KidLit Summer Camp Day 4
Welcome to Day 4! Don’t worry if you haven’t been able to watch the previous interviews. They’ll be available through June 18. Watch Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 when you can.
Each of today’s interviews will take us deeper into a specific aspect of the writing craft.
Author and book coach Stuart Wakefield offers some tips for digging deeper into character by drawing from his theater background. Also, Stuart was incredibly transparent in the struggles we often face as creatives.
Essayist and picture book author Patrice Gopo talks about how to frame a story in a new way in order to reach a new audience. Her picture book, All the Places We Call Home, is based on an essay she had written for adults.
Author and book coach Janet Fox talks about the importance of strong opening pages. Janet has a lot of experience in grabbing readers from page one! She has published PB, MG, and YA across several genres.
You’ll find relevant links below and don’t forget to connect with our guests to let them know what resonated with you!
Ways you can thank our guests for their generosity:
follow and thank them on social media (don’t forget to tag them and you can use #kidlitsummercamp to refer to this event)
buy their books or request your library buy them
leave a positive review for their books, podcasts, YouTube channels, etc.
Stuart Wakefield
Stuart is an Author Accelerator Certified book coach and writer. With 26 years in theatre, broadcast media, and coaching under his belt, he has have a visceral understanding of what makes stories work.
He has an MA (Distinction) in Professional Writing, and his debut novel, Body of Water, was one of ten books long-listed for the Polari First Book Prize. His latest novel, Behind the Seams, was a 2021 BookLife Fiction Prize Contest semifinalist.
He's currently studying a second MA degree in Writing for Script & Screen, and his first TV show is airing on the UK's Channel 4 in 2023.
Connect with Stuart through his website, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Stuart has a YouTube channel, and he hosts the Master Fiction Writing podcast.
Patrice Gopo
Patrice Gopo is an award-winning essayist and the author of books for adults and children. In her work, she often returns to themes of race, immigration, identity formation, and belonging. Her first essay collection, All the Colors We Will See, was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection. Her debut picture book, All the Places We Call Home, was inspired by one of the essays in her collection. When she’s not writing, Patrice hosts the podcast Picture Books Are for Grown-Ups Too! because she believes in the power of stories to help build connections between people. Her second essay collection, Autumn Song: Essays on Absence, is forthcoming in September 2023. Patrice lives with her family in North Carolina, where she enjoys walks just after dawn and thinks a perfect day ends with ice cream.
Connect with Patrice on her website, Instagram, and Facebook.
Patrice hosts the podcast Picture Books are for Grown-Ups Too and she has a newsletter.
Patrice’s books are available in the KidLit Summer Camp book fair.
Janet Fox
Janet Fox is the author of nine books for young readers. Her first book, GET ORGANIZED WITHOUT LOSING IT (Free Spirit 2006 with a new 2017 edition) is a non-fiction self-help guide for middle graders. Her three young adult novels, FAITHFUL, FORGIVEN, and SIRENS (2010-2012, all from Penguin/Puffin) are all historical mysteries set in the U.S. in the early part of the last century. THE CHARMED CHILDREN OF ROOKSKILL CASTLE (Viking 2016) and its companion THE ARTIFACT HUNTERS (Viking 2020) are both middle grade historical fantasies set in Scotland during World War 2. Her debut picture book, VOLCANO DREAMS: A STORY OF YELLOWSTONE (Web of Life 2019, illustrated by Marlo Garnsworthy), is non-fiction featuring the Yellowstone super volcano. A contemporary middle grade novel about homelessness, CARRY ME HOME, is out from Simon & Schuster (2021), and a second picture book, WINTERGARDEN, will be out in 2023 (Neal Porter Books). Janet is a former teacher and has an MFA in writing for children from Vermont College of Fine Arts.
Connect with Janet on her website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Janet hosts a YouTube channel and she has online course offerings for KidLit writers, including her Six Day Story System.
Janet’s books are available in the KidLit Summer Camp book fair.