Writer Spotlight: Janet Ruth Heller

 

Bullies, Surprise, FTA, U of Chicago, midrashim, and Isle Royale: Poet and author Janet Ruth Heller

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI-MI. In this piece, meet poet , educator and author Janet Ruth Heller.

What has changed since we completed your interview a month ago?

I have stage 4 cancer. I do not have a lot of energy to send out my unpublished manuscripts of children's books and other writing. I have never been able to find an agent to represent me.  I am looking for someone to assist me in sending out my work. I can pay for this assistance.  My unpublished work for children is ten picture books and a couple middle-grade stories.

 

If you are interested in this opportunity or know someone who can help me out, please contact me at janetheller@charter.net or janetruthheller@gmail.com with your credentials, and we can discuss the matter fully.

 

Thank you for any help that you can give me.

 

I would like to express my gratitude to SCBWI-MI for its support of writers like me over the decades!

How the Moon Regained Her Shape, your breakout debut picture book, was inspired by the bullying you endured as a child. Has the success of the book helped to ease the sting of your past injustice? Have you been able to make peace with some of your former bullies?

Writing How the Moon Regained Her Shape (Arbordale, 2006; 7^th edition 2022), doing subsequent creative writing workshops for children and adults, and speaking about my book for schools, libraries, bookstores, and conferences have been very healing experiences. 

Teachers tell me that their students are more likely to report bullying after I have read How the Moon Regained Her Shape for their classes and discussed the book with the students.

I have also done research about bullying and published an article about some books for children that help young people understand and cope with such abuse: “Using Novels for Children to Combat Bullying,” International Journal of English and Education, vol. 2, no. 2 (April 2013): pp. 514-23. 

I discovered that many individuals get bullied as children and as adults for a wide variety of attributes. My bullies targeted me because I was a new skinny student in my elementary school, but other kids get bullied for being chubby, being tall or short, wearing glasses, having a different religion, speaking a different language, coming from a poor family, being a person of color, being GLBTQ, having a disability, etc. 

I feel strongly that we need a multicultural society that treats all people with respect and values our differences, rather than punishing people for being unique.

You’ve published as a Jewish writer; you've tackled Jewish themes in your middle-grade chapter book The Passover Surprise; you proudly acknowledge your faith. How much is your body of work influenced by Jewish culture?

I have been active in synagogues and other Jewish organizations since I was five years old. I have served on synagogue boards, been a teacher and the principal of Jewish schools, served as president of Sisterhood, organized speaker series, etc.

Also, I have promoted equality for women in Judaism. For example, I have urged synagogues to promote more women to leadership positions. Traditional prayer books refer to men and boys but do not refer to girls and women. I have advocated for prayer books that use gender-fair language that includes all individuals. 

I organized a group of women at the Congregation of Moses in Kalamazoo who examined different options and then had synagogue members vote. The result was that the synagogue chose a new prayer book entitled Siddur Lev Shalem that is egalitarian.

Like most Jews, I have experienced discrimination, and this makes me sympathize with anyone who gets treated unfairly, including women whose voices go unheard, starving children, people of color, and immigrants. I support many organizations that strive to make our world more just and compassionate.

What was life like for young Janet, growing up in Milwaukee? What influences do you credit for your love of language?

My mother grew up in Milwaukee, but she was an English major at the University of Michigan. She shared her love of literature with me and read me wonderful books, including Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Stories, A. A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh books, Robert Frost’s poetry, etc.

I always loved to read, and my early ambition was to read every book in my elementary school’s library. I never reached that high goal, but I did read many books. 

In college, I double-majored in English and Spanish, and I also studied Hebrew literature. I took linguistics courses, which taught me how different languages are structured and organized into families. All of this knowledge helps me to write both poetry and prose.

Your father played an important role in your life, but your middle-grade chapter book The Passover Surprise was based partly on an incident when he favored your brother over you based on your gender. Were you able, over the intervening years, to convey your feelings over his latent sexism? Maybe convince him to adopt a more enlightened worldview?

My father taught me to love the natural world, and when I took walks with him, he explained the names of different birds, animals, and plants. Many of my poems and prose works refer to the natural world, especially my poetry book Nature’s Olympics (Wipf and Stock, 2021).

