x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Middle Grade Ninja

Middle Grade Ninja

Rob Kent interviews fellow authors, editors, literary agents, and other publishing professionals to discuss the craft and business of producing middle grade and young adult novels. New episode every Saturday. MiddleGradeNinja.com.

arts

All Episodes

01:41:21

196 Literary Agent Susan Hawk

Middle Grade Ninja ·

2022/12/17

Susan Hawk and I talk about her career in publishing from her job at a children’s bookstore at age 13 to being an editor, a librarian, a marketer, a library marketer, up to her current position with UPSTART CROW LITERARY AGENCY. We talk about the sorts of projects she’s interested in, how she evaluates authors and helps them to plan their careers, how she prepares manuscripts for editorial teams at publishing houses, BARRY, THE HANDMAID’S TALE, flying saucers, and so much more. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE for

en-us

01:18:12

195 Author Anthony McGowan

Middle Grade Ninja ·

2022/12/10

Anthony McGowan and I discuss his writing process and how it was specifically employed in his newest, DOGS OF THE DEADLANDS, which he says is the hardest book he’s ever written. We also talk about his winding path from a once reluctant reader to a prolific writer, how he learned to write for younger readers, his time as a bouncer, a period when his spouse was a more successful author than he was, tips for characterization, the joy of writing as a hobby as opposed to a career, an author’s cricket

en-us

01:11:24

194 Author Kereen Getten

Middle Grade Ninja ·

2022/12/03

Kereen Getten and I discuss her career in publishing and her new novel, IF YOU READ THIS. We talk about how she persevered despite the general discouragement of a lack of diversity in publishing as well as direct discouragement from a career counselor, how she met her agent online and then in person, how she deals with rejection and imposter syndrome, what it’s like to debut during a pandemic, how she plans and schedules her writing, why it’s important to sometimes take a day off, a disembodied

en-us

01:08:45

193 Professional Troublemaker Linda Sarsour

Middle Grade Ninja ·

2022/11/26

One of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2017, Linda Sarsour, shares details about her life as featured in the middle grade edition of her autobiography, WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER. We talk about her work organizing the Woman’s March in 2017, the radicalizing moment that happened to her after the 911 attacks, why it’s crucial to get to know the people in your life even when you don’t agree with them, what gives her hope, and what fuels her to get up and fight, and fight, and fight. And I

en-us

01:33:09

192 Author Kelly McWilliams

Middle Grade Ninja ·

2022/11/19

I tell Kelly McWilliams about a book I started to write before I discovered how very similar it is to her superior novel, AGNES AT THE END OF THE WORLD. We bond over our mutual fear of cults, including the cult of racism, and our love for Stephen King. We discuss her novel, MIRROR GIRLS, and our experiences in mixed-race families. We also talk about working with her mother, the novelist Jewell Parker Rhodes, publishing a debut novel at the age of 15, tips for structuring stories from dual

en-us

01:43:23

191 Literary Agent Jessica Craig

Middle Grade Ninja ·

2022/11/12

Jessica Craig and I discuss her career in publishing from working as an international literary scout to becoming a literary agent to founding CRAIG LITERARY. We talk about the typical calendar in publishing and the best times to submit queries, addressing inequality and a lack of diversity, a paranormal experience, the importance of keeping your space, not getting tripped up by your doubts, and so much more. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE for more great content:) Download BANNEKER BONES AND THE GIANT ROBOT BEES

en-us

01:23:41

190 Author Neal Shusterman

Middle Grade Ninja ·

2022/11/05

Neal Shusterman and I discuss eternal life, the singularity, and the meaning of death as portrayed in his series, THE ARC OF A SCYTHE, as well as the newest book, GLEANINGS. We talk about how Neal was first inspired by a teacher, why he studied theater and psychology rather than just focusing on writing, the significance of having an international experience early in life, his writing and plotting process, his work habits, how he employs sensitivity readers, the GAME CHANGER television series for

en-us

01:36:29

189 Author Dan Poblocki

Middle Grade Ninja ·

2022/10/29

Happy Halloween, Esteemed Audience! Dan Poblocki and I discuss the importance of writing horror novels for children such as his newest, TALES TO KEEP YOU UP AT NIGHT. We also talk about the craft of writing horror for younger readers and the fear some adults have of allowing children to think independently. Also, the subject of Dan having lived in multiple haunted houses while writing scary books comes up, so maybe listen to this conversation with the lights on. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE for more great

en-us

01:15:02

188 Editor Rose Brock

Middle Grade Ninja ·

2022/10/22

Rose Brock and I discuss her anthologies HOPE NATION and HOPE WINS and all the work and care that went into creating them. We talk about her own journey from a reluctant reader to a librarian to an educator and editor who works with some of the biggest names in publishing and is the cofounder of the North Texas Teen Book Festival. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE for more great content:) Buy HOPE WINS: https://amzn.to/3Sj22cL Download BANNEKER BONES AND THE GIANT ROBOT BEES for free: https://amzn.to/2XyTyG2 Rose

en-us

01:24:39

187 Author Fleur Bradley

Middle Grade Ninja ·

2022/10/15

Fleur Bradley and I chat about writing mysteries for younger readers, like her newest novels DAYBREAK ON RAVEN ISLAND and MIDNIGHT AT THE BARCLAY HOTEL. We have a frank discussion about burnout and bitterness for authors in traditional publishing. We also discuss specific strategies for reaching reluctant readers, marketing yourself as an author over time, marketing your books for people who won’t read them, Alfred Hitchcock, Agatha Christie, writing for children in the information age, and so much

