Writer Spotlight: Pria Dee

Second editor, Kirkus, Reedsy.com, pandemic, Tower of Pisa, and pen name: Author Pria Dee

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI. In this piece, meet author  Pria Dee (Priya Vennapusa).

My love for children's literature goes back to my own childhood, where books were my constant companions. Tell us about your life when you were young. Which books and which mentors helped to shape the young storyteller?

I was home-schooled in developing countries where my parents worked as doctors. While I had a rich childhood filled with unique experiences, it could be lonely with only books for company. 

I received my education through a service called the Parents National Educational Union based in the UK, and eagerly read the books sent to me. We often traveled far to access the British and American consulate libraries, which allowed me to borrow books for months due to our remote location. 

Authors like C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Beatrix Potter became favorites, and I’ve collected their works for my children to enjoy. I kept journals and wrote letters to friends and family, and often created stories and plays with friends to entertain our parents. These experiences have deeply influenced my love for writing and narrating stories for children.

You have many titles now published. You’ve obviously found a system that works for you. What has been your progression in the publishing journey? How does a book go from idea to bound and printed?

Most books begin as ideas that I jot down in my idea file. Some ideas persist in my mind until I can shape them into a story. The first draft is saved until the time feels right to let it evolve and develop. Many drafts are never read by anyone but me.

I’m part of an SCBWI critique group that meets monthly to improve our craft. I refine and share selected manuscripts based on feedback, and if I’m excited about a project after several critiques, I work with a line, development, and content editor to polish it further. 

Finding an illustrator who shares my vision is essential. I also hire a professional designer for the layout and cover. By test printing on Amazon and Ingram, I often have a second editor proofread the manuscript, and I share it with ARC readers for feedback. Only once I’m completely satisfied with the quality do I approve the final print release.

How do you wrangle reviews for your book? What does it take to get a Kirkus review?

I learned early that for librarians, educators, and industry professionals, credibility matters as much as a strong story. Rather than chasing volume or “guaranteed” praise, I focus on submitting well-edited books to established review outlets that publish independent, objective assessments, and I plan those submissions far enough in advance for reviews to be available around release.

For each release, I submit early review copies to established outlets such as Kirkus, Book Life/Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Midwest Book Review, and Reader Views to support discoverability with independent, professional coverage. 

I also invite readers to share honest feedback on platforms like Reedsy and Goodreads. I occasionally run limited-time discounts or giveaways to help parents, librarians, and educators sample a title and, if it resonates, leave a genuine review.

How do you find illustrators? What are the challenges and triumphs of working with another fellow creative to craft a satisfying book?

I have collaborated with four illustrators from Reedsy.com. I often return to the same illustrators for series books. Tina Perko illustrated the "Billy and Molly Butter" series, while YoungJu Kim, a SCAD artist, brought depth to the stories of Balu and Diya with her woodgrain backgrounds. 

Emily Hercock illustrated "Little Moe Can’t Fly" and "Me and My Long, Long Hair," with her husband, Michael, designing some of my books. David Lock added fun and humor to "Sport It!," "Finley the Frog," and "The Monster Did It!"

I’m excited to have a new illustrator for an upcoming book: Naya Kirichenko, whose work I admired in other Michigan authors’ books. I look forward to collaborating with her soon.

Each illustrator brings a unique perspective, and I have enjoyed working with all of them. While time zones and work schedules can complicate virtual communication, their patience and perfectionism make for a great collaborative team.

My long-term dream would be to both illustrate and write, so I am trying to learn the art of digital illustration. How goes the digital illustration quest?

I have been learning to use Adobe Express and Creative Cloud. So far, I have only created high-quality graphics for Amazon book pages, bookmarks, craft projects, and marketing images for social media. I also do sketches to help my illustrators visualize my concepts and ideas for a spread or cover. 

However, my skills as an artist are not yet where they need to be to create a full illustration. I enjoy taking candid photographs, and I can see my books including my photos instead of illustrations. The dream of illustrating is still very much alive, and I aspire to achieve it through practice and effort.


My book, *Balu Saves the Day*, was written and published during the pandemic. It received positive feedback and has won awards. I loved sharing that story so much that I continued my journey as a children’s author, and I have since published ten children’s books.

We’ve all got collective amnesia concerning the pandemic. Take us back to the early development of Balu. How challenging was it to have your whole household encroaching on your workspace?

At first, adjusting to everyone being home was a challenge. I was used to working from home with my kids at school and my husband at work, allowing me to focus on my job and writing in peace. Suddenly, everyone needed meals and was on Zoom calls, making it hard to find silence for creativity.

To cope, I began waking up two hours early to write and worked in my basement, taking nature breaks on the patio and walking at lunchtime. Balu’s story was inspired by health care debates and my experiences growing up in developing countries, where access to options is limited. 

During the pandemic, my community came together to distribute masks and meals for those in need, reinforcing the theme of community in Balu Saves the Day.

The pandemic underscored the fragility of life, prompting me to self-publish Balu’s story when most agents and publishers were not accepting queries, feeling the urgency to seize the moment and get my book out in the world…just in case.


Pria is the author of ten children’s books, all featuring diverse characters. How much of the world have you seen?

My parents loved travel, and starting at age six, I tagged along. By the time I was ten, I’d seen much of Europe and parts of the Middle East and formed lasting impressions about people and cultures.

That early start turned into a lifelong habit: I’m always adding places to my list that I want to visit. And because some landmarks are vulnerable, whether from climate change, conflict, or catastrophes, I want to visit remarkable places before they change. 

