will be different. But when a middle grade novel was announced with the exact same premise as the one I was working on – an American girl moving to Australia because her mom had gotten a job helping to train the Maremma dogs protecting the fairy penguins…I knew it was just too close. I took a step back and assessed what I loved about the book I’d been working on. And while fairy penguins and foxes and angelic bodyguard dogs were of course magical, the real heart of the story was the girl and her mother, escaping from an emotionally abusive home, and learning what love and family should really feel like.

So I did some research on other kinds of conservation dogs and I learned about Karelian bear dogs, originally used in Russia for bear hunting, and a woman in Montana who has developed a way of training these dogs to reduce human-bear encounters. And as it turned out, my mother-daughter story worked just as well in Montana!

YABC: What research did you do to write this book?

Well, initially I did a bunch of research about fairy penguins and invasive foxes and Maremma dogs in Australia! But then I pivoted and I got to learn all about Karelian bear dogs and human-bear encounters in Montana (and elsewhere). If you search “Wind River Bear Institute” and “public library” you can watch a wonderful library presentation done by the woman who trains the dogs on the work they do. One small tidbit – in the hundreds of encounters where Karelian bear dogs have been used to scare problem bears away from human-inhabited areas, not a single bear, dog, or human has ever been harmed!

In my quest to find the right type of conservation dog to fit my story, I also got to learn about all kinds of conservation dogs doing astonishing things.

 

YABC: What can readers expect to find in your books?

Messy, complex girls with agency; a lot of found families; overcoming trauma; hope.

 

YABC: If you could time travel, what would you want to see?

As someone who writes a fair bit of historical fiction, this is hard! But probably a play at Shakespeare’s Globe, in his day. (Assuming I could very quickly return to the personal hygiene and medical advancements of our current day.)

 

YABC: What other age group would you consider writing for?

Well, I am currently published in picture books, middle grade, young adult, and have my adult debut coming in August! So the only age group left is chapter books! And I would absolutely love to do chapter books – I actually subbed a chapter book as the first thing after my debut, but the acquiring editor had me age it up to middle grade. Then I subbed another chapter book series that didn’t sell. So I have written them, and hopefully one day will get to publish them too!

 

YABC: What daily thing do you see that brings you joy?

My dog, Batty. (Named for Batty, the youngest sister in The Penderwicks.) Any dog on the street. Any dog video. There’s a theme here.

YABC: What’s a book you’ve recently read and loved?

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans.

YABC: Is there an organization or cause that is close to your heart?

WashMasks Mutual Aid is a Washington-based collective supporting migrant and indigenous farmworkers in Washington state. They began in the height of the pandemic, distributing PPE to farmworkers. I sewed hundreds of masks for them (this was before we knew that cloth masks weren’t ideal). They’ve since expanded to food drives, book drives, fund-raising auctions and concerts, etc. And a fun book tie-in tidbit – their founder is an incredible Seattle activist and actress who originated the role of Susanna in my play Blood Water Paint.

 

YABC: What’s up next for you?

This is a very big year for me! Kestrel Takes Flight is my first book release of the year, followed by Team Awkward #3 (MG) in June, How to Train Your Evil Robot (PB) in July, Suffer a Witch (adult) in August, and Team Awkward #4 (MG) in December! So I’ve got something coming for pretty much everyone this year! And I’m currently working on a co-authored middle grade with Hannah V. Sawyerr, which is coming in 2027.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Kestrel Takes Flight

Author: Joy McCullough

Release Date: 05/26/2026

Publisher: Atheneum

ISBN-10: 1665972653

ISBN-13: 9781665972659

Genre: Middle Grade Novel-in-Verse

Age Range: 10+

 

 

 

 

 

 

~ Giveaway Details ~

Use the Rafflepress Form below to enter

*Be sure to include a complete mailing address for the second entry question to qualify to win*

Three (3) winners will receive a hardcover copy of Kestrel Takes Flight (Joy McCullough) ~US Only!