However, my father had a very difficult relationship with his mother, and that shaped his biased view of women and girls. I do not think that he ever realized how much his sexism hurt me when I was a child and a young adult. 

When I was a child, I did not confront him about his favoritism for my brother. I did talk to Dad about this discrimination when I was in my twenties, but he never apologized for his treatment of me.

I hope that my chapter book The Passover Surprise (Fictive Press, 2015, 2016) can help other families to avoid favoritism and to treat children of all genders with love and respect.

You earned a Ph.D. in English Language and Literature from the University of Chicago. Did you always plan to teach?

school visit

When I was very young, I wanted to become a veterinarian because I loved animals. However, as I got older, I realized that a veterinarian needs to operate on dogs and cats and horses, not just play with them. I dislike cutting into living creatures, so I decided to pursue a different career.

By the time I was twelve, I wanted to become a teacher. Because I was the oldest of five children, I frequently served as a teacher for my younger brothers and sisters. 

I spent a lot of time assisting younger siblings with homework, explaining difficult concepts to them, and entertaining them. I enjoyed this interaction, and I think that being a big sister prepared me well to be a teacher.

When I was in high school, I joined Future Teachers of America (FTA), a club for students who planned to enter the field of education. During my senior year, I was the president of the FTA. 

I assisted Barbara Gensler, my favorite English teacher at my high school, and learned a lot from her. She emphasized that a teacher needs to have good relationships with students in order to encourage them to improve their work.

At first, I wanted to teach at a high school, but then I decided that I wanted to teach at the college level. This required my getting a doctorate. I chose to attend the University of Chicago to obtain a doctorate in English language and literature. Courses there were very challenging, and I learned a lot.

While I was studying at the University of Chicago, I tutored and coordinated the Writing Tutor Program, which employed doctoral students like me to help undergraduates improve their writing. 

I enjoyed working directly with students, and they told me about confusing assignments from professors. This helped me to shape my own assignments later when I taught college courses so that students could understand them better.

Your collection of poetry Exodus, is based on biblical characters and stories, often updated for modern times. What enduring truths do you find still resonate thousands of years later?

I identify strongly with many of the universal situations and people in the Jewish Scriptures. For example, Genesis includes stories about favoritism, family conflict, love, etc. 

Other sections of the Bible present tales about close friendships (David and Jonathan), prophets confronting powerful kings and queens, and an exodus from oppression to freedom. Such themes mean a lot to me and still have resonance in 2025.

Jews have written updated versions of Bible stories for centuries, and we call such pieces midrashim. Christians also write similar work and call this process exegesis. So my poems are part of a long tradition.

My poetry book Exodus (WordTech Editions, 2014) often presents a feminist viewpoint, and many of my poems focus on the women in the Bible and their struggle to achieve their goals in a male-centered society.

You’ve often credited your writing group with helping you sharpen and reshape your manuscripts.  Who helps to critique your work?

I have created writers’ groups since I was in graduate school at the University of Wisconsin and the University of Chicago in the 1970s. My current group consists of four women who are published authors. Three of us have doctorates in different fields, and all of us try to give constructive criticism to one another. 

We meet once a month via Zoom or in-person. Before each session, we e-mail one another manuscripts that we think need more work and get suggestions for revision from the other writers. I have found the feedback from my colleagues invaluable. Often, I substantially rework my poetry and prose, improve the pieces, and get them published.

You are writing a memoir. Prose? Poetry? Or a combination?

Janet reading

My memoir is mostly prose, but it will have some poems included. The chapters are self-contained, and I have already published three chapters of my memoir. 

My essay “Returning to Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin” appeared in Midwestern Miscellany, volume 35 (Spring/Fall 2007) on pages 55-59. It concerns my family’s long association with this beautiful lake. 

Another memoir chapter, “A Visit to Isle Royale,” got aired on Morning Edition and All Things Considered on Michigan Public Radio, WUOM, Ann Arbor, on May 3, 1999. The Toho Journal online published this chapter in its winter 2020 issue (January 9, 2021). This essay concerns a trip that my husband and I took to Isle Royale. We spent a lot of time canoeing and got to see a moose, loons, mergansers, white-throated sparrows, etc. We enjoyed our time away from city life. 