Pria's Travels

The Tower of Pisa can lean further, a bustling market in Morocco can collapse in an earthquake, and a Hawaiian volcano can destroy ecosystems. So I’m not afraid to be the annoying person taking a zillion photos, just to hold on to these incredible sights.

When I first brought my book, The Monster Did It!, into the world, I intended to capture the vivid curiosity and playful restlessness of a toddler who, in the throes of boredom and hunger, embarks on a whimsical journey of mischief, cleverly attributing his antics to an imaginary monster lurking in the shadows.

How did The Monster Did It go from a family bedtime story to a published book? What challenges did a first-time author face?

If an author is allowed to have a favorite book, then Monster is mine. It certainly is a favorite with readers. Any parent or caregiver knows how mischievous toddlers can be and how creative their excuses are. 

My children were no exception, and that story is written based on my experience as a parent and brings back precious memories. When I started to write it, I did not intend to be lyrical, but as I wrote it, that’s how it flowed. 

Monster is the one book where I had to publish a second version, because so many readers gave feedback that I ended the story with no consequences. I republished it, adding a postscript saying the child helped the mother clean up. 

One of the many advantages of self-publishing and print-on-demand is how simple it is to do something like that to make readers happy.

I remember my first SCBWI-MI gathering in December 2021 in Ann Arbor. Monster was a new release, and with only two books to my name, I was nervous and felt like an imposter about being there. Other SCBWI authors at the event were so welcoming and set me at ease by encouraging me, sharing tips, and experiences. It was a fun, and memorable occasion.

One important lesson I’ve learned on my journey is that while I may be the writer, I am not qualified to edit, proofread, illustrate, or design my books. No matter how many times I read my work, there is always a high probability that I will miss errors.

My critique group, editors, illustrator, and book designer all play vital roles in this journey. Additionally, the support from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators offers numerous resources, and my peers within that community help me navigate challenges by sharing their own publishing experiences. The result is a high-quality book that is worthy of my young readers.

How do you find the professionals to help you make your books the best they can be?

Reedsy.com has been my primary source for finding excellent professionals. However, nothing is more effective than seeing someone's work and hearing from fellow authors about their experiences with various experts. While I trust the professionals I have worked with in the past and will return to them for continuing a series, each new book presents an opportunity to explore something different.

One of my works-in-progress (WIP) is a children's bedtime story written as a poem. Although I have a passion for poetry, there is much I don't know about the technical aspects, so I sought out an academic expert who teaches poetry at a university and serves as an editor for a literary magazine. I truly value her insights and love the changes she has suggested to my work.

I would love to collaborate more with local illustrators, editors, and designers. When attending book events, I try to make connections and follow their work on social media, hoping that one of them will partner with me on a future project.

You’ve given back to SCBWI-MI. You help run an area Shop Talk, and you’re often on the Listserv. What other positions have you held within the organization? How do you make time for everything in your life?

I joined SCBWI after the pandemic in 2021. As a first-time self-published author, I understand that readers, including parents, teachers, and librarians, can be hesitant to invest in my work. Joining the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), especially SCBWI-Michigan, has opened doors for me.

Through this wonderful organization, I’ve made valuable connections, learned from established authors, and attended supportive events. I have been a co-coordinator for Metro Detroit for three years and a member of a picture book critique group for the same time. I would like to do more if an opportunity fits my skills. 

Finding time has always been a challenge, but connecting with fellow authors who share the same journey is rewarding. I gain energy and enjoyment from it. Anything I can do for SCBWI feels like an investment in myself and my fellow authors, helping us all grow together. I'm truly grateful to be part of SCBWI and to have such a supportive community.


The biggest challenge is getting the word out to our target audience and readers. I have engaged industry professionals as marketing coaches to help me understand the algorithms that drive platforms such as Amazon and Facebook.

Marketing, and matching gatekeepers and readers to your titles: what have you learned over the years? With all the changes, how have you had to adapt to the new social media landscape?

I am a writer who is inspired to explore a variety of topics; however, I can state without hesitation that self-promotion is my least favorite topic. To address my own shortcomings in this area, I have sought guidance from several professionals on effective strategies for promoting my work.

Through these experiences, I have learned several key principles:

1. The quality and pride in my work inherently communicate its value, and it is acceptable to share any accolades I receive.

2. Providing insights into my personal background fosters a connection with readers, allowing them to relate to me on a personal level.

3. There is no universal approach to promotion; each individual I engage with deserves my undivided attention to address their inquiries and demonstrate the merits of my book.

I acknowledge my limited expertise in social media; despite enrolling in various courses to enhance my skills, I recognize that I still have considerable room for improvement. 

Nevertheless, I am aware that inquiries about social media handles are commonplace, and I strive to concentrate on a select few platforms where I can maintain a consistent presence.


I had difficulty finding any children’s writing info on Priya Vennapusa, although I found two collections of stories with Priya Vennapusa as a contributor: The Mysteries of Suspense: A Collection of Short Stories to Intrigue You: A Zimbell House Anthology Hardcover and Puppy Love: 2015: An Anthology Celebrating Our Canine Friends. Is this Priya Vennapusa also Pria Dee?



What is your full name? How did you choose Pria Dee as a pen name?

My real name is Priya D Vennapusa. When I returned to school after being homeschooled until 8th grade, I discovered that there were many other Priyas in my class, as it is a very popular name meaning "love" or "beloved." As a result, teachers would call me by my initial, Priya D.

