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 Mackinaw 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)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You and your family moved from Seattle to Ann Arbor. How different is the weather? How different is the attitude? Any similarities?

 

Various bios mention that you’re a stay-at-home dad and early morning writer. Does one have something to do with the other?

 

 

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 

 

 

Writer Spotlight: Angela Verges

 Online jokes, Erma Bombeck, big purse, audiences, and Abby and Zach: Author and stand-up comic Angela Verges

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

 

What does it mean to you to be a comedienne? 

For me being a comedienne means sharing the joy of laughter as often as I can. It’s turning life experiences into laughter.

Writing a bit is as much writing as writing a picture book. How do you write comedy? Where did you learn?

As with my picture book writing, I have a notebook for collecting ideas. I call it my humor journal. I collect ideas and phrases, I type them into a word document on my computer. Each joke has a heading. When I’m ready to put together a 5-minute set, I group jokes together based on what I think the make up of the audience will be. I have a lot of jokes about aging, parenting and weight gain because those are the things I experience most. I pretty much write about everyday life situations.

In 2020 a friend I met while hosting an online humor event, told me about her friend who taught comedy classes by Zoom. Over the two years that followed, I took the comedy class several times. It’s where I learned about joke writing – joke set up, punchlines, tagging a joke, a callback. My classmates and I performed for a zoom audience of 50-100 people each time.

 Your Amazon bio is a wealth of information, hula hoops, MSU and “her book Menopause Ain't No Joke started as a collection of blog posts, which have also accompanied her on stage in comedy sets… Angela's motto is, "A laugh a day keeps stress at bay."

What’s your motto now?

My motto is the same – “a laugh a day keeps stress at bay.” I believe laughter is good for our health and wellness. Since I’ve been on this comedy journey, I’ve come across repeated information about the health benefits of laughter.

Me at about age 12 or 13, lifting my brothers' weights. lol

Angie began writing in 5th grade when she received her first diary. What kind of diary was it? How did your definition of diary change to include all your different forms of note-taking? How do you store your accumulated notebooks?

My first diary was a small green diary with a gold lock. I actually stumbled across it in a tote with a bunch of old, filled journals. When I was in middle school I had composition books that I used as journals.

You presented at the Erma Bombeck writing workshop in 2024. What was that experience like? 

I was nervous. There are so many funny people at the Erma writing workshop. I was hoping I would sound intelligent, but most of all offer a nugget of inspiration to someone. I wasn’t a workshop presenter but was offered the opportunity to share my experiences and insights from attending the workshop in the past.

I was also selected to perform comedy at the EBWW (Erma Bombeck Writing Workshop) attendee stand-up comedy night.

I make this sound easy peasy but let me expound. I keep a humor journal where I write down things I find funny. It could be a funny sign posted somewhere, a remark someone makes, or something that happens to me. During dental appointments I seem to come up with new material.

During one visit the dentist asked me, “Has anything changed since your last visit?”

“Yes, menopause,” I said.

“Oh, that can cause changes in your gums, and your teeth can shift.”

“Give it to me straight Doc, how much time do I have left…with this set of teeth?”

I didn’t actually say that to my dentist, but I did chuckle inside my head.

Must be a pocket-sized notebook you carry? Do you also use your phone, or other apps, to keep track of your ideas?

Actually Charlie, I carry a big purse, lol. People are always telling me, “use the notes on your phone,” but I don’t. The small notebook that I carry is a 6 in., along with a variety of colored ink pens. Once I have a draft or an idea for a picture book taking shape, I type it up and save in a computer file.

For comedy, when I hear something funny or accidentally say something funny, I write it down on whatever is near me. One time I made notes on a paper plate. I’m sure no one has ever experienced this…wink, wink. My son asked one time, “Ma why do you write notes on everything – envelopes, napkins, paper plates.” I tuck those random notes in my spiral notebook and type them into a computer file at the end of the week.

Be consistent, keep showing up for yourself, invest in yourself. Is that more than one tip? Schedule your writing time on a calendar, treat it as if you’re going on a date, stick to the commitment. Determine how much time you will write and make your commitment attainable and realistic. If you know you only have 30 minutes to write, don’t say you’re going to write for two hours. It can leave you feeling disappointed and beating up on yourself. Set yourself up for success, not failure. Set a reachable goal, and if you exceed that, pat yourself on the back. Better yet, throw your fist in the air and shout, “I did it.” 

