12 x 12 Picture Book Podcast

You've got a friend in me! In this episode, Kelli Panique chats with Kari Lavelle (pronounced CAR-EE) and Lindsay Leslie. Their writing friendship began when they were both just starting to write picture books, bloomed as they critiqued each other's work, and continues to blossom as they do author visits together! Could having an author visit partner be the key to your success? Find out how this p...

Hook, hook, does your book have enough hooks? In this episode, Julie gives an overview of picture book hooks and why they are so important in today's children's publishing market.   Here's what you'll discover in this episode:  The importance of having multiple hooks in your picture book manuscript The influence of the publishing market on hooks The definition of hooks in picture books Why agents...

Author Debbie Davey won a spot on the podcast by donating to Publishing for Minnesota! (Thank you, Debbie!) In this episode, Debbie shares her experience with self-publishing two picture books. Here's what you'll discover in this episode:  Why she chose to self-publish What company she used to self-publish How she sold her books Where she found her illustrator Whether or not it's okay to use AI Wh...

The Flintstones meet the Jetsons! It's our first-ever crossover episode! The 12 x 12 Picture Book Podcast is just one of the hats that Julie Hedlund and Kelli Panique wear. A couple other hats they wear are Picture Book Summit and the Picture Book Summit Podcast. Picture Book Summit is an annual online writing conference designed specifically for picture book writers and illustrators. Everything t...

This past April, Julie went to Italy (her favorite country) to attend The Bologna Children's Book Fair for the first time in five years. It was fantastico, stupendo, bellissima! While in the land of la dolce vita, Julie roamed the Fair with microphones and talked to other kidlit creators on the scene. Have you ever wondered whether you should attend Bologna? Take a listen and find out! So much ins...

Author and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) Chief Content Officer Lee Wind has always advocated for books that help marginalized kids and teens, especially those on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, navigate life. In this episode, he talks about his concerns, recently shared in a School Library Journal article , about the chilling effect the current book banning and censorship campaigns are hav...

Meet Carren Jao , one of the passionate co-leaders of the 12 x 12 Asian Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (ANHPI) Affinity Group. Ellen Lee was unable to join us for this conversation, but please visit her website, too. Together, these women have created a warm, welcoming, educational "community within the community" in 12 x 12. Not surprisingly, many incredible picture books have been published by...

Award-winning children's author Heidi E.Y. Stemple joins co-hosts Julie and Kelli to celebrate her latest picture book releases and to talk about why backmatter is so important for picture books (and when it's not).     Listen in to discover: How Heidi got to 50 published books (and counting) The pressure and privilege of being Jane Yolen's daughter Why Heidi got a tattoo of her mother's signature...

Meet stand-up comedian, actress, TV writer, audiobook narrator, and picture book author Jorjeana Marie , here on the 12 x 12 Picture Book Writing Podcast to discuss using improv techniques to write humorous, character-driven picture books. Jorjeana shares her background and why she's drawn to picture books through character, heart, and humor, then outlines key improv "rules" and games she applies...

G'day, Mates! Our fearless leader, Julie Hedlund, recently returned from a month down under in Australia. Of course, there were stunning beaches and beautiful sights to see, but what we really want the tea on are the bookshops, libraries, and other fun literary adventures! (Seriously!) Julie discovered a vibrant book scene in Sydney, and she's ready to dish. Listen in to discover: What took Julie...

Inspired by Joy in Storytelling Newbery Award-Winning Rajani LaRocca shares personal insights into her writing, including when she started writing, when she came back to it, what she loves about writing in different genres, and how joy fuels her creative endeavors. Listen in to discover: The original spark for her picture book SOME OF US The importance of sharing our citizenship stories. Surprisin...

Keila V. Dawson has partnered with fellow creatives Jeanette Bradley and Lindsay Metcalf to tell the stories of young activists through the power of poetry.  No Voice Too Small,   No World Too Big , and  No Brain The Same  feature kids and teens making a difference for our planet. Keila and her team picked a different poet to celebrate this extraordinary individuals and the results are incredibly...

