Minorities In Publishing

Jenn spoke with scholarly publishing employees Celine and T (in marketing and sales, respectively) about their personal experiences as people of color within their work place, the necessity and also the push back of creating a diversity committee, and how microaggressions on the job have made it hard to retain marginalized employees. [Transcription of this episode will be available on the podcast Tumblr 'Episodes' tab.]

Jenn speaks with author Lilliam Rivera (The Education of Margot Sanchez, Dealing in Dreams) about the hardships of writing short fiction, how she wrote her debut YA novel, incorporating social justice elements in her work, and character development, along with being a born & raised New Yorker. [Transcription of this episode can be found on the Episodes tab on the podcast Tumblr.]

[This interview was conducted via Skype so there may be some audio variation.] Content Warning: This episode contains discussion on sexual and emotional assault. Jenn speaks with Peter Gajdics (Inheritance of Shame) about the struggles to write his memoir on conversion therapy, the experience and outcomes of writing a trauma narrative, and the exploration of shame as well as reconciling with being able to heal after experiencing and writing about one's own and others' experiences.  

In the latest episode Jenn speaks with James Han Mattson (The Lost Prayers of Ricky Graves) about his time in the Iowa Writers' Workshop, the pathway to publication, how the It Gets Better campaign inspired his current book, and the reality of what publishing (and life) is like for People of Color.

On September 27, 2017, YPL National Book Award finalist Ibi Zoboi and author of The Jumbies Tracey Baptiste celebrated the launch of the follow-up to Tracey's critically acclaimed book with Rise of the Jumbies. They spoke of Black female representation, particularly in mythology versus folklore and the importance of telling these stories to children via oral traditions as well as the roles relegated to women in these stories in the manifestations of "good" and "evil."

Jenn speaks with marketing associates Jalissa Corrie (Lee & Low Books) and Bianca Salvant (Atria Books/37 Ink) about their respective roles in book marketing. They shed light on the differences between marketing and publicity, the importance of rounding out representative teams in their departments and in sales, and the difference in pursuits when it comes to indie publishers and Big 5 imprints. Transcription of this episode is available on the Episodes tab on the podcast Tumblr.

The latest episode welcomes editor at Macmillan's Imprint and author Rhoda Belleza (Empress of a Thousand Skies and Blood of a Thousand Stars). She and Jenn spoke about her entry into publishing via working for a book packager, how she draws a line between her editorial life and writing life, and breaking into the science fiction genre as an author of YA and a women of color. Transcription of this episode can be found on the Episodes page of the podcast's Tumblr, available later this week.

[This interview was conducted via Google Hangouts so there may be some audio variation.] Jenn speaks with Morgan Jerkins (This Will Be My Undoing) about her debut book that releases today(!), the hardships she found getting a foot in the door in publishing, Black women empowerment, how to properly pitch an editor, and how she wrote personal material that is also self-reflective in This Will Be My Undoing. [Transcription of this episode can be found on the MiP Podcast 'Episodes' page.]

[This interview was conducted via Skype, so there may be some audio variation.] On the first episode of 2018, Jenn speaks with artist/musician/writer Arigon Starr (Super Indian) about her ongoing comic book Super Indian, the tenacity & passion it takes to pursue the arts, and how previous jobs helped her learn to better market and create her work.  Transcript of this interview can be found on the Tumblr Episodes page.

[This episode was conducted via Skype so there may be some audio variation.] Jenn speaks with cartoonist Nidhi Chanani (Pashmina) about her debut graphic novel, using art as a form of resistance and utilizing happiness to enhance awareness, and how committing oneself to art means perseverance. Transcription of this episode will be available on the Episodes page of the podcast Tumblr.

Jenn speaks with author/illustrator Vashti Harrison (Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History) about her fast paced trajectory as a published author, her paths in film and illustration, and the work behind her upcoming book to represent so many Black legends.   Transcript can be found on the 'Episodes' page of the podcast's Tumblr site. 

[This interview was conducted via Skype and there may be some audio variation.] Jenn speaks with Shade Mountain Press publisher and author Rosalie Morales Kearns (Kingdom of Women, Virgins and Tricksters) to discuss the role Catholicism has played in her writing (and most notably her new novel), why she started a feminist indie press, and intersectional feminism. The transcript of this interview will be linked to on the podcast's Episode page.

[This interview was conducted via Skype, so there may be some audio variation.] Jenn speaks with Nicole Blades (Have You Met Nora?, Earth's Waters, The Thunder Beneath Us and the Hey Sis! podcast) about her new novel, the prevalence of colorism, and how she utilizes her experience in journalism in her fiction writing. A transcript of this episode can be found on the Episodes page of the podcast Tumblr account. 

[This interview was conducted via Skype so there will be some audio variation.] In the latest episode Jenn speaks with Nic Stone (Dear Martin) about how she came to write her debut, her experiences writing other marginalized identities, the fundamental necessity of critical thought in seeing progress, and her personal aesthetic when it comes to cosmetics and other creative outlets. Transcript of this episode can be found on the 'Episodes' page of the Podcast Tumblr site.

[This interview was conducted via Skype.] Jenn speaks with this year's National Book Award YPL longlist nominee Samantha Mabry (All the Wind in the World and A Fierce and Subtle Poison) about her new book with Algonquin Young Readers and being recognized for the #NBAwards, learning from students as a college instructor, and the Dallas literary scene.  The transcript of this episode can be found on the Tumblr episode page.

[This interview was conducted via phone and edited/amplified, so there may be some audio variation.] Jenn speaks with National Book Award winner, and recent longlist nominee, Jesmyn Ward about her new novel Sing, Unburied Sing; the work that went into her NYT bestselling anthology The Fire This Time, and societal influence on the aging and demonization of Black children. 

Jenn speaks with author David Barclay Moore (The Stars Beneath Our Feet) about his trajectory from the Missouri to New York City, the healing capacity of the arts, his new middle grade book, and what he found to be the differences--from a craft perspective--between middle grade, young adult, and adult literature as a cross genre artist. 

[This interview was conducted via phone, post-editing may retain some audio variation.] In the 3-year anniversary episode of the Minorities in Publishing podcast, Jenn interviews author Jenny Zhang (Sour Heart; Dear Jenny, We Are All Find; The Selected) about her road to publication post-MFA program for her debut story collection, entering the poetry scene to gain community, and also taking stock of what a writer should look for when it comes to representation and publication.   

In the latest episode, Jenn speaks with author and diversity advocate Madhuri Pavamani (The Sanctum Trilogy) about her newly published books in The Keeper Series with St. Martin's Press, being a woman of color writing about people of color in genres (fantasy & romance) that have a dearth of those reputations, as well as how she divides her time between writing and being a practicing lawyer.

On the latest episode Jenn speaks with literary agent Saba Sulaiman about how she got into agenting and who may be a fit for this role in the industry, being a parent of a young child while navigating your career, and being an advocate at this time in the industry.