Tikkun published my chapter “Sexual Harassment in the Synagogue: A Case Study and Recommendations” on September 7, 2023 online at https://www.tikkun.org/sexual-harassment-in-the-synagogue/ This essay concerns my efforts to convince my former synagogue to restrain a male member who sexually harassed me for fourteen years and my recommendations to houses of worship for combating such abuse. 

Currently, I am a member of Temple B’nai Israel in Kalamazoo, a synagogue that will not tolerate sexual harassment, and I helped develop its policy for ethical conduct of all members. Of course, sexual harassment is one form of bullying.

Please share any social media platforms:

Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/JanetRuthHellerBooks and https://www.facebook.com/janetruth.heller/

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/janet-heller-395a2a37

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/hellerjr8/

Amazon Central Author Page:  https://amazon.com/author/janetruthheller 

Twitter/X—username is @janetheller1949

Instagram page is https://www.instagram.com/janetrheller/

______________________________________________________________________

Reminders about Upcoming SCBWI-MI Events

• 
  SCBWI-MI's BIPOC Scholarship- Sept.1st-Oct. 1st
• SCBWI-MI 2025 Critique Carousel- Registration: Sept.18th-30th
• Little Free Library Day hosted by SCBWI-MI's E&I Team- September 27th
• Fall webinar with Sheela Chari- Oct. 22nd at 7:00 pm Registration period: Oct 1-22
• Fall webinar with Cate Berry- Nov. 12th at 7:00 pm Registration period: Oct 22-Nov 12

Writer Spotlight: Anita Fitch Pazner

 

Dr. Pazner, riding the bus, White Rose, cousin Burgermeister, and castles: Author and SCBWI-MI Co-RA Anita Fitch Pazner

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI. In this piece, meet  author  and an Co-RA Anita Fitch Pazner

Your bio is sparse on young Anita. When did young you know you were a writer?

The first time I felt I had the knack for putting words on paper was during a 7^th grade English class. We had a sub. She gave us the first few sentences of a short story about a yellow crocus, and we had to finish the story. I loved it! And she read it out loud to the class as an example of a well thought out story.

When I got to high school we didn’t have a school newspaper. I went to the principal and asked if I could create one. Apparently, it’s hard to say no to me once I’ve decided to do something.

 

Anita deciding to do something

You’ve earned the letters after your name. What were your academic achievements?

My major academic achievement is my master’s in writing for children and young adults degree. I got the degree just so I could put those little letters behind my name. 

I’ve always wanted to earn a doctorate degree, but they don’t offer one in writing in the U.S. I would have to get that degree in England. (Poor me!) 

It’s the only way I could make everyone call me Dr. Pazner. It isn’t out of the question. Especially, if I win the lottery and get to live in a castle while I’m there.

You were in SCBWI for a long time before your picture book was published. I know, because I was there, too. You helped engineer the two Mackinac Island conferences, because you knew some people. What did it take to pull off not one, but two island weekends?

Anita and me
Mackinac 2014
She knew someone in costuming

I loved helping facilitate conferences. Getting to know the speakers. attendees and setting up activities have always been my jam. Yes, things often went sideways, but that was part of the fun. 

And as you pointed out, I have a knack for finding people to help make the magic happen. If I remember correctly, the year you and I worked together, my go to phrase was “Hold on, I got a guy” whenever things went amuck. The guy was often a woman, but still.

I’ve always found most people want to be helpful. I spent time on the island with my kids for a couple of decades and being a bit curious, I got to know so many of the full-time residents on the island. They became my guys!

As much as I loved the Island events, I also enjoyed being part of two Downtown Detroit conferences. My favorite was the Humor Conference at the David Whitney Building. I brought in a local Detroit Comedian to talk about his process and do a bit of his stand-up routine at the end of the day. It was the perfect ending to a craft-filled conference.

Your first picture book, The Topsy-Turvy Bus, has a long origin story before it even became a book. Give us your pitch for “The Making Of…” How does the phrase Tikkun Olam inform your worldview?

Anita says, "Don't let the author drive the bus."