Write what you love Michelle Cusolito's love for writing nonfiction picture books is palpable and, we dare say, contagious. In this episode, she generously shares her process, where her ideas have come from, and how she follows the muse—even when she's on deadline for a different project.  No matter what you write, Michelle's interview is a good reminder to write what you love... because that's wh...

Where Picture Book Biographies and Poetry Come Together The National Poetry Month celebration continues! 12 x 12 charter member, poet, and author Lisa Rogers shares how poetry comes into play when writing picture books—even picture book biographies. In this episode, you'll discover: What it's like to be a poet and write a picture book about a poet How she finds the emotional throughline in her sto...

Let's celebrate poetry! Welcome to National Poetry Month! We begin the celebration with one of our favorite poets AND poetry teachers, author Renee LaTulippe. Renee shares why she loves poetry and how, over her career, she's worked to help others understand and use poetry techniques in their own work. In this episode, you'll discover: How Renee helped set our 12 x 12 poetry elves up for success Wh...

What does a bookseller want book creators to know? Welcome to our first After-Party! After-parties will be a semi-regular feature on the 12 x 12 Picture Book Podcast, where we'll take some time after a 12 x 12 webinar to dive a little deeper into something the speaker talked about or maybe ask a few questions we didn't get to during the live webinar. Our first after-party guest is author-illustrat...

Why would a picture book author write a graphic novel? Why not? Author (and Charter 12 x 12 member ) Marcie Colleen shares how curiosity (and the willingness to say yes) led her to reach beyond picture books and into the world of chapter books—and most recently, graphic novels for young readers. Marcie shares her journey to writing graphic novels (even though she's not an illustrator) and what she...

What's the silver lining of having a broken arm? While Julie is away, Kelli will play! Kelli is taking over the podcast today. And, just like writing, an idea starts in one place, and then life smacks you down, and you have to head in a different direction. She didn't intend to break her arm/shoulder and do an episode about it, but when life gives you lemons, make lemon drop martinis! You'll disco...

In celebration of Women's History Month, Julie Hedlund interviews author Caroline Perry and they discuss their picture book biographies of two extraordinary women: Queen Elizabeth II and Julie Andrews. What led them to write about such famous people? What were the challenges of writing about a person who's still alive? What do they wish they had known when they started writing picture book bios? F...

Julie Hedlund and Kelli Panique enjoy a delightful conversation with author Marzieh Abbas. Marzieh has over 40 published books for kids, from board books to middle grade. In our discussion, she elaborates on her journey from professional baker to award-winning author. Marzieh's story is so inspirational. Come be inspired to create your own successful writing journey. You'll discover: How 12 x 12 p...

Can young readers handle difficult topics? Author Leah Schanke thinks so. It's just one of the reasons she wrote her debut picture book, Freedom at Dawn: Robert Smalls's Voyage Out of Slavery . In this interview, Leah Schanke and Kelli Panique celebrate Black History Month by shining a light on how she discovered the story of this book and the steps she took to bring it to life—including tips for...

Author Kirsten W. Larson and Julie Hedlund discuss the joy of writing nonfiction, including:  Why Kirsten loves writing nonfiction for young readers Where her writing process starts The difference between primary and secondary sources Why Kirsten loves the 12 x 12 community  What it means for her to be a 12 x 12 Elf The advice she has for newer writers and seasoned writers How she pushes through u...

We begin our Black History Month celebration with 12 x 12 member and author Valerie Bolling, who talks about reinventing her writing as a means to expand on her love of writing picture books and reach more young readers. In this interview, we get to dive into all the ways Valerie keeps growing and challenging herself to write different types of stories—and we hope she challenges you along the way....

Are you in the submission trenches? Co-Founders of The Complete Picture Book Submissions System Emma Walton Hamilton and Julie Hedlund share their submission expertise to help you write better query letters! What you'll discover: Tips for submitting your manuscript to agents or editors A template for writing your pitch The person who reads your query first (It may not be who you think it is...) Th...

Join the fun as Julie Hedlund interviews our first-ever podcast guest: agent Adria Goetz of KT Literary!  What you'll discover: How Adria became an agent What editors are looking for (and NOT looking for) in today's market The importance of market entry points and hooks The top 3 booksellers in the United States How to make your work stand out in a tough market Why Adria keeps coming back to 12 x...