I value my privacy, and at the same time want my author name to be its own brand. So, I chose to go back to that childhood name as the pen name for children’s books. 

I noticed that people often had difficulty with the "Y" in my name. To make it easier for young minds to pronounce, I shortened it to Pria Dee, and thus my pen name was born.


Priya Vennapusa also won second place in a flash fiction contest for Rochester Writers in 2016 for The Plane. Yours?

Yes, that is me. To motivate me to write, I entered several writing contests, and many of them provided feedback or critiques that have helped improve my writing. Rochester Writers Group is one of those that I have submitted to in the past. I initially wrote under my full name until I self-published as Pria Dee.

I did contribute to the two anthologies you mentioned, though 😊 The Mysteries of Suspense: A Collection of Short Stories to Intrigue You: A Zimbell House Anthology Hardcover and Puppy Love: 2015: An Anthology Celebrating Our Canine Friends. 

I have also written and published fiction novels under a different pen name.


There are many Google hits for Priya Vennapusa. (Priya Vennapusa is a member of the Throwball Premier League Champions 2025, the Dangerous Divas) Relatives? Or is it a relatively common Indian name?

I am athletically challenged, being a bookworm, so definitely not the person on the Throwball team. Some of the Google hits are probably of my technical writing from my career in Information technology. 

Priya is a very common name, Vennapusa is a last name, less common, but there are probably a few others out there that are not me or related to me.

Were you a member of the Sewing Warriors of Detroit Suburbs?

My friends and I sewed masks for medical professionals during the pandemic and distributed them to groups and organizations who needed them. Sewing Warriors of Detroit suburbs was one of them.


What’s next for Pria Dee?

My next book, Me and My Long, Long Hair, is releasing this August. It’s a deeply personal story for me, inspired by loved ones who have faced cancer. Through Sita’s journey, I hope to generate interest and conversations about childhood cancer and compassion. 

I timed the publication to align with St. Jude’s Walk/Run in August in Royal Oak, to raise awareness, and to donate all profits from the title to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. I hope that local book stores will allow me to host a book signing.

Looking ahead, I’m working to strengthen my query materials and would love to partner with an agent who can help position new projects with publishers and expand opportunities for wider distribution and translation.

I’m not able to do school visits because of my full-time work schedule, but I actively seek evening and weekend opportunities to meet young readers. I’m grateful to Pop of Indie for creating that kind of access in Metro Detroit, and I’ve loved connecting with families at their events. Long-term, I hope to build more school and library programming.

I am working on some middle-grade fantasy fiction, but the progress has been slow. I hope to devote more time to that endeavour soon.

It’s a challenging world for children’s writers, especially for picture books, but I believe that every book, including my own, has readers out there. I hope to find more of my readers and continue writing for them.


Please share any social media platforms:

https://X.com/authorpriadee

https://www.instagram.com/priadeeauthor/

https://www.facebook.com/priadeeauthor/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18001718.Pria_Dee

www.priadee.com

Book Birthday Blog with Maryann Lawrence

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

Where we celebrate new books from Michigan's authors, illustrators and translators.

 

Congratulations to Maryann Lawrence on the release of Lily Pond

 

  

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

Like a lot of my stories, it started with a phrase. “Once upon a springtime” is the opening to Lily Pond. I have no idea where that came from, but it does echo classic children’s literature, which I try to emulate in my stories. Nature finds its way into a lot of my children’s work, too, so it’s no surprise where that opening sentence led me.  

What is something you hope your readers will take away from your book? 

Two things, I think. One is the aliveness of the natural world – the willow tree tickles, the rain sings and, of course, Lily Pond bubbles with laughter. The second thing is that change is neutral. It is neither good nor bad. So, we may look at the pond drying up and say what a shame, but then we look at the clouds and see how lovely they are. And then the clouds rain down, and we say what a shame again and, finally, ponds form and flowers bloom and we are back to how lovely. 

What was the most difficult part of writing this book? 

Even though I have other books, this was the first that I worked on with a professional children’s book editor (shout out to Kristin Batterton). After she read it, she said, you know, this pond needs to have more agency. I thought that was a good idea and I started playing around with it. We went back and forth several times and in the end, I had a pond that was negotiating with the sun. It was an awful story. And, worse, it didn’t even sound like me: I had overedited and lost my voice. So I decided no, the pond doesn’t need more agency. She needs to feel the frustration and helplessness of unwanted change same as everyone else because, in the end, that’s what the story of Lily Pond is about.  

What are your marketing plans for the book and where can we find it? 

A write-up in The Mitten, for one! I am also angling for a table at a couple of book festivals this year and have been in contact with libraries and book shops around Michigan in hopes they will let me do a reading. Since my illustrator lives in the UP, I have reached out to a couple of stores in Marquette. Marketing and promoting are all new territory to me, so I am kind of fumbling in the dark, but I have high hopes.
 
The book itself will be available for individual purchase through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart and Bookshop.org. Since this is a self-published book through Ingram Spark, the book will also be available through independent bookstores after May 11, which is the publication date. Which happens to be my granddaughter’s birthday and, yes, that was on purpose.
 
You can also order a copy from my website maryannlawrence.net via Buy me a Coffee.

What's next for you? 