The first Topsy-Turvy Bus (the real bus, not the book) was commissioned by Ben Cohen from Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream fame. He drove it around during a political cycle with a big chart on the side showing people how much was spent on military versus education and health services. 

This was back in 2007 and his non-profit that funded the project was called Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities.  At that time the U.S. was spending 900 billion dollars on the military. Much of that funding was going toward nuclear systems that were capable of blowing up major cities twice over. (The statistic come from articles about the bus, the non-profit and Ben Cohen. Not from me.)

Ben, as I now call him even though we’ve never met, donated his bus to a non-profit environmental organization out east after the election was over. That organization was linked to one in the metro Detroit area, run by my friend Wren Beaulieu-Hack. Wren ran lots of programs. This included delivering food to food banks, and seeds and compost to anyone who wanted to plant a home garden. 

I volunteered to help her make deliveries during the pandemic, and she offered to pick me up in Detroit’s version of the Topsy-Turvy Bus to make those deliveries.

Now, I’m not one to enjoy diesel fumes from stinky buses so I was less than thrilled to take a ride on the real Topsy-Turvy Bus. That is, until she told me it ran on veggie oil. I’m not going to lie-- the French fry smells coming from the exhaust made me a little hungry. 

And I may have said, “This would make a great picture book.”

But—yes, there is usually a but associated with everything I do. The most important part of the book is the phrase Tikkun Olam. In modern times, it basically means to repair the world with acts of kindness, charity and helping those in need. 

Doing good deeds like delivering food to the needy or planting trees to combat deforestation are ways we repair our world. Since it’s a Hebrew or Jewish construct there are layers of meaning that date back a long, long time. I would have to do an entire essay to give you all the info I have and that still would leave room for more interpretations and debates.

After a non-fiction picture book, you switch to a middle grade novel-in-verse about historical Germany in the throes of authoritarianism. How did the character’s voices emerge?

I did switch. And doesn’t that make me sound fancy.

In reality, Words Matter is also non-fiction and fully illustrated. Just like my first book. The main difference is no one dies in The Topsy Turvy Bus.

I originally wrote Words Matter as a picture book, but the beheadings didn’t jive with the agents or editors. Go figure.

You asked me about the character’s voices. Their voices were easy for me to understand.

I had access to their diaries and letters--not just the White Rose Resistance leaflets they are famous for distributing. Honestly, I sort of had a crush on Hans while I was researching him. (Don’t tell my husband I was infatuated with a dude who would be over 100 years old. That’s some Twilight level stuff. Am I right?)

Anyway. I felt a connection with Sophie that transcends time and space. She was impulsive and moody at times. I may have been a bit that way in my younger years as well. 

She loved to read, create art, be in nature and dip her toes in rushing rivers. And she wasn’t afraid to speak out. Most of all she was brave, braver than I imagine I could ever be. 

I was privileged to be able to walk on the cobblestone streets she once stepped on. I was there with my adult children who were roughly the age she was when she died.

 

 

Many layers of bus

You’re co-Regional Advisor of the Michigan chapter of The Society of Book Writers and Illustrators. I’ve seen you mentioned as an illustrator. Do you dabble in art?

I dabble dabble do! I once worked as a photographer, so I like to think I have an eye for artistic work. I love to watercolor, and I occasionally play with other mediums. 

But I only wish I could be an illustrator. Art was my love before words. Believe it or not, I was a shy child that spent a great deal of time alone.

I joined SCBWI in 2009. You seem to have been there all along in my memory, but you’ve been a member for quite a while. When they asked you to lead the group, you didn’t have to say yes, and you almost didn’t. 

But now you’re co-running this two-peninsula juggernaut called SCBWI-MI. My question is: why? Why tackle a big organization of children’s book creators when most people are planning for retirement?

Yes, Charlie. I have always been a part of SCBWI—pretty much since the dark ages. And I never seem to age. Right, Charlie? Right?

(Insert the sound of crickets.)

Just to be clear, I avoided the Co-RA position the first time the opportunity came around. I hadn’t been published, and I knew I wanted to continue my education. There was too much about the craft of writing for children and young adults that I didn’t know. Publishing is its own beast of a business, and I would have felt like an imposter.

