Jenny Manzer talks about how The Glass Castle inspired here middle grade novel

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole talks to Jenny Manzer. Jenny's book, Picture a Girl, was a finalist for the 2025 Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize. In their conversation, Jenny talks about how the book The Glass Castle inspire her middle grade novel, Picture a Girl. She also talks about the research she did on surfing so that she could confidently write about surfing in the novel. For more about Picture a Girl: https://bcyukonbookprizes.com/project/picture-a-girl/ To view the 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prizes shortlists: bcyukonbookprizes.com/2025/04/10/bc-…sts-announced/ ABOUT JENNY MANZER: Jenny Manzer is the author of Save Me, Kurt Cobain and My Life as a Diamond, which was shortlisted for numerous awards, including the Diamond Willow Award, Chocolate Lily Award, Victoria Children’s Book Prize and the Silver Birch Award. She has a degree in creative writing and was a finalist for the 2013 CBC Creative Nonfiction Prize, one of Canada’s most prestigious literary competitions. She lives with her family in Victoria, British Columbia. ABOUT MEGAN COLE: Megan Cole the Interim Executive Director for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. She is also a writer based on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation. Megan writes creative nonfiction and has had essays published in Chatelaine, This Magazine, The Puritan, Untethered, and more. She has her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of King's College and is working her first book. Find out more about Megan at megancolewriter.com ABOUT THE PODCAST: Writing the Coast is recorded and produced on the traditional territory of the Tla'amin Nation. As a settler on these lands, Megan Cole finds opportunities to learn and listen to the stories from those whose land was stolen. Writing the Coast is a recorded series of conversations, readings, and insights into the work of the writers, illustrators, and creators whose books are nominated for the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. We'll also check in on people in the writing community who are supporting books, writers and readers every day. The podcast is produced and hosted by Megan Cole.