Well, I am nothing if not prolific: I have a cache of children’s books in various stages of completion, mostly picture books, three of which I am currently pitching. I also have a few early readers and chapter books that need revising and editing. And the ideas just keep coming. Honestly, it would be great to find an agent who connects with my work so I can concentrate on what I do best, which is writing.  

More about the book . . .

A little pond in the woods delights in the children who come to play. When a drought sets in, she must face an uncertain future. Lily Pond is a story of love, change, and the wonder of the natural world.  

Published by: Self-published, Mad Mama Publishing

Illustrated by: Glenn Ernest Becker 

More about the author . . .

Maryann Lawrence is the author of Season of the Great Bird and Uneventful, with two forthcoming books: the children’s picture book Lily Pond, to be released in May 2026, and the poetry collection Where I Lay Nostalgia to Rest, forthcoming in June 2026.
 
Her poetry, short stories, and essays have appeared in literary journals, magazines, and small presses, and she is the managing editor of the literary journal The Dolomite Review. She lives in an historic mansion in Bay City, Michigan, with her husband, son, and a watchful German Shepherd named Marley.
 
She shares poetry and essays on Substack under her own name.

Instagram: @mlawre18

https://www.facebook.com/MaryannChircoLawrence 

 

 

Writer Spotlight: Patrick Flores Scott

 Slam poetry, teen section, Christy, murder, road trips, awards, and pooch: author Patrick Flores Scott

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI-MI. In this piece, meet author Patrick Flores Scott.

You grew up on the West Coast, and became a teacher. In 2005, you started writing. What was the catalyst? Where did the writing bug come from?

I had written plays with friends and acted in the past. So I had already been a creative person. I found myself in a period where I needed a creative project. One presented itself when I started working with struggling middle school readers. 

I saw a lot of them carrying around chunky popular novels that I knew they were struggling to get through. I thought there was a need for more of those high interest, lower reading level books so those emergent readers wouldn’t have to dip into material for younger readers in order to find reading success. 

Fortunately, in a middle school there are a lot of real-life characters and real drama that I could draw from as I set out to write my first novel, Jumped In. It only took me eight years to get it published.

 

Patrick taught public school in Seattle, Washington, for many years and has written for theater and the slam poetry stage. Care to talk about your experience with writing for theater? What is slam poetry?

I wrote four plays with writing partners. In all four cases, we were going to produce and act in the plays. There is a lot that you can get away with in the writing when you know you’re going to be delivering the lines. So there was a lot of craft learning when I made the switch to prose. I do miss the back and forth of collaborative writing a lot. I’d love to get into a collaborative project again.

Slam poetry is poetry that is meant to be performed. There is a lot of leeway within that. I wrote and performed at some poetry slams (competitive poetry!) about the same time I was writing Jumped In. That experience made its way into the book. 

 

When I thought my draft was ready, I went to the library in search of a book that looked and felt like Jumped In. I thought, "If an agent liked this, they might be into my book." I picked up S.A. Harazin's Blood Brothers, and found out that her agent was Steven Chudney. I sent him a query letter and pages of the novel. He liked it. It happened really fast and I consider myself extremely lucky.  

Brilliant strategy. Was it your idea entirely, or did you get hints along the way?

I had actually queried an agent once years before when I was not at all ready to do so. I got a form rejection and sat with it for a long time. I didn’t feel the rejection emotionally at all. It was just like, there’s a bureaucracy with all these doors and I didn’t know which door to knock on. I realized that I didn’t know anything about that agent. I needed to zero in.

There came a day I was in a library after years of working on the novel. I closed my laptop and thought, I’ve done everything I can. It’s time to get an agent. 

I didn’t know where to get started with an online search, but there was a teen section full of books just steps away. In retrospect, it feels like I came up with a pretty good strategy. But really, it was a timing thing. I needed an agent in that moment. And there was a wall of YA books right there. I had the time. So walking to that wall was the only possible next step.

 

I started writing in 2005. I got my agent in 2009. The book sold in 2011 and came out in the summer of 2013. It was a long process. My agent believed in me as a writer, but he wasn't sure about my draft. He decided to just send it out to a couple editors at a time. When the rejections came in, we'd look at the feedback and he'd say, "Whattaya think?" I'd tell him what I thought I should work on next and then I'd go do rewrites. It was a slow, but positive way of dealing with rejections. When Christy Ottaviano bought the book, it was way better than it had been after that first round of rejections.  

Christy Ottaviano is editorial royalty. What was your experience, as a debut novelist, working with her?

Christy is so nice right off the bat. Her first editorial note was that I had to cut twenty out of my first sixty pages. Okay, huh? Not so nice! I have to subtract one out of every three pages? And I need to do that twenty times?

My first complete draft of Jumped In was sixty-five pages. I gave it to readers at that length (note: I didn’t have a clue what I was doing). From that first draft, I was always growing and building and stretching the story. 

By the time I got it to Christy, it had gotten a little fat. I didn’t realize it, of course. So her note came as a shock. But I figured I had to take the note. In the end, cutting those twenty pages made the book flow a lot better. 

The experience of cutting pages full of pretty darn good writing ended up being a huge learning process for me. I learned that just because sentences are well-crafted and you’ve spent a lot of time making them great, doesn’t mean they’re actually serving the book. 

I learned to enjoy cutting! I learned to take a note and trust that I’m going to find something new in the process of addressing it. And I learned to trust Christy.

The book is a little funky. There are poems that show up out of nowhere and, for a time, the reader doesn’t know those poems are from a different voice than the first-person narration. 