I took the time to perfect my craft as can be seen by my masterpiece, The Topsy-Turvy Bus. (That’s a bit of sarcasm for those who don’t know me as well as Charlie does.)

I eventually earned my MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts, and I jumped at the chance to work with Jodi McKay. Or maybe I was pushed. Either way, it is a challenging volunteer position. 

But it’s a whole lot easier with Jodi on board. I truly am grateful for all the heavy lifting she does with the website and all the technical aspects. And we have a phenomenal leadership team working with us as well. 

If someone out there is questioning whether they should apply for one of the open positions, I highly recommend doing so. We are super fun and as Jodi points out in the monthly email—We have cookies!!!

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our Illustrator Coordinators, Jen and Katie. They organize retreats and all sorts of fun stuff. As you know, the Illustrator Coordinator position is a lot. 

Having the two of them working together has been a huge bonus for our region. I wish I had the space to thank each of our coordinators here personally, but I better get back to talking about me.

To answer your question, why now? I’ve always been about helping people, and I finally felt as if the time was right to dive headfirst into all aspects of publishing. 

Even if that meant joining Jodi as SCBWI embarks on a new generation of leadership at the tippy top. And as far as retirement goes, I’m just getting started! I like to think I carry a greater sense of wisdom than I once did. But then again, I could be wrong.

Follow-up question: how? How has SCBWI-MI as an organization changed from the early days of 2010-2020, and beyond?

That’s a loaded question. Publishing has changed drastically since 2010. SCBWI has changed along with it. The new website and globalization of the organization has been the biggest change. 

And the ability to hold three-day conferences like we did on Mackinaw Island are no longer possible due to restrictions put in place following the pandemic. Jodi and I hope that changes soon.

That’s the toughest part for me. I’m all about the big, theatrical events. Other than that, the organization is still all about helping fledgling and established writers find their people. 

SCBWI-MI strives to provide more craft-driven webinars at a very low cost to members than they once did. 

Another thing I want to mention is the free Shop Talks. The people running those are bringing in some pretty-great speakers. I hope more people make it a point to attend.

Donna Janell Bowman, how did this published author help you get your second title, Words Matter, published?

Donna and I graduate from VCFA together.

Post-graduation, she ran a six-week non-fiction, picture book course. Being the supportive friend that I am, (And modest, too!) I signed up for the class. I had actually been floundering after graduation. I missed the structure with reading lists, essays, and word count deadlines.

I needed motivation.

I was lost. 

Soooo. I focused on Hans and Sophie and The White Rose Resistance and wrote it as a lyrical picture book. Unfortunately, due to the beheadings of the main characters the picture book version never sold. Go figure!

Donna’s workshop was the impetus for the non-fiction book.

You’re proud of your German heritage, even spent some time in Munich, where you were first inspired to write about Hans and Sophie. How fraught is your personal family history, being descended from a Jewish family who had to flee their homeland?

Interesting question, Charlie. I was born outside of Frankfurt, Germany into a Catholic/ Lutheran family. Mixed religious affiliations have always been a thing for my family. But there was always a connection to Judaism in that small town. 

My grandfather’s first love was a Rabbi’s daughter, or so the story goes. His family owned the local restaurant and farmland. They even had pigs. As you can imagine, the Rabbi’s daughter and the pig farmer was not a story to be written, but the families remained close.

Fast forward to the 1930s and 1940s. Jews were being rounded up. Many escaped before they were taken. One night, my grandfather, in a drunken rant, painted “JEWS CAN EAT HERE” on the outside of his restaurant. 

His cousin the Burgermeister (Yes, most people were related in tiny towns back then.) gave him a fine and made him paint over his words.

But wait. There’s more.

On a trip back to visit my grandparents grave, I stumbled over a little-known fact. The town I’m from was the only town in Germany that refused to dig up and desecrate the Jewish graves under Hitler. 

They removed the headstones but left the bodies intact. Today, there is a plaque that lists the names of the people buried there.

 

“From there, I was linked with illustrator Sophie Casson.”  How much collaboration was there between the artist and the writer?

