Episode Four features fabulous friend and Writing Barn teaching artist Carmen Oliver, author of Bears Make the Best Reading Buddies and founder of The Booking Biz, a boutique speaking agency, with such esteemed clients as Kwame Alexander, Evan Turk, Arun Gandhi, and Bethany Hegedus.
Our Porchlight conversation with Carmen covers writing picture book text, teaching the picture book and helping writers find their stories hearts, the importance of analysis work and more. We then dive in to Carmen’s career as a literary business person and how and why she formed The Booking Biz (with a big shout out to Kwame Alexander, Carmen’s top client). We discuss writing mentors: Cynthia Leitich Smith, Liz Garton Scanlon, Sarah Aronson and how deep study yields deep results.
For those of you who live in Central Texas, don’t miss the chance to study with Carmen in Perfecting the PB II: Draft, Draft, Drafting beginning 9/15.
Show notes:
Carmen’s class shared on Book Riot by Maya Smart
Kirkus Review of Bears Make the Best Reading Buddies
Bears Make the Best Reading Buddies Book Trailer