Feb 19

Feb 19 Episode #51: Coincidences!

The BFF’s are back and they’re talking about the fun topic of coincidences! Listen to this podcast and hear some of their favorite coincidences from life in the publishing/writing/illustrating world and from their personal lives.

What’s new?

Grace has been busy not with traveling as much these days but preparing for the Mulan book launch party! This is super exciting because the Disney movie will be released next month as well. She has also been busy getting her new podcast off the ground called Kids Ask Authors! If you have any contributions you would like to make or want to see what its all about, feel free to check out the website kidsaskauthors.com currently in progress! In another daunting task, Grace has been feeling the pressure of signing her daughter up for camps this summer and is amazed how many of them are completely full already…in February!

Alvina has been busy with performance reviews at work and a little bit of work traveling. She just returned from a refreshing work retreat called Kindling Words. It was very relaxing as she didn’t have to prepare for any speeches or presentations. She is also speaking soon at the SCBWI conference so she has been busy preparing for that.

Coincidences!

Alvina had no trigger warning that one coincidental time that she was watching the “Late Night” movie, and noticed that one of the scenes took place in her old Brooklyn apartment that she used to live in with her late husband Greg. Of all the apartments to film in Brooklyn…wow! Alvina brings up the debate about whether there actually are coincidences or is it just synchronicity? After all, if you surround yourself with like-minded people then it makes sense that you would see them out in the world in the same time at the same place. (the timing would have to be lined-up perfectly of course).

Grace recalls the coincidence of her parallel life with Jarett Krosoczka! They attended RISD together, lived down the street from each other in Boston, and now both live in Western Mass. as authors and illustrators. Grace and Alvina also have that similar type of coincidence as well because they grew up together, both had husbands that died from the same type of cancer, and are both in book careers.

What about when you run into people from your past? Is this a coincidence or simply just synchronicity? Both Grace and Alvina have stories lately of running into Asian-American women that they grew up with (There were only a few Asian families in New Hartford, NY at the time) and coincidentally, they are also in the author/illustrator and publishing world. Grace heard that those who tend to go into creative fields are people that felt a need to be seen, heard, or understood for who they are not for their labels. For this reason, she is saying it would make sense that the other Asian-American women they grew up with are in the same industry.

When Alvina looked up “How to Get into Publishing” on the internet way back in the day, she came across Harold Underdown’s website and later came to find out that he was Grace’s editor for her first published picture book, The Ugly Vegetables!

What are we grateful for?

Grace is grateful for Disney for giving her the opportunity to write the Mulan book and so thankful because it will help get her books into a little more of the mainstream. It has been such a positive experience so far.

Alvin is thankful for the children’s book community and how supportive and fun it is. She has been going to many work events lately and the best part about them is connecting with others..either people she has met in the past or meeting wonderful new colleagues.

2-Minute Book Review by Alison Morris:

The book is called, If Rocks Could Sing:A Discovered Alphabet, by Leslie McGuirk

“This simple, accessible, endearing book is a win for alphabet lovers, geology fans, and for anyone who finds joy in the little things.”

Alison Morris is a nationally recognized children's book buyer with an infectious enthusiasm for reading and 20 years' experience matching books to readers. As the Senior Director of Title Selection for nonprofit First Book, she oversees the curation of children’s and young adult books on the First Book Marketplace, hand-selecting a diverse range of titles that speak to and address the needs of kids in underserved communities, with a keen eye to inclusion, authenticity, and kid-appeal. She previously served as Senior Editor at

Scholastic Book Clubs, Children's Book Buyer for Wellesley Booksmith and The Dartmouth Bookstore, and was the founding blogger of the ShelfTalker children’s book blog for Publishers Weekly. She'll be joining us from her home near Washington, DC where she spends LOTS of time discussing books with her husband, illustrator and graphic novelist Gareth Hinds.