en-us

01:07:55

186 Author Max Brallier

Middle Grade Ninja ·

2022/10/08

Max Brallier and I discuss the phenomenon of his series THE LAST KIDS ON EARTH, which has spawned a show on Netflix, video games, action figures, and more. We chat about the inherent darkness of a zombie apocalypse and how to navigate it in a fun story intended for younger readers as well as why it’s necessary to plan for an ending. We also talk about how Max reviewed movies for the local paper as a kid, how working in marketing for St. Martin’s Press set him up for success, moral dilemmas in

en-us

01:23:45

185 Author Amy Christine Parker

Middle Grade Ninja ·

2022/10/01

Amy Christine Parker and I talk about the Sunday school lessons that terrified and shaped us to write horror stories such as her newest young adult novel, FLIGHT 171. Of course, Amy did live in a haunted house when she was in the third grade, so that might also have had something to do with it. We discuss how she went from a stay-at-home parent to a professional writer in two years per an agreement with her husband, how she met her agent in a writers critique group, how she outlines her novels in

en-us

01:15:49

184 Literary Agent Stephanie Fretwell Hill

Middle Grade Ninja ·

2022/09/24

Stephanie Fretwell-Hill and I discuss her career in publishing from working in foreign rights with Walker Books to becoming an editor with Peachtree Publishers up to her current role as a literary agent with Red Fox Literary. We talk about making a living as an agent solely on commissions, submission follow-up practices for her with editors and for querying writers, the importance of industry relationships, the importance of maintaining an attitude of gratitude, the difference in editorial feedback

en-us

00:56:49

183 Illustrator Meaghan Tosi

Middle Grade Ninja ·

2022/09/17

Meaghan Tosi and I discuss her career as an artist from stop motion filmmaker to illustrator to graphic novelist. We talk about her new books, DWEEDY and SQUASHED, and how she first stared in a movie version of the latter. She shares details about her artist workdays, her creation process, collaborating with her father, self-publishing experiences, freelance services, ghost sightings, and so much more. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE for more great content:) Buy SQUASHED by Meaghan Tosi:

en-us

01:23:16

182 Author Diane Magras

Middle Grade Ninja ·

2022/09/10

Diane Magras and I discuss fantasy worldbuilding, monsters, and horror in her newest middle grade novel, SECRET OF THE SHADOW BEASTS. We talk about author day jobs, why it’s important to get in the habit of finishing your story (even if it’s bad), her writing process, the power of constructive criticism and how she learned to open herself to it, Stephen King, Kurt Vonnegut, what it’s like to be an author married to a book critic, and so much more. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE for more great content:) Buy SECRET

en-us

01:27:04

181 Literary Agent Patricia Nelson

Middle Grade Ninja ·

2022/09/03

Patricia Nelson and I discuss how she got her start in publishing and joined the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency as well as why it takes an average of around five years to make a living as a literary agent. We do a deep dive on the questions she asks through Query Manager, how she evaluates the answers, submission red flags, the future of publishing after so much recent disruption, the importance of not being an agent’s “first pancake,” and so much more. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE for more great

en-us

01:23:53

180 Author Greg van Eekhout

Middle Grade Ninja ·

2022/08/27

Greg Van Eekhout and I discuss climate change, Norse mythology, and the awesomeness of dogs, all of which are on display in his newest novel, FENRIS AND MOTT. We talk about the psychology of writers, how he found the confidence to know he’ll adapt as a writer, helpful activism in the face of book bans (beyond Twitter), Whovian philosophy, writing from outlines designed for contracts, Big Foot, the Loch Ness Monster, murder hornets, and more. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE for more great content:) Buy FENRIS AND

en-us

00:52:36

179 Author J. Elle

Middle Grade Ninja ·

2022/08/20

J. Elle and I discuss her young adult fantasy novel, WINGS OF EBONY, and her new middle grade novel, A TASTE OF MAGIC. We talk about planning a series, worldbuilding, magic systems, tips for faster drafting, her time working as an intern for a literary agency, Twitter opportunities for writers, that time she wrote a book in nine days, and so much more. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE for more great content:) Buy A TASTE OF MAGIC by J. Elle: https://amzn.to/3QVDV3n Download BANNEKER BONES AND THE GIANT ROBOT BEES

en-us

01:10:24

178 Author Ally Malinenko

Middle Grade Ninja ·

2022/08/13

Ally Malinenko and I discuss glorious middle grade horror such as her novels GHOST GIRL and THIS APPEARING HOUSE and why it’s important for children to have access to scary stuff. We talk about the trauma of surviving cancer and living life (and writing) with NED, or “No Evidence of Disease.” We also chat about Ally’s tumultuous publishing journey, flying saucers, the after life or lack there of (naturally), and so much more. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE for more great content:) Buy THIS APPEARING HOUSE by Ally

en-us

01:24:18

177 Literary Agent Rachel Orr

Middle Grade Ninja ·

2022/08/06

Rachel Orr and I chat about her career in publishing from her time as a bookseller with Barnes and Noble, her time as an editor with Harper Collins, and her current role as a literary agent with Prospect Agency. We talk about her love of reading, writing, and agenting, all of which she frequently does while cooking. We also discuss the types of projects she’s looking to represent, some advice on how to answer Query Manager questions, the author/agent relationship, increasing diversity in traditional

en-us

224 results

Similar Podcasts

Podcast Patapoe

0d0a

Diaries: From the Housing Projects to Power

Mia Z. Edwards

九霄电台

九霄电台

The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio| Daily Mystery Dramas

Adam Graham|Old Time Radio Detective Host

The Magnus Archives

Rusty Quill