 

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Today we are very excited to share an interview with Authors Olivia A. Cole and Ashley Woodfolk (QUEERLEADERS)!

 

 

 

 

Meet the Author: Olivia A. Cole

Olivia A. Cole is the author of Call Your Boyfriend and several other books, including Dear Medusa, Ariel Crashes a Train, and The Truth About White Lies for young adults, and Where the Lockwood Grows and The Empty Place for younger readers. A Los Angeles Times Book Prize nominee, Olivia lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where writing and parenting keep life very interesting. Visit her at OliviaACole.com.

Website * Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet the Author: Ashley Woodfolk

Ashley Woodfolk has loved reading and writing for as long as she can remember. She started reading at age five, writing poetry and stories at age seven, and after majoring in English in college, worked in children’s book publishing for over a decade. Now a full-time mom and writer, Ashley lives in a sunny Brooklyn apartment with her cute husband, her cuter dog, and the cutest kids in the world, and she spends her days (and nights) writing. She is the author of Call Your Boyfriend and many other books, including The Beauty that Remains, When You Were Everything, Blackout, Nothing Burns as Bright as You, and the Flyy Girls series. Visit her at AshleyWoodfolk.com.

Website * Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Book: QUEERLEADERS

Two cheerleaders find themselves inconveniently tumbling head over heels for each other in this satirical, sapphic teen rom-com that’s Bring It On meets She Drives Me Crazy.

 

 

 

 

 

~Author Chat~

 

YABC:  What came first, the concept, landscape, characters, or something else?

AW: The concept of an all-queer cheer team came first because Olivia knows one in real life! Our Hornets are based on a high school team in Louisville that is 100% queer. When she told me about them we were both immediately like, this is a book, but WHAT HAPPENS. We brainstormed all day and I remembered a few awkward run-ins I’d had with the conservative club at my college, and pitched that as a hook to her. She loved it, and the rest is history.

 

YABC: If you could only write one genre for the rest of your life, what would it be and why? 

OC: I could live under the speculative umbrella and be just fine. But that’s kind of cheating, isn’t it? So I’ll be more specific: fantasy for sure. I’ll be honest and admit my heart is always with dragons.

 

YABC:   What can readers expect to find in your books?

 AW: I think the threads that run through all of my novels (even the ones like CALL YOUR BOYFRIEND, BLACKOUT, and QUEERLEADERS that I’ve co-written) are complex characters with a lot of heart, a web of close relationships including found family and friends, and tear-jerker moments with humor to add levity shortly after.

 

YABC: What is your favorite snack when writing? 

AW: Cheese. God, I love cheese.

 

YABC: If you could time travel what would you want to see?

OC: I would absolutely go back and see dinosaurs. God, I wanna see some dinosaurs. I want to see the kind of trees that thrived on that pure, pure oxygen. Take me to the mega ferns! Take me to the nest of the Brachiosaurus!

 

YABC: What other age group would you consider writing for? 

AW: I’ve written a couple of picture books and I’m working on my first middle grade novel, so I think the only people left are the grown-ups! Maybe one day…

 

YABC:   What do you do when you procrastinate?

OC: I watch World War II movies. Don’t ask – I can’t explain.

 

YABC: What’s a book you’ve recently read and loved? 

OC: Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova. To have tackled three different perspectives in three different temporalities and about something as complicated as grief! What an accomplishment.

 

YABC:     Is there an organization or cause that is close to your heart?

OC: Change Today, Change Tomorrow in Louisville, Kentucky. Community first, doing good work quietly and resolutely. 

 

YABC:   What’s up next for you?

OC: My next YA, Annie Burned the House Down, is out next year! Currently wrapping up an adult fantasy as well. Books on books on books.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: QUEERLEADERS

Author: Olivia A. Cole and Ashley Woodfolk

Release Date: May 19, 2026

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Genre: Young Adult

Age Range: 14-up

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