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Send a text In this episode, hosts Beth McMullen and Lisa Schmid welcome back author and literacy advocate Fleur Bradley. The discussion centers on the importance of mysteries in keeping kids reading, the structural "nuts and bolts" of writing for middle grade (MG) versus young adult (YA) audiences, and the release of Bradley’s new craft book designed to help writers navigate the genre. Get A Clue is available for preorder right now! Releases April 7th. Key Discussion Points Addressing ...
Play Latest EpisodeSend a text In this episode, hosts Beth McMullen and Lisa Schmid welcome back author and literacy advocate Fleur Bradley. The discussion centers on the importance of mysteries in keeping kids reading, the structural "nuts and bolts" of writing for middle grade (MG) versus young adult (YA) audiences…
Send a text Episode Summary In this Season 5 bonus episode, Beth McMullen and Lisa Schmid clear out their "insanely long" laundry list of burning topics. The duo discusses the restorative power of community, starting with Lisa’s wildly successful brewery book swap on Reading Street. They dive into …
Send a text In this session, Beth and Lisa critique the opening of "Beyond the Moon," a middle-grade contemporary manuscript. The discussion focuses on refining the "hook," establishing a consistent tone, and leveraging character relationships to engage readers immediately. Key Critique Points Esta…
Send us a text Is your inbox is bursting with slop from bots and scammers? In this "Ask Beth & Lisa" episode, we tackle the explosion of predatory emails—from fake "Silent Book Clubs" to fraudulent Amazon publishing offers—aimed at unsuspecting writers. We discuss why these emails are a weird s…
Send us a text Episode Summary What does it actually take to get a non-fiction book published in today's market? In this episode, literary agent and author Alia Hanna Habib pulls back the curtain on the publishing industry. Alia shares insights from her new book, Take It From Me, a practical guide …
Send us a text Note: For the most up-to-date information on Erin’s submission status, interests, and availability, visit https://erincaseywestin.com. Episode Summary In this episode of Writers With Wrinkles, Beth McMullen and Lisa Schmid talk with Erin Casey Westin, associate agent at Galt & Za…
In our latest episode of Writers with Wrinkles, we were thrilled to welcome back author and literacy advocate Fleur Bradley. Fleur joined us to dive deep into the world of middle grade (MG) and young adult (YA) mysteries, sharing her expert ins…
In our latest Season 5 bonus episode, we decided it was finally time to clear out our "insanely long" laundry list of burning topics. From the magic of local book swaps to the shifting landscape of digital hangouts, we’re diving into how to fi…
Mastering the Middle Grade Opening: Lessons from "Beyond the Moon"Capturing the attention of a middle-grade reader is a unique challenge. You aren’t just competing with other books; you’re competing with short attention spans, school s…
Author
Beth McMullen is the author of the Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls series , the Lola Benko, Treasure Hunter series, and The Secret of the Storm series (Aladdin/S&S).
She is also the author of the Spy Mom series (Hyperion).
Beth lives in Northern California with her husband, kids, and very grumpy cats. She's obsessed with podcasts and might give up writing in order to have more time to listen. Could happen.
