The Storyteller's Shelf Podcast

The Storyteller's Shelf Podcast
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Books

Children’s books, writing, and publishing through conversations with authors, editors, illustrators, librarians, and publishers. Hosts Theresa Villarreal and Jackie Garcia-Morales share practical advice for kidlit creators and help readers discover books and the people behind them. Led by two neurodiverse Latinx women, The Storyteller’s Shelf Podcast champions diverse voices and aspiring creatives. Follow for new interviews. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheStorytellersShelfPodcast

  1. 10h ago

    Meg Medina & Kate Fletcher: How Children’s Books Get Published

    How does a manuscript become a children’s book? Newbery Medalist Meg Medina and her longtime editor, Kate Fletcher, executive editorial director at Candlewick Press, share the trust, revision, and collaboration behind their books. Join our free newsletter for guest news, writing resources, and upcoming opportunities—and get our children’s book publishers directory:https://thestorytellersshelfpodcast.eo.page/sc8hsFollow The Storyteller’s Shelf Podcast in your listening app, and watch, like, and subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheStorytellersShelfPodcast Hosts Theresa Maria Villarreal and Jackie Garcia-Morales explore how Tía Isa Wants a Car began their partnership, what goes into book acquisitions and advances, and why the right editorial relationship matters. Hear Meg’s advice on revision and protecting your voice, Kate’s guidance for aspiring editors, and a preview of Meg’s 2027 projects, including My Roller Skates. KEEP WRITING WITH US• Storyrise: Plan, write, and revise your manuscript with our free writing studio. Explore a Storyrise Cloud subscription for collaboration and more: https://getstoryrise.com/• Educational Library: Purchase on-demand writing, publishing, and book marketing workshops: https://thestorytellersshelfpodcast.com/educational_library/• Romance writers: Enter LOVE AT FIRST WRITE, our NovembeRISE 2026 romance opening-chapter contest. Deadline: November 30, 2026. Entry details and eligibility: https://events.getstoryrise.com/• Harney & Sons Fine Teas: Find your next reading or writing companion: https://www.harney.com/discount/STORYTELLERSAffiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission from purchases through our Harney & Sons link, at no additional cost to you. EXPLORE MOREMeg’s books: https://megmedina.com/Our website: https://thestorytellersshelfpodcast.com/All our links: https://linktr.ee/thestorytellersshelfpodcastFind The Storyteller’s Shelf Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, Amazon Music, and more.

  2. Sep 17

    Megan McDonald: A Life of Books, Libraries & Unforgettable Characters

    Megan McDonald, author of Judy Moody, Stink, Bunny and Clyde, and The Fairy Door Diaries, joins The Storyteller’s Shelf Podcast to share how she went from children’s librarian to beloved children’s book author. Megan takes us back to her childhood visits to a traveling bookmobile and the library story hour that inspired her first published picture book. She also shares how growing up with four older sisters influenced Judy Moody, how she develops memorable characters, and what she has learned from writing picture books, chapter books, and novels for young readers. We also talk about rejection, perseverance, working with editors, and the difference the right book can make in a child’s life. Plus, Megan introduces us to her newer adventures, including Bunny and Clyde: On the Lamb and Eliza and the Hobgoblins from The Fairy Door Diaries. WRITERS: Could your first chapter make readers fall in love? Enter the Storyrise LOVE AT FIRST WRITE Romance Writing Contest for YA, New Adult, and Adult romance. Cloud members enter free, and early-bird entry is $8 through October 31, 2026. Contest details:https://events.getstoryrise.com/ Write your next story with Storyrise:https://getstoryrise.com Learn more about The Storyteller’s Shelf Podcast:https://thestorytellersshelfpodcast.com Save on Harney & Sons Fine Teas through our affiliate link:https://www.harney.com/discount/STORYTELLER

  3. Aug 18

    Carl Lennertz of the Children’s Book Council on Literacy & Author Marketing

    How do books find their readers? Carl Lennertz, Executive Director of the Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader, talks about bookselling, publishing, literacy, and helping children discover books. Prefer to watch? Watch the full interview on YouTube. Follow The Storyteller’s Shelf Podcast for conversations with authors, editors, and publishing professionals. Episode notes and resources For Carl, it still comes down to people. We discuss the work behind Children’s Book Week and Get Caught Reading, and the importance of teachers, librarians, and booksellers in bringing stories to young readers. We also talk about representation, book bans, social media, SEO, and what authors can do to help their books get noticed. Carl shares his “coffee tour” approach to connecting with bookstores and explains why, in an industry with no guaranteed formula, writers must remember to “write for the love.” Explore resources, programs, and news from the Children’s Book Council. Discover Children’s Book Week, Get Caught Reading, and other Every Child a Reader programs. Romance writers, explore Storyrise writing events.