And when Christy first got the book, I now realize that it didn’t fully work. But she just made it really clear that she believed in the book and she believed in me, and it was inevitable that we were going to get it where it needed to be. She’s great. 

 

There’s a short YouTube video where you’re asked about a time your book made a difference to a reader. You said you were teaching high school reluctant readers, and you wanted to write a story that they’d want to read. You succeeded, in that a teen reader took on Jumped In, and it was the first novel she ever finished. 

But she only gave the book 4 stars because (spoiler!) her favorite character dies at the end. She said she’d never be able to forgive the author. Did you have a version of the story where Luis didn’t die? American Road Trip, (spoiler!) doesn’t have a character die. Did her reaction help temper your authorial bloodlust?

Patrick at a school visit

I think that readers’ amazing review came way after I’d written American Road Trip. But speaking of bloodlust…American Road Trip ends up with the protagonist and his vet brother ending up on their great uncle’s farm. The uncle is a calming, nurturing stabilizer in the book. He’s going to help the vet brother settle down and get healthy and he’s going to give him this new skill in teaching him how to farm the land.  

So…I thought if I was ever asked to write the sequel to American Road Trip, it would start at the uncle’s funeral so the brothers would be destabilized and grieving and have to figure out next steps alone. Alas…that book was never written and there were no deaths in No Going Back, so, by my math I haven’t murdered any characters since my first book. 

But I will not hesitate to murder characters in the future.

 

Patrick titled this "Big glasses."

My parents drove us—me and my sisters—from our Seattlearea home to Wisconsin for a reunion when we were all teenagers. Three hormonalteens squished in the back seat of a Ford Fairmont. Middle of Summer. Vinylseats. No air conditioning. Two out of the three—mortal enemies. Seventeenhundred torturous miles. We camped the whole way. I definitely drew on thattrip as I wrote the book. 

Who was the odd-person out? How do you and your siblings get along now that you’re all adults?

I guess I wasn’t in the enemies group. It was a really hard time and there was a lot of legit volatile energy in that car—not all that different, really, from the mental health crisis going on in the car in American Road Trip. We definitely didn’t understand it that at the time. We were reading anger and spite when the reality was a health issue and a fight for survival.

My sisters and I get along now. It’s complicated, of course. But much less complicated than back then. We love each other, but somewhere deep there’s work happening to separate who we’ve become from who we were back then. I wish that wasn’t the case.

 

You said your many road trips were predicated on speed, on wanting to get from here to there. You’ve since embraced the journey, and expressed a desire to take your family on a more leisurely trek. Have you been able to? What are some dream road trips in your future?

We went on a really great trip from Ann Arbor to Mackinac Island. We got a little trailer during COVID and we hit the road! And we learned…that we are not trailer people. Camping is good. But let’s just say I’m not wired for maintaining all the systems on a trailer. 

Later, we drove to Orlando (no trailer). A great trip down there. The best part was seeing the beauty of Appalachia. I’m from out west, so that was new to me. We ended up wrecking the rental car in Orlando…okay, it wasn’t “we.” I was at the wheel. 

We’re still looking for that leisurely trek. Oh, wait, we just made it from Ann Arbor to Niagra Falls and back last summer. Zero issues! Totally leisurely and fun. Through Canada on the way. And back on this side of the border. Great trip. I totally recommend it.

 

Tell us about Carol Lombardozzi-O’Callaghan.

Good old Carol! I wrote about her in a Mitten post from 2018. Carol is the editor you call on when you’re in the thick of the rejection process. I was lucky to get some really good responses in rejection e-mails for Jumped In. However, after a while, I focused less on the really good responses and more on the rejections. 

So, in a moment of feeling down, I wrote a letter to my agent from the famous editor, Carol Lombardozi-O’Callaghan. It was basically a list of every nice thing every rejecting editor had said about Jumped In. It’s a great letter! It helped put me back in the mindset that the years of work I’d put into writing Jumped In had led something that was worth fighting for. To see the original post and the letter: https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2018/09/rejection-remix-by-patrick-flores-scott.html

 

Your most recent novel, No Going Back, like all of your titles, has garnered a ton of praise, starred reviews and awards.  What are some the honors that have been bestowed on each book? Does this recognition give you a leg up when trying to market your next work?

Patrick was an Amelia Walden finalist for Jumped In

Jumped In won the Washington State Book Award and was a finalist for the  National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award. That book wasn’t a big seller, so that little bit of critical acclaim was really helpful when it came time for Christy to take American Road Trip to acquisition. 

American Road Trip got the starred reviews, state award nominations, a nice little NY Times review, and before the big ALA awards, I got the head’s up that it was one of nineteen books in the room where they were deciding on the Printz Award. I knew that wasn’t going to happen because there were so many big and terrific novels that year. 

But all of it was really helpful again, when it came to selling No Going Back. No Going Back received the gold standard from Junior Library Guild and really good reviews. But zero stars. Not a one! I am so proud of No Going Back! I love that book! But it hasn’t been a seller at all. 

It’s been a little challenge to, once again, reframe my brain, to focus on the joy I had writing that book. The great feeling when the story came together. The love for those characters. And to realize that I did my thing and market forces did their thing. And one isn’t necessary a reflection of the other. 

I made that pivot and I’m in one of the most creative periods of my life. I’m working mostly on a couple little kid books and a bunch of grown-up short stories. I’ve come to this realization that my brain is more geared to working on shorter material. 