When I say invest in yourself, I’m suggesting that you attend writer’s workshops, connect with other writers who are doing what you want to do, and are successful at it. Investing in yourself also means focusing on your health and well-being. Rest when you need to, treat yourself to a home spa day – give yourself a facial, a foot bath, listen to soothing music. Do something that brings you joy.

How much of this advice relates to stand-up comedy?

All of this applies to stand-up too. I have taken comedy classes several times, not because I’ve failed, but because I want to focus on something different. I have taken classes with four different comedy coaches (they’re called coaches rather than instructors) and each one has helped me improve my comedy in a different manner. One coach told me, “I don’t consider myself an instructor, because I can’t teach you to be funny. You write your own material and I help you refine it, give you techniques.”

Stand-up: the first time, the worst time, and the best time?

The first time I performed stand-up comedy was in front of 500 people. I didn’t know anything about comedy technique, nor did I know 500 people would be present. 

I was 51 years old and performing my talent for a pageant I’d entered for women 50 and older. I selected comedy as my talent, but I was a ball of nerves when I took the stage. My hands were shaking so badly that I didn’t touch the microphone. I had one and a half minutes, told a few jokes and was rewarded with laughter. I took a bow with my hands still shaking and strutted from the stage. 

I discovered later that night that my friend recorded the bit with her phone. She sent it to me, and I watched it over and over while sitting in bed, chuckling to myself.

I don’t know if I’ve had one “worst” time in comedy. I have had several “ooo, that wasn’t a good night,” situations. One time a drove an hour and a half for a show, there were maybe 15 people in the audience. I’ve worked with small crowd before and had a great time. Some of them barely had smiles on their face, I heard a few chuckles here and there. 

Some of my best jokes that get strong laughs, got a couple smiles that night. I did notice that is was about the same reaction for some of the other comedians too. Sometimes there are just tough crowds

After that show a couple of people came up to me and said, “you were funny.” I was thinking to myself – could you laugh out loud so I know.

My best time in comedy was when I performed at the Stand-up comedy night at the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop two years ago. There were about 10 of us performers, and a hundred people at the event. The audience laughed throughout my 3-minutes set and at the end many people stood, clapped and chanted along with my closing song. It was exhilarating and a fun way to end the night.

Abby and Zach Pray through the Alphabet is your newest title. Tell us about it.

Abby and Zach are twins who learn to pray simple prayers. They discover that praying is as easy as A-B-C.  At the time I wrote this book, I was a Sunday School teacher to 6-8 year olds. I would ask for volunteers to give our opening prayer. Some kids were shy, others were bold and said what was on their heart. And there were those that caused me to smile.

One Sunday at the end of class, I asked a visiting student what she liked about our church, she said, “I like the donuts, you have good donuts here.” I didn’t know at the time that I would use this reference in a book, but I jotted it down in my journal. And guess what…Abby and Zach pray about the donuts.

My hope with writing Abby and Zach is to show kids simple lessons in how to pray and give thanks for all things.

 

You have your own YouTube channel. How hard is it to record yourself on a regular basis? What does your channel promote?

Young fans

I sometimes find it challenging to decide what I want to record as a video. My channel is about promoting humor as part of our self-care, using laughter for health and wellness. When I come across something I find funny, I create a short video that I call Humor Happy Hour. I try to keep the videos around a minute and a half.

One year I worked with a writing coach and my goal was to post 2 humor videos per month. I actually have a room in my house that I call “the studio”. My “elaborate” set up is a wall where I have taped a red plastic tablecloth as a backdrop. For ambience, I added a tall green leafy, fake plant.

What’s next for Angie Verges?

I seem to set ambitious goals for myself; I want to work on one of a picture book manuscript I started a couple of years ago. I also have my sights set on performing corporate comedy – performing for business events, church luncheons, retreats, etc. Now that I talk it out, I’ll work on both of those things this year.

Please share your social media:

https://www.instagram.com/writermama223/

https://www.facebook.com/angela.verges

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtO3yqiEutSNi7j2MivanAQ

 

Writer Spotlight: Laura Stewart

 Appalachia, Clucky's Week, Shutta, homeschool, NY, and backyard chickens: author Laura A. Stewart

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI-MI. In this piece, meet author and homeschool teacher Laura Stewart.

What was life like for young Laura? How did you come to love reading and writing?