There wasn’t a lot of collaboration. I got to see and comment on Sophie’s images, but there weren’t many things I wanted changed. Most of our communications went through Groundwood. 

The only thing I really insisted on was the addition of the Ulm Sparrow. It was everywhere in Ulm, and I felt it needed to be in images of the city where Hans and Sophie lived. I needed it there for authenticity. 

After having visited Ulm, I couldn’t imagine the book without the sparrow with a twig in its mouth. Sophie and I have since been in contact with each other and we both have connections to that time and place in history. Her images are emotionally charged. They are incredible.

I wasn’t as careful with my words as I should have been. I often tackle topics that allow me to work through issues. Realizing the power of words is instrumental in personal growth. Words have an energy all their own with the ability to lift us up or to cause harm. And they linger. How many times have we replayed the words carelessly thrown our way over and over in our minds?

A collage of young Anita

Words Matter isn’t just a title. What have you learned as you promote your second book?

The White Rose’s story made me stop and think about the words I use. As you know, sarcasm was my first language. I’ve learned to temper that a bit. Not everyone has a wicked sense of humor that appreciates my words. 

I’ve tried to install a filter and explain my point of view in a way that isn’t insulting. I let people know that I’m speaking from my own personal vantage point. The following paragraph is an example of that vantage point.

We live in a point in time when lies and propaganda invade every aspect of our world. We are constantly bombarded with it. It’s put forth to divide us and turn us against each other. Spreading fear is one of the easiest weapons used to destabilize a country. I would love to see grassroots organizations rise up and refuse to be taken in by this type of attack. Hans and Sophie chose to do what was right because they believed in the goodness in the hearts of the German people who were swayed by fear. I also believe in the goodness in the hearts of people. My well-traveled mother once said, “Most people all want the same thing--a safe place to live, raise our families and prosper.” I know it sounds simple, but that is most people’s core desire. How they get there is an entirely different topic.

 

“I’m working on a science-based middle-grade novel set near a nuclear power plant. It’s been in the works for over a decade.” With the discovery of the radioactive wasp’s nest, do you feel an added urgency for your book?

Holy crap! There’s a radioactive wasp’s nest? I know there are kids with radioactive teeth in Florida, but wasps? Hold tight. I’m asking lord Google.

I see there’s an article in The New York Times. The four wasp’s nests were found in a former nuclear weapons production facility—hydrogen bombs to be exact. But not to worry, the Department of Energy said there wasn’t a leak. It was just some left over residue found in mud and lake beds. 

And the clean-up should be completed by 2065. (Insert shocked emoji.) The article also said the current administration plans to reopen the facility to create more bombs. I have thoughts. Many, many thoughts on the subject, but I’m utilizing my filter for this interview.

To answer your question. I’ve always felt an urgency to finish the book set in the shadow of nuclear facility.  Life got in the way.

I visited the Fermi II Nuclear Facility when I was in college. (Yes, Charlie. That was before the dawn of time—before the internet existed.) The experience was overwhelming. The sheer size and magnitude left me feeling full of dread. 

Then Chernobyl melted down and the Fukushima disaster happened. I channeled those feelings into my main character. My biggest struggle with this book is balancing fear, grief and humor. I know--weird combination.

 

From Angie Azur's post 
https://teazurs.blogspot.com/

Do you satisfy your Inner Princess by staying in castles in Europe?

Inner Queen, actually. And yes, I do so enjoy a good castle visit.

 

Anita earned an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA) You’ve hinted that there are some madcap escapades while in Vermont? Care to plead the Fifth?

What happens in Vermont, stays in Vermont!

What’s next?

I’m planning a book launch for Words Matter!

I would love to see everyone there. No purchase necessary. It’s a celebration of WORDS.

Sunday, September 14

5-7 p.m. (After the Lion’s Game)

@The Road Less Traveled Bookstore

Downtown Farmington, Mi

There will be free Words Matter swag, food and bevies and I’ll be holding a free raffle for attendees to win cool stuff, including signed books by authors who are writing about important topics. And there will be young men in lederhosen—who doesn’t want to see that?

As with most things I do, there will be a theatrical aspect to the launch. If you are planning on attending, shoot me an email through my website or my SCBWI or personal emails.