Between my super-slow writing and the glacial pace of the publishing industry, it took me eight, nine, and nine years each (with a lot of overlap) to get my books published. I want to feel what it is to finish more often. 

Writing is writing, so there’s nothing easier about shorter pieces. But I’m revising an entire short story in a few hours now. That revision is a version of finishing for me. I come upstairs from my office walking on air. There is nothing like completing a novel, but I’m finding I love working at this new pace.

 

Each of your novels took numerous rewrites and many years from concept to book birthday. No Going Back was no different. Where did the idea come from, and what did it take to make it a reality? Did your writing process differ from your first two novels?

After college, I briefly worked teaching improv drama to incarcerated kids at a little prison in the woods near my home in Western Washington. I always thought I wanted to try to look at the life of a teen leaving the carceral system. The writing process was pretty different. I was trying to write it as a novel in verse for years. My agent at the time, Steven Chudney, gave me a little pep-talk (ass kicking?) in which he explained to me that I had better give him a novel, and soon. 

He did a great job of guiding me through the process of turning a mess of poems and poetry styles into a pretty straightforward prose narrative, supported by poetic flash-backs. I’m really grateful for Steven’s insistence that I (a theme here?) pivot and write based on my strengths. The novel came pretty fast from there.

 

One of your short stories made it into a published collection, I See Reality. Three YA novels suggest you’ve embraced long-form storytelling. Are your short stories remnants of longer works? How did your story end up in Reality?

McMillan decided to do a short story collection by some of their YA authors. Christy got me the gig! She asked me to do it and I couldn’t say no even though I had only written one short story previously—and that was for an English class in high school. I found my inspiration in a news article. Christy and I had a little brainstorm and that helped me get going. 

The short stories I’m working on came from rough drafts I did for a story club group I was a part of with some screenwriting friends. Our goal was to push out one story each month. We emailed the stories to each other. We were all to read the stories, but give no critical feedback. The goal was to write, not to perfect. It was great. 

I would always wait until the last minute to write my story and inevitably, I’d end up with some quirky, desperate middle-age character dealing with some little conflict in the most absurd way. I began to see where my creative mind was pushing me.

 

 

Three published YA novels, bristling with issues, heart, and trauma. Now you’re considering a middle grade graphic novel with a megalomaniacal pooch who may eventually solve crimes. A big change in form and attitude. What’s your thought process?

I know it seems like a big change. But I think the weird thing might be that I wrote three super earnest young adult novels. I love those novels. But I’ve always dabbled in different forms. And a lot of creative silliness. I had the good fortune to get representation and a terrific editor and to get Jumped In published. 

Then there was the expectation that I keep going with more books in that vein. I was more than happy (thrilled!) to oblige and walk that path for a while. 

Now it feels like I’m back to my normal state of dabbling in this and that and using creative time to entertain myself with a mega maniacal pooch and short stories about all manner of misfits. We’ll see when the dabbling journey brings me back to YA. 

 

You are one of four Michigan children’s authors on the BookSmitten podcast. The second season was the four of you novelists trying your hand at picture books. What did you learn about the writing required for some of the youngest readers?

In an effort to learn more about children’s books, we always seem to drift toward the technical. All the business of publishing stuff, and the supposed “rules” of picture books—pages, word counts, what you can and cannot say in a pb—but the learning really came in connecting with writers who come from a deep place of wonder, searching, empathizing, digging…all the heart stuff. You have to begin there. 

And you have travel in that place of wonder and discovery for as long as you can. The other stuff is the craft and business work will come a lot easier after you’ve spent that slow time digging deep.

What’s next?

This answer to me is more about process. Next means finding a way to sit at my desk with an open, clear mind every morning. Then see what happens.

 

Any social media you care to share:

@patrickfloresscottwrites for instagram

Also, Booksmitten Podcast on all the platforms:

Booksmitten

Booksmitten (Apple)

Booksmitten (Spotify)

 

Writer Spotlight: Heather Smith Meloche

Three years old, superpower, dopamine, sophomore jinx, and back to school: author Heather Smith Meloche

 Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI-MI. In this piece, meet author Heather Smith Meloche.

What was young Heather like? When did she realize she was a writer?

Young Heather was lucky enough to have a mother who valued the library and read to her constantly. Back then, the library did not have a checkout limit, so I would pick out as many picture books as my mom and I could carry. We’d bring them home, read them all, and then go back for more. 

I was shy, imaginative, and had a babysitter my mom’s age who would fill books with my stories and then illustrate them with me. So, I knew I wanted to be a writer by the time I was three years old.

What did you get from school?

If you mean, how did school nurture my writing life, I’d say a pivotal year was my freshman year. I was still in junior high back then, no middle school yet, so I was in the oldest class in the school, and my Advanced English teacher, Mrs. Dobbelstein, brought in local poet Margo LaGatutta to do a workshop with us. I remember never wanting that class to end. 

Poetry, for me, felt like a superpower. It was my gift, unique and fulfilling and empowering. Then, in college I mentored for two years with poet Diane Wakoski (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/diane-wakoski), which furthered my love of poetry.

I am an impatient human, and, I mean, like, really impatient. I want things done now and before now. So getting used to the publishing industry, which often moves at a glacial pace, has really taught me to take deep breaths, calm down, and curb my need for speed. I’ve even tattooed the reminder on myself. ;) 

How about now? Is deep breathing enough?

