The Bookshop at the End of the Internet

Author Merriam Saunders discusses her two children’s picture books, My Wandering, Dreaming Mind and My Whirling, Twirling Motor. Merriam also has a middle grade novel releasing in 2021. While all of the books feature characters with ADHD, it is not the only thing Merriam writes about – but it is one thing she is passionate about. Merriam is a licensed family therapist specializing in ADHD, and she sees her writing for young readers...

Author Joseph Mazerac discusses his novel, Into the Attic of the World. It’s the story of a normal kid named Charles who is invited by a boy called Captain Kid on an amazing adventure across other realities and into the Attic of the World. Joseph began his writing journey as an artist creating graphic novels. When his story ideas became too big for the graphic novel form, he began writing full-length novels. You can hear Joseph rea...

Author Laurie Wallmark discusses her picture book biographies about women in STEM. The women in Laurie’s books are pioneers in fields ranging from computer science to mathematics to astronomy. Her latest book is Numbers in Motion: Sophie Kowalevski, Queen of Mathematics. Laurie has always loved math and is a former computer software engineer and professor. Now, she channels her passion into writing, finding ways to explain difficul...

Author Darlene Beck-Jacobson discusses her latest middle grade novel, Wishes, Dares and How to Stand Up to a Bully. It is a coming of age story about losing a family member, summer vacation, learning how to be brave and a fish who grants wishes. It's Darlene’s first novel in verse, and she found the experience of fashioning a story out of the poems she wrote to be both intriguing and joyful. Darlene chats about discovering her ...

Author Diane Barnes discusses her latest novel titled, More Than. Ms. Magazine named it one of the best feminist books to curl up with. More Than, like her other novels, is about relationships. In particular, it is a story about the power of female friendships. Diane has considered herself a writer since the second grade. Always fascinated by relationships, whether its friendship, romance or the relationship we have with ourselves,...

Author Alanna Ritchie discusses her newest work, Beach City: A Memoire of a 19 Year-Old Cali Girl. The book is an homage to growing up in SoCal and grappling with coming of age angst and excitement. It's a story of the narrator’s transition from girl to woman while trying to proclaim who she is and what she wants. Alanna always wanted to write books, and she started writing Beach City over a summer while in college. Seventeen y...

Author/illustrator Timothy Young discusses his children’s picture books, the latest of which is curiously titled, “Untitled.” Some of his others include I’m Looking for a Monster and I Hate Picture Books!, which lovingly pokes fun at some classics of children’s literature. Tim has been an animator, toy designer and illustrator. While always an artist, Tim was never very confident as writer when he was a kid, so he is the first to a...

Author Terri Wangard discusses her newest release titled, Roll Back the Clouds. It is a story that takes place during WWI on the ill-fated, final voyage of the Lusitania in 1915. Terri has published other historical fiction novels as well, including a series set during WWII. Terri has always been a writer, a lover of libraries and a student of history. She has degrees in both history and library science, and she puts them to good u...

Author Jillian Bradfield discusses her two guided journals for teens and preteens -- Write on Girl! and Write on Boy! These journals contain writing prompts and coloring pages designed to engage, encourage and motivate girls and boys to make smart decisions and express themselves through journaling. Jillian was inspired to create these journals based on her own teenage journaling experience, and her overall goal is to get young adu...

Award-winning author J.R. Sharp discusses his newest release, Breaking From the Enemy, a story of family, honor, love and freedom-fighting in Italy during WWII. It is the first book in a trilogy, and it follows on from J.R.’s debut work, Feeding the Enemy, based on his own family stories in northern Italy during WWII. J.R. discusses the real-life inspiration for some of his characters and the lessons he learned from interviewing hi...

Nicole Tadgell is an award-winning children’s picture book illustrator. Nicole’s lovely illustrations have filled the pages of more than 30 books for children, including her most recent book, Tiara’s Hat Parade. Nicole has always been an artist, taking easily to drawing and painting as a kid. Illustrating children’s picture books is a passion, and Nicole uses her talents to help books come to life for young readers. She has even be...

Award-winning author Yvonne Ventresca discusses her two young adult novels—Pandemic and Black Flowers, White Lies—and her most recent short story, which appears in a new anthology titled, Voyagers: The Third Ghost. Yvonne’s writing journey began with nonfiction works and technical writing, but she eventually transitioned to fiction and hasn’t looked back. Her debut novel, Pandemic, is certainly relevant at the moment. It is the sto...

Freelance editor Jessica Hatch discusses her journey through the publishing world, some common mistakes that authors tend to make, and the various types of edits that a book goes through on its way to being published. Jessica got her start in publishing in the hallowed halls of some of New York City’s biggest publishing institutions. Today, she puts her knowledge and experience to good use helping her clients edit and revise their ...

Author Lauren Kerstein discusses her debut children’s picture book, Rosie the Dragon and Charlie Make Waves. It is a story about the challenges of teaching a dragon how to swim, and it’s the result of Lauren’s writing efforts during National Picture Book Writing Week. Lauren played with different story structures and drew on her own experiences as a therapist and swim team mom to create a story about having courage and learning new...

Author Megan Kinney discusses her debut novel, Dakota Peace. It is the story of a 911 dispatcher struggling with burnout who meets a South Dakota state trooper searching for a kidnapped foster child. In writing this novel, Megan drew upon her own experiences as a foster parent and law enforcement wife. She discusses what she learned when she spent several hours in the 911 dispatch center as part of her research and why writing this...

Author Shaun O. Smith discusses his newest book, Shaun O. Smith: A Collection of Poems. This self-titled work contains poems that are designed to invite the reader to see what Shaun sees when he looks himself in the mirror. Shaun’s poems show us who he is, both as a poet and as a person. This collection is filled with the philosophical, existential and emotional ideas that Shaun walks around with on a daily basis, with a dash of hu...

Author Patti Stockdale discusses her debut novel, Three Little Things. Inspiration for the book came from a collection of love letters her grandparents exchanged during WWI. The box of letters was given to Patti when she needed a project for a college writing course. Three Little Things is the story of forbidden love. As Arno goes off to war in Europe, Hattie stays behind in Iowa. The young pair exchange letters during the Great Wa...

Author Donna Schlachter discusses her historical mysteries, including her latest book titled, Double Jeopardy. Donna loves a good mystery and has written her own in both novella collections and full-length novels. Tune in to hear Donna discuss her writing journey, how she strikes a balance between planting red herrings and not leading the reader too far astray, and how the best writing advice she ever received involved her husband ...

Talia Carner, award-winning author of historical fiction based upon true, but little-known facts, discusses her newest release, The Third Daughter. It is the story of a young woman lured from Russia to Buenos Aries in the late 1800’s by a false promise of marriage, only to find herself forced into prostitution by a legally-sanctioned union of traffickers called the Zwi Migdal. Talia’s books involve social issues that feel as releva...