Let me know if you are a librarian or educator. I’ll have something special to celebrate the tireless work you do.

Once that’s done, I’ll continue writing about the people and places I love, and the things that scare me most! 

I’ll also be finding a way to publish my graphic novel. It has so many things in it I love to read about—romance, relationship drama, a possible vampire, gardening, and a dead body! Sure wish I had learned to illustrate!

Don’t worry, Charlie. It’s young adult, not a picture book. I’ve learned my lesson about having dead characters in picture books!

Please share your social media platforms:

Website Anita Fitch Pazner's Website

Bluesky Bluesky

Instagram Anita Pazner

Facebook Anita Fitch Pazner

 

 

 

 

Writer Spotlight: Stephanie Bearce

 

Raven Gallows, magic sauce, WFH, Stan the Man, flashlight undercovers, and podcasting: author Stephanie Bearce

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI. In this piece, meet author Stephanie Bearce.

(From an interview) “I’ve written lots of nonfiction books about all sorts of weird and disgusting topics like dehydrated mummies, exploding science experiments, and the history of gangsters. In my mind I think I was always writing for Raven.”

Raven Gallows is the MC in your first published MG fiction novel. The rest of your writing career has been in non-fiction. How did Raven and The Secret of Moonrise Manor make it past the gangsters and mummies and explosions to become a series?

I have always wanted to write a mystery series, and I’ve attempted it a few times in the past. But this time all the stars aligned. And honestly, I think that’s what often happens in publishing. 

You do need the writing skills, but after you have mastered your craft, there’s a lot that’s simply about being in the right place with the right idea at the right time. 

Fortunately, Shadow Mountain was looking for a science-themed mystery series, and my agent did her magical job as matchmaker.

 

(Reading further into the interview) “I have a contract for the second book in the Raven Gallows series and I must have that story finished and delivered to my editor by January.”

Yay! Did you get the draft done in time? What can we expect this time from Raven Gallows?

Yes! Raven and the gang are off on a quest to find treasure in The Curse of the Lost Cave. There are outlaws, secret codes, lost gold, evil villains, and a creepy cave! Book two will be released February, 2026 and I’m expecting the ARCS to arrive in a few weeks. Let the marketing begin!

“To that end I’ve started gathering with my writing groups at private retreats. We spend a week writing, critiquing, and helping move our manuscripts forward. Our agents love the results and it’s amazing how many manuscripts get contracts because of our retreat work.”

What is the “magic sauce” that makes a retreat successful? How should a writer prepare to get the most out of a retreat?

I think retreats are themselves the magic sauce. Removing yourself from the daily routine and all the demands on your time frees the mind and allows space for creativity. Add that to being surrounded by fellow creatives, and you have a recipe for writing breakthroughs.

The best way to prepare is to open yourself up to possibilities. That writer you just met may have an idea that will take your manuscript to the next level. The critique that was a bit painful may be the catalyst you need to make significant improvements. Be ready to listen, learn, and share with other authors.

(This interview just keeps on giving) “I’m doing the business of writing every day.” Explain.

Young Stephanie
Even back then, the business of writing

Writing goes beyond putting words on paper. Today’s authors must be entrepreneurs. That goes for both traditional and indie track authors. Most of the publicity and marketing falls on the shoulders of the author, so I spend a lot of time answering emails, setting up events, and working with social media. It’s not my favorite part of the business, but it’s necessary. 

Additionally, I need to squeeze in public appearances, speaking engagements, and book signings. Most of the time, I’d rather be hiding in my writing cave, but I know that the reality is, I’m the one who has to sell my books.

Some of your series titles (This or That, Awesome, Disgusting, Unusual Facts, Disgusting ___ Jobs, Twisted True Tales, and the Top Secret Files) appear to be Work for Hire. Some of my writer friends have made a career out of creating content for publishers; that’s how I earned my publishing credits.

Are these titles, in fact, WFH? What’s your take on this publishing practice?

Some are work for hire. The Awesome Disgusting series is WFH with Black Rabbit Books. The Top Secret Files and Twisted True Tales are my own IP. 