I was recently diagnosed with ADHD, which makes a lot of sense if I think about how I’ve always been—unorganized, in my own imaginative world, needing to move a lot, having a hard time slowing down. While diagnoses are merely labels, it helps me recognize where my quirks and habits come from so I can begin to reprogram myself a bit. 

I still tell myself to breathe, but now I know that exercise is key to my mental health and that when I get bored with what I’m working on, I have to push through rather than go find the next dopamine fix. I have so many half-finished projects because I needed to maintain the excitement with “the next shiny thing.” I’ve learned that doesn’t serve me or the career I want in writing. 

Tell us about how RIPPLE went from idea to published YA. It was the "It" book for a while. Was there talk of a movie?

Not sure if it was ever the “it” book, but it had its time in the light. Ripple took a long time and went through several iterations and two agents before it was published. 

I even condensed it down to a short story in verse before it finally made it to print. Never talk of a movie, and I never planned to write a sequel. Those characters were very close to me, and once I let them free in that book, I almost felt free to move on to something else.

What are you writing now?

I’ve done a lot of publishing of short work—poetry and short fiction. Most recently, I had a short story published in Lunch Ticket (https://lunchticket.org/the-weight-of-snow/), a fantastic publication I had been trying to get into for a while. 

I also write with poets across the nation in February through a group spearheaded by poet and kid lit author Laura Shovan, during which we write a poem a day based on prompts. After February, I always have a couple poems that stand out and that I can submit places. 

I’ve learned a whole lot from the fabulous Shutta Crum about submission persistence. I took a webinar with her where she showed us her Duotrope submission log. That woman submits!! Which is why she continues to publish regularly. Again, the lesson from her was that not taking action means nothing happens, and nothing happening really cripples a writer’s confidence.

Do you believe in the Sophomore Jinx?

Heck, yes! But I wouldn’t call it a jinx. It really is a struggle inside each writer after they go through the debut publishing process, whether it’s traditional or small press or self-publishing, to determine if this process is something they want to go through again and again. It’s a lot of work, a lot of stress, and a lot of digging deep to combat the second-guessing and the imposter syndrome. 

For a while, I wasn’t sure the introvert in me wanted to go through the marketing and panels and talks and workshops that writers need to do to promote themselves. 

Also, I really believe my sophomore slump, which continues on the novel front, has been due to me being too worried about what others want or think rather than just sinking into the work and letting it organically become what it needs to become. 

Now that I’m older, “losing my filter,” as they say, and not caring as much about what other people think, I allow myself more freedom to develop the work fearlessly. I believe only time was going to get me to this point. 

I needed to grow as a writer, as a woman, as a professional, and now I’m in a place where, when I write, it feels a lot like a statement from a writer in some magazine or book I read a while back—that writing should have that feeling like you had when you were a kindergartener happily and blissfully stringing wooden blocks onto a thick, colored string. 

The act of creation should be a blissful thing, and when it’s clouded by fear and expectation, it’s a shame and definitely cripples progress.

 

What’s your favorite form of social media? Which would you recommend? Which have you quit?

I’m not great with social media. However, I think for writers, Instagram and video content works really well. 

I’ve left Twitter for many reasons. It has felt toxic for a long time, but I appreciate platforms like BlueSky and Instagram that prop up and cheer the work of writers by readers and other writers. 

Substack is also important. I haven’t dipped into the Substack writing world, only reading, but if I get another novel contract, I will create posts there.

 

Artwork by Joe Meloche

What’s next for Heather?

I already have a master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language and have been teaching international students at the college level for twenty-eight years. My job fills me up so much, and my students are some of the greatest people I have ever met. 

However, now I’m also back in school and getting an MFA in Popular Fiction Writing and Publishing through Emerson College, which was my dream school when I graduated from high school. They have an all-online program that I’m working through part-time, and so I’m writing a “romantasy” for my graduate thesis. 

It’s been so great getting back to school and chatting with writers daily. While I work and write, I’ll keep publishing the small stuff—poetry, short stories, articles. Every little bit counts toward writing career progress.

Any social media you’d wish to share:

Website: heathersmithmeloche.com

Instagram: @hsmeloche

BlueSky: @hsmeloche.bsky.social

Threads: hsmeloche

Book Birthday Blog with Meg Dendler

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

Where we celebrate new books from Michigan's authors, illustrators and translators.

 

Congratulations to Meg Dendler on the release of Ivar's Mackinac Weekend

 

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

I already have two dog companion books for my middle grade Cats in the Mirror alien rescue cat series—“Max’s Wild Night” and “Dottie’s Daring Day”—based on two family dogs. Ivar is such a fantastic service dog for my older daughter, so I knew I wanted to write about him and the work he does. But nothing was coming together for a story over those next few years. Once my husband and I were in the process of returning to Michigan, I started toying with how Ivar’s story could fit into something related to the state. That whole series is based on our real animals and actual events, but with a fictional twist to them that usually involved local locations and activities. The thought of how a service dog like Ivar would view Mackinac Island started sparking. I suspected I’d have to get really creative because he and my daughter live in Arkansas, but they came to visit not long after we moved to Midland. We all took a day trip up to the island and had a wonderful time being tourists, watching his reactions, and imagining a whole weekend of adventures there for him. I was off and typing after that.  

What is something you hope your readers will take away from your book? 

