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the Book Friends Forever Podcast

Children's book publishing’s secrets are revealed as we listen in on fascinating, unguarded, insider discussion from two uniquely qualified best friends: award-winning author/illustrator Grace Lin, and one of NYC’s top editors, Alvina Ling. Go behind the scenes of kid lit and catch a glimpse of the lives of the best-selling author and editor, and the relationship between them.

Episode #147: Hustle Culture and the Great Resignation!

Episode #147: Hustle Culture and the Great Resignation!

Grace and Alvina talk about hustle culture and how things have changed in the publishing industry since they first got started, and also talk about the Great Resignation and how that has applied to the publishing industry.

Thank you Monique! Monique is the newest Patreon member! There are still some notebooks left that you will receive if you sign up for the Book Friends Forever Patron!

These beautiful notebooks are going fast! Support our podcast by becoming a Patron! For $1 an episode as a Patreon member you will get:

  • A small blank notebook with an illustrated cover (by Grace) inspired by Alvina's Mom quote "If it is to be, it is up to me." (While supplies last!)

  • An opportunity to share your own grateful on our podcast! Send us your grateful as patron and we'll read it on an episode!“How have you been?”

  • Please include your mailing address when you sign up! We will send you the notebook. They’re going FAST!

“How have you been?”

Alvina has been busy with meetings everyday. Meetings, meetings, and more meetings! She is starting to feel the endless e-mail inbox pile up. Grace has also been busy and grateful for Steve Colman, Alvina’s husband, who was able to step in last week and co-host the podcast. (Learn more about him on Episode #146!) Grace has been working on her Legacy Award acceptance speech, the Horn Book Cover, and sadly….dealing with another family chicken that passed away. RIP “Havoc” the chicken.

Hustle culture and The Great Resignation:

Grace and Alvina discuss the older generational ways of hustling, the definition, and how people feel about it today. Grace was writing her Legacy Award speech and realize it was all about working so hard. When she was reading articles about “The Great Resignation” she realized that a speech about working so hard, keeping your nose to the grindstone, etc…etc..would not be reading the room correctly. That kind of work ethic seems to be a thing of the past.

Alvina talks about work ethic in the publishing world and how it has changed from when she started. It used to be that everyone was expected to work long extra hours to get ahead. That is not the case anymore. People seem to seek out a more “work/life balance.” She also talks about working in the pandemic and the ways that has changed for working moms, childless women, and pregnant working women. If the hustle culture is indeed coming to an end, then managers and the older generations need to step in. The workaholic lifestyle is not sustainable. She believes that salary increases and more freedom will keep the younger generations in the workforce. Alvina referenced this article on The Great Resignation being more like “The Great Renegotiation”:

https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2022/01/25/1075115539/the-great-resignation-more-like-the-great-renegotiation

Fortune Cookie Segment:

Grace and Alvina matched their favorite girl scout cookie with their favorite book!

Alvina: Savannah Smiles with Eva Evergreen Semi-Magical Witch by Julie Abe, Do-si-dos with Nancy Drew!

Grace: Do-si-dos with The Mouse and the Motorcyle, Thin Mints with When You Reach Me, Somoas with The Green Glass House, and Trefoils with Anne of Green Gables.

Gratefuls:

Alvina is grateful for Love is Blind 2 show that has been a nice distraction from so much anxiety about the war and other current events.

Grace is grateful for the group of women that she meets with who are very supportive. She’s grateful that she found a dress on ThreadUP for her Legacy Award speech!

Thank You!

*If you’re a patron, don’t forget to check out this week’s Random Questions feed! Authors Greg Neri and Grace Lin answer the random question: “If you had to eat a crayon out of its box, what color would it be?” Click here to listen! If you’re not a patron already, join today!

Thank you for tuning in! Thank you to Hachette Audio, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, and Alex at Pacyworks Studio for producing and editing this podcast. Be sure to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and tell a friend about us. (Use the hashtag #bookfriendsforever.)

  • You can find Alvina @Planetalvina on Twitter and TikTok and @Alvinaling on Instagram

  • You can find Grace @Pacylin on Twitter and Instagram and @gracelinauthor on TikTok and @authorgracelin on Facebook

Episode #148: Childless-ish with Stephen Colman!

Episode #148: Childless-ish with Stephen Colman!

Episode #146: Don't Call Me a Poet! with Stephen Colman

Episode #146: Don't Call Me a Poet! with Stephen Colman