Ten years ago, Prufrock Press had a call out for series ideas. I pitched the first four books of Top Secret Files of History and sold them. They then bought four more books for that series and the Twisted True Tales series. Prufrock sold the books to Taylor and Francis, and unbelievably, they are still in print, and I still get royalties!

I do a little bit of WFH for publishers that I love, such as Black Rabbit and Capstone, but I’m selective in the WFH that I take on.

“I have the BEST agent in the world, Heather Cashman.” Heather is sought-after, prized by those seeking literary representation. How did the two of you connect?

We met several years ago at a writing retreat. (Magical things happen at retreats!) We were both attending as authors. Heather is a talented writer! Years later, after Heather became an agent, and my agent quit the business… I was thrilled when Heather offered representation. She is not only a phenomenal agent, she’s also a kind and lovely human being.

You’ve had a few interesting sidesteps in your body of work. You did biographies on Stan Musial and Mary Anning. Stan because you’re from St. Louis? Mary because a girl can dig holes, too? Why did you choose these two people’s stories?

I’m not sure I consider these “sidesteps.” I write nonfiction for kids. Biographies are nonfiction. The publisher approached me to write Stan Musial’s biography. Stan is a St. Louis legend, and I was honored to write his story for kids.

As for Mary Anning - I am a fossil-collecting rock nerd, and Mary is a hero of mine. I was thrilled when my proposal to Chicago Review Press was accepted, and I received a contract offer.

How many titles of yours are audiobooks? What is your involvement when a piece of yours is chosen for recording?

Right now, just The Secret of Moonrise Manor. Shadow Mountain releases all of its books in both print and audio formats, so Curse of the Lost Cave will also be available as an audiobook. 

And as far as involvement, Shadow Mountain is the most wonderful publisher!! They sent me the audio “tryouts” of several readers, and I got to pick my favorite. So, of course, I adore the audiobook.

“I loved to read.  I was the kid that literally had a flashlight under the covers.  I read everything there was in my tiny hometown library.  Then every week my mother would drive me all the way to the county library so I could get new books.  I am still a voracious reader.  Reading has made me want to write.”

That’s a made-to-order writer bio. What made the Stephanie Bearce story unique?

school visit

I don’t think I am unique. My story is the story of lots of authors—the kid who loves books so much that she wants to write them. At school visits, I tell children that I was just like them. Anybody who loves words and stories can become an author.

You say your current writing process entails working on a fiction and non-fiction piece at the same time. Did you always have fiction stories to tell? Did you always multi-task?

Yes. I always multi-task. My life has necessitated that. Like most people, I constantly juggle the needs of my family and my writing. I always have new ideas percolating and trying to burst out, but  I have to balance writing what is under contract with developing new projects to generate more contracts.

Podcasting is new for you. What kind of learning curve is involved? Are you enjoying the experience?

I’m really loving podcasting! There’s definitely been a bit of a learning curve — especially with the tech stuff — but it’s been such a fun ride. Co-hosting the Way-Word Writers Podcast has given me the chance to meet many amazing authors, agents, and editors from all over. Everyone’s been so generous with their time and knowledge, and I’ve learned a ton. It’s honestly been a real blessing.

What's the story behind this photo?

I grew up on a farm in Kansas. My dad raised and broke horses, so we owned lots of horses over the years. I showed horses for AQHA (American Quarter Horse Association) and in 4-H. The horse pictured was my pony, Dolly. (Dolly is NOT a quarter horse!) I was older when I showed the "big horses." I'm about nine there.

What’s next for Stephanie?

I’m busy working on some adult fiction projects. I’ve got a couple of cozy mystery series that I’m anxious to pitch. I still love kidlit, but I’m ready for some new adventures. I believe that trying new genres helps me grow as both an author and a person.

And Way-Word Writers is gearing up to offer a bunch of great workshops and events to help writers polish their manuscripts and meet their dream agents and editors. I’m looking forward to helping other writers get their books published! You can check out our first event here –www.way-wordwriters.com/events/

Please list any social media you care to share:

www.way-wordwriters.com

www.stephaniebearce.com

FB @stephaniemowrybearce

IG @stephaniemowrybearce

X @stephaniebearce

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@WayWordWriters