Unlike Laura Ingalls Wilder, my favorite author as a child, I was not outgoing by any means. Second daughter and very comfortable in the shadow of a sister who seemed to excel in almost everything, I found comfort and refuge immersing myself in worlds far away from reality.

Not that reality was bad. Books were way more interesting and engaging. We lived a very average family life in the suburbs of Detroit. Home, public school, church, neighborhoods bursting with other kids both older and younger. Now my sisters and I kind of feel like, looking back, we lived in a safe bubble. Grateful. 

In my early years, I really had no desire to become a writer. I had no idea I even had a talent for writing until I was in high school and began writing papers for my classes. Somehow I would get good grades without trying very hard. Maybe I was lazy, but eventually I realized how beneficial it was to be able to articulate through writing what I couldn’t say in person. 

After college I volunteered with the Jesuit Volunteer Corp. and taught children assessed with dyslexia at the Hindman Settlement School in Appalachia.  That experience must have been a story in itself. What do you remember most fondly about your days as a young Appalachian teacher?

Having a job that fed you. No, seriously. I love any job where someone else cooks for you. But the best part was the small community during the time I lived there. I learned what it means to have community, to live in community, and to take care of your community.

I learned from my community roommates, support people, and the Appalachian culture in that small town, how to speak love through food, fellowship and through my Catholic faith and worship of Christ Himself.

My next job was teaching with HeadStart. They fed me too. See a pattern? 

Living along the banks of the peaceful River Raisin has blessed my family with many opportunities to experience nature. Each season brings new adventures for my husband, myself and our four children, and now our grandchildren. 

Tell us about some of the ways you experienced nature. 

We spent most of our time outdoors. Blessed beyond measure to live in a rural area where my children could roam and explore the fields and woods was truly a wonderful area to raise our children. We canoed, kayaked, experienced and saved wildlife. Life felt grounded in nature.

I still experience the most solitude and healthy thinking when my feet are in our yard touching the ground that is filled with so many wonderful memories.

I also love to camp with my family. One of my camping stories will be released in 2027. A fun story that exaggerates some of our camping experiences with our furry masked friends that sneak around in the night.

You launched a CLUCKY book in November of 2025. How goes the book promotion? What have you learned about promoting your books?

Clucky's Week

I don’t love promotion. It sucks up a lot of time. It distracts from creating. It’s so open-ended. How far do you go? I guess I just try to do my best and if it’s going to “take”, it will. 

My next story has thankfully earned me a publicist and marketing team. It’s amazing and a relief to have someone take the helm. I am a little freaked out that I have to speak “live” for interviews. Calling upon the Holy Spirit to guide my words will be essential. 

You’ve done enough school visits to have garnered some testimonials. How have you tailored programs for the youngest students? Who’s your target audience?

The target audience depends on what book they want presented. My background is early childhood, so I pull from experience to make it fun for the peabodies. When I get in the zone, my natural hamminess comes out. It’s like an adrenalin surge and then afterwards, I’m zapped. 

I've always enjoyed reading children's books as a teacher and a mom, and now as a "Ya Ya".  I began writing my first children's story when my oldest son was only 2 yrs. old.  That was a long time ago... 

Take us back to when and how new mom Laura found time to write.

Making fun memories with my oldest son going out for walks at night was where the writing first began. I’d wait until he fell asleep in my arms and then grab a notebook. Lots of handwritten drafts later and then I’d plug it into our old computer.

I had no idea what I was doing. I don’t even remember the process I used to find publishers to submit to through mailings. I’d have a stack of manila self-addressed envelopes and find a day to get them to the mail.

Everything took longer. It wasn’t my time. God knew I wasn’t ready to compartmentalize my parenting or family time. I’m kind of an “all in” sort of person. It took years to understand and trust that my time would come. I don’t regret waiting patiently.

You published your first picture book in 2013. What happened in your writing life in the decade between your first book and the next one?

After I published Puddle Jumper, I met some significant people at Writer’s on the River through the Monroe County Library System. Nancy Shaw, Cynthia Reynolds Furlong, and Michael Monroe.

Nancy and Cynthia invited me to a Newbury Book Club that was forming and they also very emphatically encouraged me to join SCBWI. I took them up on both suggestions and from 2014-2020 our Newbury group thrived.

Since 2014, I have attended various conferences, workshops and other events. I am not the same writer I was in the “green” days. Since I have a terrible memory, I enjoy continuing to increase my writer’s tool box through many different resources.