It is really a love letter to both Mackinac Island and the role that service dogs play in helping their handlers live full, more normal lives. The story is very open about my grown daughter, named Mindy in the books, and the anxiety disorders that would keep her very limited in life without Ivar’s well-trained support. Maybe a reader is experiencing anxiety like that but is too young to know how to voice it. Maybe they don’t understand how service dogs work. With my early readers and critique group friends, I realized how little even those well-read people understood about how a service dog can smell and hear bodily reactions, even before the person they are helping notices the problem. I definitely hope it offers some education about what these working dogs do. But, ultimately, I hope readers just enjoy the story and learn a bit about the island and all it has to offer.  

What was the most difficult part of writing this book? 

The first thing I had to come to terms with was Ivar insisting on telling the story. The other eight books in the series are third person omniscient. The narrator walks readers through it all. With Ivar’s book, I kept finding myself slipping into first person. A couple of chapters in, I surrendered and adjusted. It’s Ivar’s voice, and he gets to tell the story. 
 
There were certainly many decisions about what to include on the island and what to leave out. It was supposed to be a weekend, so the family wasn’t going to hit every location or activity. I tried to at least mention a few that weren’t included, but that was an issue along the way. Also, including interesting facts and history without it bogging down the story. Lots of editing and revision went into trying to get all that right. 
 
I also had to balance some of the negative things about visiting a small island on the weekend when 3,000 other tourists might also be there. The day we went was HOT, so that’s part of the atmosphere. There’s a focus on the crowds because that’s a trigger for Mindy that she and Ivar needed to work through. But I didn’t want things to slant too negative or critical and make it sound like a place to avoid. A lot of lines were cut in editing with the aim of keeping it happy and enjoyable but also realistic. The island does get crowded and busy!  

What are your marketing plans for the book and where can we find it? 

Marketing plans will heavily involve interviews (like this!) and bloggers/reviewers I’ve worked with in the past. Based on the grade level and nature of this book, there will be a huge focus on bookstores, libraries, and schools in Michigan. I may do NetGalley again, but I haven’t decided yet. I enter a few contests with some of my books, and I have my eye on a couple for this one that could help with promotion if I win something. Kirkus will do a review. Those professional reviews can go miles if they are good, but you never know what you’re going to get. 
 
And you will be able to find it everywhere online, for sure. I don’t believe being exclusive with KDP or any source is helpful for children’s books. If Draft to Digital offers it for ebook distribution, I’m there. My yearly marketing plans for all my books include dozens of craft fairs and events along those lines, so “Ivar’s Mackinac Weekend” will be front and center this year. I also try to pay attention to opportunities that unfold as readers discover the book. Many lists and notes along the way. There are organizations in the state who train and provide service dogs for reasons besides anxiety or mental health support, so I’m sure I’ll reach out to them at some point. I really aim to be open and ready to jump when an opportunity presents itself.  

What's next for you? 

I have two projects in line for the rest of 2026, but I’m not sure which one will jump to the front and demand more attention. One is a women’s fiction novel. I write for adults as well. That one has already been started, but I know I want to make some adjustments. And the other is the third book in my middle grade Princess Bianca series. For a few months, I’ll write on each of them, and one will scream louder than the other. I like having more than one project in process because I can take a break from one but still be writing and putting words on the page. They will both end up done at some point. I’m just not sure which one will win the battle for “next.” All of that will need to balance with making new author friends and establishing myself a bit in the Michigan writing community. I’ve already met so many lovely people, that’s something I’m really looking forward to.  

More about the book . . . 

Service dog Ivar and his Mama Mindy are heading on a special adventure: a family visit to Mackinac Island in Michigan. But exploring new places can lead to anxiety spikes for Mindy. That’s where Ivar’s job comes in, to support Mindy and help her manage her anxiety. But being a working service dog in a completely new environment brings its own worries for him. Strange sights, smells, and sounds, bustling crowds, and unexpected challenges test his confidence. Can Ivar help Mama Mindy enjoy their adventures while overcoming his own nervousness as they navigate ferry rides, horse-drawn carriages on historic streets, and island adventures? Discover the fascinating history and sights of Mackinac Island, Michigan, with Ivar as only a working service dog can experience it.
 
Ivar’s Mackinac Weekend is the third companion book to the award-winning, best-selling Cats in the Mirror series—a heartfelt, empowering story for young readers that celebrates service dogs, mental health awareness, and the power of partnership. 

Published by: Serenity Mountain Publishing (self-published) 

More about the author . . . 

Meg Dendler has considered herself a writer since she was honored in a picture book contest in 5th grade. Beginning serious work as a freelancer in the '90s while teaching elementary and middle school, Meg has over one hundred articles in print, including interviews with Kirk Douglas, Sylvester Stallone, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. She has won contests with her short stories and poetry, along with multiple awards for her best-selling Cats in the Mirror alien rescue cat children's book series, including a Bronze Moonbeam Children’s Book Award and Silver Mom’s Choice Awards. “Bianca: The Brave Frail and Delicate Princess” was honored as Best Juvenile Book of 2018 by the Oklahoma Writers' Federation, and “Snickerdoodle’s Shenanigans” won the same honor in 2024. Meg holds a BA in Journalism/Public Relations, an MA in Early Childhood Education (both from Eastern Michigan University), and has been a certified teacher in three states. She is also an editor and proofreader for indie publishers, as well as indie and self-publishing authors, with over 100 books completed since 2015. 

https://www.facebook.com/MegDendlerAuthor 

https://www.instagram.com/megdendler/ 

https://bsky.app/profile/megdendlerwriter.bsky.social 

https://megdendler.com/ 

https://linktr.ee/MegWelchDendler