  4. Season 2 Trailer

    Plan Your Story, Find Your People, Keep Writing | Meet Storyrise

    Writing a book takes more than a blank page. You need somewhere to keep track of the characters, timelines, locations, and small details that will matter several chapters later. You also need the motivation to keep showing up, especially on the days when the words are not coming easily. That is where Storyrise comes in. In this episode, we introduce Atlas, Storyrise’s visual planning space for mapping characters, timelines, locations, and the connections that hold a story together. We also talk about live writing sprints, where authors can write alongside other writers, build momentum, and make progress without feeling like they are doing everything alone. At the heart of Storyrise is community. It is a place where writers can connect, share their work with beta readers and editors, join writing events, and find encouragement while finishing their books. Storyrise was built by writers, for writers, to bring story planning, writing tools, feedback, and community into one place. Learn more at GetStoryrise.com.

  5. Jul 14

    What Children’s Book Editors Look for in Submissions with Tyiana Combs

    What makes a children’s book editor want to keep reading, and why might a strong manuscript still receive a rejection? Tyiana Combs, Associate Editor at Penguine Workshop, joins The Storyteller’s Shelf Podcast to discuss what editors look for in picture books, early readers, middle grade, and young adult submissions. She also shares what debut authors can expect from the editorial process, how editors and authors collaborate during revision, current children’s publishing trends, and how writers can build resilience through rejection. ✍️ FIND YOUR WRITING CIRCLE WITH STORYRISE Storyrise is our writing platform, built by authors for authors who want more than a blank page. Draft and organize your manuscript, plan characters and plot threads, share chapters with beta readers, join live writing sprints, explore alternate revisions, and prepare your story for publication. Start with Storyrise’s free writing studio, and try Cloud free for 14 days. The writing studio stays free; Cloud is an optional $5-a-month membership after the trial: https://getstoryrise.com 📚 EXPLORE MORE FROM THE STORYTELLER’S SHELF Find The Storytellers Educational Library, both Storytellers Marketing Mastery Summits and downloadable materials, our 40 Best Gifts for Book Lovers guide, publishing resources, and more: https://linktr.ee/thestorytellersshelfpodcast 🫖 HARNEY & SONS FINE TEAS Make your next reading or writing session cozier with Harney & Sons Fine Teas: https://www.harney.com/discount/STORYTELLER 🔗 AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE The Harney & Sons link is an affiliate link. Our gift guide may also contain affiliate links, including Amazon links. We may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

  6. Season 2 Trailer

    Teaser: Penguin Random House Editor Tyiana Combs on KidLit, Revision & Publishing Advice

    This is a teaser for our upcoming July episode of The Storyteller’s Shelf Podcast featuring Tyiana Combs, Associate Editor at Penguin Workshop. In the full conversation, Tyiana talks about children’s publishing, the editorial process, what can make a submission stand out, why editors sometimes pass, how stories grow through revision, and why writers should keep going through rejection. She also shares insight from working across picture books, readers, middle grade, and YA. The full episode releases this July. Find Storyrise, podcast updates, summit resources, our shop page, and more here:https://linktr.ee/thestorytellersshelfpodcast

  7. Jun 2 ·  Bonus

    Marketing Mastery Summit — Past Event Announcement

    This is an archived announcement for the 2026 Marketing Mastery Summit. The event has ended, and registration and early-bird offers mentioned in this recording are no longer current. The summit focused on book marketing, publicity, author branding, social media, and helping readers discover your work. Looking for writing and publishing resources? Visit our educational library. Watch our author and publishing interviews on YouTube. Prefer to listen on your phone or in the car? Follow The Storyteller’s Shelf Podcast here on Spotify for new interviews.

  8. May 23 ·  Bonus

    Carl Lennertz from Children's Book Council on What’s Ahead for Children’s Books

    As we continue Season 2 of The Storyteller’s Shelf Podcast, we’re sharing more conversations with people who care deeply about children’s books, publishing, literacy, and the stories reaching young readers. In this reel, Carl Lennertz of the Children’s Book Council gives a preview of the kind of insight listeners can expect this season. And in the meantime, if you haven’t signed up for the Storytellers Marketing Mastery Summit, this is one you don’t want to miss. Summit: https://summit.getstoryrise.com/

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About

Children’s books, writing, and publishing through conversations with authors, editors, illustrators, librarians, and publishers. Hosts Theresa Villarreal and Jackie Garcia-Morales share practical advice for kidlit creators and help readers discover books and the people behind them. Led by two neurodiverse Latinx women, The Storyteller’s Shelf Podcast champions diverse voices and aspiring creatives. Follow for new interviews. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheStorytellersShelfPodcast

Information

  • Creator
    The Storyteller's Shelf Podcast
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    67
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Storyteller's Shelf Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Storyteller's Shelf Podcast

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