You’ve leaned into SCBWI, getting advice from some of Michigan’s writing stars. How did you find the Society? What are some memorable SCBWI moments?

Some of the other incredible people and friendships I’ve made through SCBWI have been invaluable. Deb Gonzales was also a part of our Newbury group and she and I have forged a friendship based not only on writing, but faith.

I have kept in touch with others from our original group and fondly remember each of them and their kind encouragement. Shout out to the original Newbury Peeps! Shutta, Patrick, Kathy, Lindsey, Kristin and anyone else I may have missed,  thank you.

Memorable moments. Ooh the memory thing... Mackinac Island 2014. New York 2019 (Shutta’s scholarship). Marvelous Midwest 2024 in Iowa. Super cool.

You researched and wrote a fact-filled fictional account of the construction of the Bridge School. What are a few things you’d highlight about how to do historical research on the ground you’re walking upon?

Talk to real people. Spend lots of time with knowledgeable reference librarians or in the museum archives. Double check your facts. Spend time at the location.

I had to be very specific: Laura Stewart MI children’s book writer. Turns out “Laura Stewart” is a name that exists in publishing, and even YA authors who are different people. Of course there’s a Laura Stewart in Glasgow, Scotland. How best to distinguish yourself from all the other Laura Stewarts?

The homeschool credit:)

"Homeschool mom pens book about Michigan's first public school." (The headline of a local newspaper story about your Bridge School book.) You had four kids. Did you homeschool all of them?

All four were homeschooled, graduating my youngest son a year early June 2025. They are all amazing adults that have good heads on their shoulders and all value family and faith. Super proud of our brood.

When did you decide to become a teacher?

I first began teaching at eighteen at a local pre-school and then after college and JVC, I began teaching for Head Start. 

You graduated from Madonna College. Did you write much as a college student?

Only when necessary, and some journaling, although I did write one fun story for a Children’s Lit class that isn’t too shabby for a first try.

Something big is brewing for April. What’s happening?

One of my family’s stories will be released on April 17. The title is Orchestra for Oliver: Even the Shortest Lives are Special. The social media interviews begin on March 10th. I’m nervous.

The following is a blog post entitled "A Leap Year Lent."

https://lauraastewartstories.com/f/a-a-leap-year-leap-during-lent

Lent, Madonna College, Jesuits. Religion obviously plays a part in your life. How does being Catholic intersect with your writing?

Hugely with this next story. The story highlights how a family’s faith plays a significant role in how they move through life especially during tragedies. I have other faith stories still in the submission process.

We have backyard chickens too. They’re kind of secret, though the crowing rooster is a giveaway. Tell us about your flock.

We have raised chickens since 2009. Did you know that is what Laura Ingalls Wilder and her husband did? Chicken farmers. Sadly, I personally am a chicken egg snob at this point. I have to try not to think about it when I’m eating store bought eggs! 

My one and only beautiful rooster named Rusty was murdered last year by a hawk. No more.

You did a presentation at an Ann Arbor Library. Which presentation that you’ve done was your favorite?

Probably my Bridge School Launch. It was like I was in a whole other realm of operation. So many friends from near and far came to support and cheer me on. I felt very loved.

Family

On the eve of flying out for the 2019 N.Y.C. conference I was a jumble of feelings. A healthy amount of nervousness, excitement and pure exhaustion. I had just returned 52 hours prior from Arizona after seeing my first grandbaby in the NICU born by an emergency c-section. With jet lag alive and active, I conserved my energies over the next day and a half to prepare for my next adventure.

That’s the opening of your New York experience piece in The Mitten. Is there anything you’d like to add about SCBWI-National NY and your experiences there?

Thankful for getting the experience. Thankful that Leslie H. and Carrie P. were there as familiar faces. New York is not my jam.

What’s next for Laura? 

I’ve decided to put a hold on submitting for a few months so I can fully focus on successfully promoting the stories I have and for the one coming up. We also have a new granddaughter on the way. Another life-threatening pregnancy that requires the grandmas to be on call. Prayers appreciated.

Any social media you wish to share:

laurastewartstories.com

 https://www.instagram.com/laurastewartstories/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100051336663206

https://www.pinterest.com/laurastewartstories/historical-picture-books/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNQ6EsyiqJ7DLAw120FVDCQ