AT THE KID TABLE

Oh hi there! Yes, it is true; we are in August already. How is your summer going? If you find yourself feeling a strange combination of exhaustion and anxious energy, you aren’t alone. But I hope you are feeling like one of the strong blackberries growing on the bush I pass on my daily walk, or the happy, swimming seal I saw the other day, or like that first taste of a popsicle when it is a millio...

Oh hi there! I hope you’ve had a lovely week. I’m happy to tell you that after our bat encounter , we’ve officially finished the full rabies treatment plan (a series of four different vaccine sessions). All that’s left is the bill (dun dun dun). But I don’t want to think about that right now, so let’s get to the kid table vibe of the week and learn some things from the great Arnold Lobel instead....

Oh hi there! How are you? I hope your week was a little more normal than mine because have I got a doozy of a kid table vibe for you. Let’s just get right into it (and follow it with the amazing things I learned from the great Judy Blume). The kid table vibe of the week is… Note: You can listen to this entire newsletter as a podcast above or read it below. A bat in the cave (a.k.a. my bedroom) Whe...

Oh hi there! This month, I hope you’ve been marching to the beat of your own drum with a hint of madness. So far my March has been filled with exciting art style epiphanies for my second picture book, a gal pal party, some Jason Reynolds inspiration, and kid table vibes like… Note: You can listen to this entire newsletter as a podcast or read it below. Saying the wrong thing at the wrong time Many...

Oh hi there! How is your February going? You know, I thought February would feel less sloggy than January, but I’ve struggled all month to do basic things like eat and sleep. It is times like these that I need to remind myself to take life a little less seriously and enjoy the small moments which brings me to the kid table vibe of the week… Note: You can listen to this entire newsletter as a podca...

Oh hi there! I just want to say thanks for all the support you showed me for the HOW TO PEE YOUR PANTS (THE RIGHT WAY) cover reveal last week. Today I’m revealing the answers to the two truths and a lie poll and sharing my super embarrassing pee pants story! The big green button has never peed its pants but it has done a lot of empathy work so I know it is there for me. That time I peed my pants (...

Oh hi there! Thank you so much for opening this newsletter today because I’m sharing something very dear to my heart: MY DEBUT COVER REVEAL! If you will permit me to make this an “experience,” we’re going to start with an appetizer that gradually builds to the BIG REVEAL main course. And finish with a lil’ behind-the-scenes dessert. Sound good? Let’s get this feast going! Note: You can listen to t...

Oh hi there! Is it just me or did January feel like a million year slog? Normally I start the year with “Let’s make this awesome!” energy, but 2024 has begun with more of a “Let’s make sure we actually get out of bed” energy. Luckily my focus on cultivating kid table vibes has energized me on the challenging days. Just in case you need a little boost as well, here are some great kid table vibes fr...

Oh hi there! I hope your week is off to a great start. If it isn’t, I’ve got some great kid table vibes for you. If it is, I’ve STILL got some great kid table vibes for you. This week, I’m seeing: Excitement about the little things I’m so excited because I’m writing this while standing up. Why? Because I finally found the perfect stand up desk that doesn’t cost a million dollars! (Did you know the...

Oh hi there! I’ve got some great kid table vibes for you. You ready? The forecast for this week is — holds finger in the air to check the currents— FROLICKING I’m trying to get to know my new home and my favorite way to do that is to frolic through the magical trees. On Monday, we visited Scenic Beach State Park since it was free for the holiday. You can see the water peeking out from behind us. N...

Today we get to sit next to Canadian nature enthusiast, cat lover, and children’s book author-illustrator Celia Krampien! Throughout our chat, I felt inspired by Celia’s learner mindset. She said she often doesn’t feel good at things at first but her “quiet stubbornness” gives her the confidence that she can always learn to do better. In this episode, she shares:  * How she found the courage to tr...

This week AT THE KID TABLE we sit next to animated film lover, board gamer, cut paper collagist, and children’s book author-illustrator Breanna Carzoo! In this episode, Breanna shares: * How a mislabelled shy kid who loved acting chose courage instead of fear to pursue a passion for storytelling * The inspiration behind her beloved LOU and upcoming GREENLIGHT about powerless inanimate objects who...

We had so much fun chatting with author-illustrator Isabella Kung. Her books NO FUZZBALL and NO SNOWBAL L are hilarious read-alouds full of cat personality. I highly recommend purchasing these books from your local independent bookstore. One of my favorite quotes from Isabella is: “The more I am brave enough to explore and have fun, the more my inner child emerges.” Isn’t that beautiful? We also t...

Hi there, I have some exciting news. AT THE KID TABLE is now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts ! You can now listen here on substack and/or subscribe wherever you usually listen to podcasts. In this episode, award-winning children’s book author Stephen Briseño chats with us about: * Eating menudo and other delicious Mexican food at the kid table with his family * Discovering writing as a safe way to e...

In this episode, children’s book debut author-illustrator Marietta Apollonio chatted with me about: * How miraculous it is that kids made it through the 80s * How boredom (like selling mattresses at a mattress store) leads to creativity * The importance of being supported by a community and giving back when good things happen * Feeling your feelings after rejection before diving in to learn from i...

Hello there! I’ve been thinking a lot about friendship and how much of a struggle it’s been my whole life. I always thought I was just bad at it. But the more I share my experiences, the more I learn that EVERYONE struggles with friendships. Kids. Teens. Adults. Maybe even you? So I decided to dedicate this newsletter to the frustrations and beauty of friendships. Share some of my vulnerable momen...

Hi there, Exciting things are happening over here on the podcast including NEW INTRO AND OUTRO MUSIC ( whiskey geraldine rocks!) and BETTER SOUND QUALITY . I’ll continue learning and improving as I go :) In this episode, children’s book author-illustrator Mark Hoffmann chatted with us about: * How art didn’t feel like a potential career until a few wonderful teachers opened his eyes to the possibi...

Hello there! I hope your January was fantastic and that you found ways to navigate any winter blues. This week I have so many exciting things to share with you! I quit my day job You may or may not know that I’ve been working as a writer in the tech industry for a handful of years. I’ve been called a technical writer, documentation specialist, content writer, UX writer, product writer—tech industr...

In this episode, debut author Angela Pham Krans talks about how: * Responsibility and boredom inspired her creativity as a kid * Story inspiration knocked when she was in the middle of a professional training * BIG MAGIC and support from other creators gave her the courage to call herself a writer * She protected her creativity by continuing to say it out loud, finding community, and celebrating s...

Hi there! I know this is a bit late, but we are still in January so it still counts: happy 2023! Instead of making resolutions, I like to squish an entire year into a day. It sounds stressful, but it’s actually the opposite. I approach it in three ways. Here is the audio version of this newsletter if you want to listen to it like a podcast: Make a collage I spend the first day of the year collagin...

Happy November! For me, this time of year is magical and stressful and beautiful and sad all at the same time. Part of that complicated package is my family. I didn’t see my family reflected in books as a kid. I’ve got a biological father side I don’t know very well, a mom and stepdad, adopted dad and stepmom, one sister and 15 step-siblings, multiple sets of grandparents and aunts and uncles and...