blog — carolina pedraza

Hello!

Back in January of this year, I wrote a blog post about my favorite Podcasts. I have been meaning to write a second one because I have slowly added a few more that I listen to while I'm out for a walk or drawing (I can't listen and write at the same time. My brain can't handle processing so much language at the same time!), or in the car with our kiddo..

Here they are...hope you will find all of them or most of them, as worthwhile as I do.

3 Point Perspective: The Illustration Podcast

Hosts: Will Terry, Children's Book Illustrator (@willterry333), Lee White, Illustrator (@Art_Lee_White) and Jake Parker, Illustrator, Writer & Teacher (@mrjakeparker)

Will's website

Lee's website

Jake's website

Society of Visual Storytelling website (@SVSLearn)

3 Point Perspective on iTunes

Fuse 8 n' Kate

Hosts: Betsy Bird, Collection Development Manager at Evanston Public Library (@FuseEight) & Kate Ramsey, Betsy's sister (and so much more, I'm sure, I just couldn't find it!)

Betsy's blog on SJL

Betsy's website

Fuse 8 n' Kate on iTunes

STEM Read

Hosts: Gillian King-Cargile, Founder & Director of STEM Read (@gkingcargile) and Dr. Kristin Brynteson, Engineer and Educator (@kbrynteson)

Dr. Brynteson's website

STEM Read Northern Illinois University website

STEM Read Podcast on NPR

STEM Read on iTunes

Shipping & Handling

Hosts: Bridget Smith, Literary Agent at Dunham Literary Inc. (@bredalot) & Jennifer Udden, Literary Agent at Barry Goldblatt Literary (@suddenlyjen)

Shipping & Handling website

Bridget's profile

Jennifer's profile

Jennifer's blog

Shipping & Handling on iTunes

Story Makers Podcast

Hosts: Elizabeth Stark, Author, Lead Coach and Teacher at the Book Writing World (@Elizabeth_Stark) and Angie Powers, Writer and Filmmaker (@kipprsnak)

Book Writing World website

Angie's website

Story Markers Podcast's website

Story Makers Podcast on iTunes

TED Radio Hour

Host: Guy Raz, Journalist, Correspondent and Radio Host (@guyraz)

TED Radio Hour on NPR (@TEDRadioHour)

TED Radio Hour on TED

TED Radio Hour on iTunes

Wow In the World

Hosts: Mindy Thomas, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Tinkerer at Tinkercast (@AbsolutelyMindy) and Guy Raz, Journalist, Correspondent and Radio Host (@guyraz)

Tinkercast website

Wow In the World on NPR (@wowintheworld)

Wow in the World on iTunes

PW Kid Cast: Publishers Weekly PW Kid Cast

Host: Emma Kantor, Associate Children's Book Editor at Publishers Weekly (@emkantor)

Publisher's Weekly website (@PublishersWkly)

Enjoy!

I’ve never been good with change. I’m in no way paralyzed by it; I think I just have a slight level of fear of it. I focus on who I’m leaving behind or what I’m losing. However, I must say that I love the moment when I stop and realize what I’ve gained from change—in my case, a cross-country move from the East Coast to the Pacific Northwest.

As an aspiring author and children’s book illustrator, I can’t help but think that thanks to and since moving to Seattle I have found, what feels like a more approachable, disciplined, informed, inspiring path to be on to write and illustrate. We moved in the summer of 2016. In the fall of that year, I joined the Writing for Children Certificate program at the University of Washington. Taught by writer Jolie Steckly, it was such a useful and fun program that allowed students for eight months to be readers, writers, creators, critics, agent searchers and editors. Jolie helped us prepare for pitches and round-table critiques before attending the Western Washington SCBWI Conference, and she invited many authors and illustrators to come talk to us and answer our questions.

When that ended, my main goal was to think of a way that several of my classmates and I could work together by starting a writing/critique group. And lo and behold, one year later, in the fall of 2017, our group began with 5 members, all from that class. A few months later, we invited a 6th member to join us. Having our writing group has been fantastic, and none of this would have happened without change.

Although the Certificate program ended (and sadly now it's not offered in the same format), one way I’ve continue to learn more about Children’s books is by going to author and illustrator events here in Seattle and in Portland, OR. There’s a surprisingly (to me) active Children’s Book community in this area, and I’m loving it! Another way I’ve been learning a whole lot is from podcasts. My husband introduced me to podcasts a little while back, and little by little I’ve been adding to my list of subscriptions. So, here I want to share with you what I’ve been listening to (in no particular order). If you have any additional suggestions on KidLit podcasts, I’d love to know about them…

Stories Unbound

Host: Shawna JC Tenney, Author & Illustrator (@shawnajctenney)

Shawna's website

Stories Unbound on iTunes

All The Wonders: The Children's Book Podcast

Host: Matthew Winner, Elementary Library Media Specialist & Author (@MatthewWinner)

Matthew's website

All The Wonders website

All The Wonders on iTunes

Books Between Podcast: Helping you connect kids between 8-12 to books they will love

Host: Corinna Allen, 5th Grade Teacher (@corrinaaallen)

Books Between website