You May Contribute A Verse

OMG! Aerospace And Birds With Joyce Sweeney!

I’m Brenna Jeanneret, children’s lit author, mother, rock climber, outdoors person, and podcaster joined by Josh Monken, children’s lit author, father, science communicator, and podcaster.
Josh and I have embarked on this kidlit journey together this year, having become critique partners early in the year, only to find that our powers combined could make captain planet. Maybe not, but at least our powers combined can make a pretty good podcast. 
Our guest for this conversation was Joyce Sweeney. You can find Joyce on Twitter or on The Seymour Agency website. 
 
This episode’s ChewyReviewy books:
Garbage Island by Fred Koehler 
If Your Babysitter Is A Bruja by Ana Siqueira illustrated by Irena Freitas
 
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our new quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on Twitter @_maddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com 
Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes you can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com  
Find us on Twitter @joshmonkwords and @brennajeanneret and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!
Thanks and see ya next time. 
You May Contribute a Verse is a homespun production, produced, edited, recorded, conceptualized, and marketed by Josh Monken and Brenna Jeanneret.

VerseShow Archive: Take Your Heart and Make It Art with Samantha Berger! Part 2!

It's Samantha Berger, Part 2! And the end of the #BeforeBrenna times!
One small rumination on genuineness: not only did I wring an hour and a half out of her (today's ep being the latter half of that interrupted conversation), but Samantha Berger followed up, unbidden, with me in one of the most encouraging emails I've ever received. Encouraging both in its content and in the "trails of glitter" consistency of character that Sam showed in bothering to write and send it.
I won't share it here, but I will summarize it because a lot of it was SO consistent with what we're trying for with this podcast.
YOU are uniquely YOU.
Your work is best when it builds on your passion.
Passion worked is passion honed.
Don't let that work become joyless or humorless - keep it light and fun.
No one but you can tell the stories inside you.
You may contribute a verse!

VerseShow Archive: Trails of Glitter with Samantha Berger! Part 1!

The final two #BeforeBrenna episodes air this week and next! This week: Samantha Berger, Part 1.
My first question for this week's episode is this: why do I sound so much more like a Jim-Henson-does-semi-professional-adult-man Muppet voice this time than other interviews? I'm not complaining since part of what we discuss does include Muppets and Sesame Street, but it's striking.
I'm choosing to air this episode in its uncut original entirety, with original Robby Zar theme song and original intro. It was at this point in 2019 that I had begun to hit my stride with the weekly pace and production. I'm proud of the intro and of this early take on more professional production and writing. 
This episode and next week's #BeforeBrenna summer finale got eaten up by my archives, so I'm happy to have a chance to rerelease and share again. Samantha Berger is a bright, shining star, and an inspiration for both hard work and making time to celebrate your community.
Enjoy Samantha Berger's Verse!

VerseShow Archive: Pivot and Diversify with Joyce Wan

This week's episode is a re-air of my 2019 conversation with illustrator and author Joyce Wan!
If you’ve never listened to this episode, it’s a good one. In preparing to rerun it, I rediscovered it. A lot of things went through my head during this relisten. First, a rare glimpse at being completely happy with my creative work. This is a really good conversation and I’m glad of the chance to re-air it.
Two, Joyce has a holistic perspective that we don’t always get to experience. Partially informed by my ignorance into the kidlit world and what it means to be published, I think we manage to go broad and dig deep into aspects of doing
It bears ending on a recognition that we’ve touched on in other conversations, which underpins almost every aspect of this chat with Joyce: children’s books are creativity and a way to reach hearts and build up minds, but they’re also a commodity. Facing that aspect of the business of kidlit can help prepare us for the realities that we’re engaging in an industry that relies on marketability and salability. And we ourselves as creators are commodities as well, in a really important sense.
I really enjoyed relistening to Joyce’s perspective on her career – enjoy Joyce’s verse!

VerseShow Archive: If You Please Everyone You’re Not Doing Something Real with Steve Light

I’m Brenna Jeanneret, children’s lit author, mother, rock climber, outdoors person, and podcaster joined by Josh Monken, children’s lit author, father, science communicator, and podcaster.
Josh and I have embarked on this kidlit journey together this year, having become critique partners early in the year, only to find that our powers combined could make captain planet. Maybe not, but at least our powers combined can make a pretty good podcast. 
Our guest for this conversation was Steve Light. You can find Steve on Twitter and on his website. 
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our new quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on Twitter @_maddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com 
Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes you can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com  
Find us on Twitter @joshmonkwords and @brennajeanneret and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!
Thanks and see ya next time. 
You May Contribute a Verse is a homespun production, produced, edited, recorded, conceptualized, and marketed by Josh Monken and Brenna Jeanneret.
 

VerseShow Archive: Nothing Changes Unless You Change It with Kelly Light

It’s the flipside of the golden ticket this week with one from the archives: author-illustrator Kelly Light!
Way back in 2019 I started a podcast called What It Takes to Make. I thought at the time that my life wasn’t going to have space for the kind of creativity I wanted. I figured I’d use my journalism background to live vicariously through creators of different stripes, from filmmakers to dancers to kidlit authors.
Little did I know, a couple of things transpired as a result of those early efforts. The name changed pretty early, first of all, when I got a takedown notice from another podcast – that was wild.
Second, I couldn’t have anticipated what doing the podcast would do to me. As I was approaching 40 at the time, speaking to other creators around the same age, it lit a fire under me and helped define and focus what I wanted to do with myself. Three years later, here we are, a co-hosted, well-oiled machine, laser-focused on understanding and navigating the complicated kidlit world.
There are some parallels between my experience and Kelly Light’s – some trying things out, some opportunity, some rolling with the punches and adapting. Kelly is a giver and opened a lot of doors for other guests and – to some degree – cemented my interest in more seriously pursuing picture book writing.
We're happy to share today’s conversation – enjoy Kelly Light’s verse from May 2019!

Finding Your Community of Creative Weirdos with Julie Hedlund

I’m Brenna Jeanneret, children’s lit author, mother, rock climber, outdoors person, and podcaster joined by Josh Monken, children’s lit author, father, science communicator, and podcaster.
Josh and I have embarked on this kidlit journey together this year, having become critique partners early in the year, only to find that our powers combined could make captain planet. Maybe not, but at least our powers combined can make a pretty good podcast. 
Our guest for this conversation was Julie Hedlund, founder of 12x12 and co-founder of Picture Book Summit. Find Julie on Twitter,  Instagram, Tic Tok, and her website.
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our new quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on Twitter @_maddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com 
Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes you can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com  
Find us on Twitter @joshmonkwords and @brennajeanneret and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!
Thanks and see ya next time. 
You May Contribute a Verse is a homespun production, produced, edited, recorded, conceptualized, and marketed by Josh Monken and Brenna Jeanneret.
 

A Podcast for CK with CK Malone

Some conversations show you what the world could be – how great we could all have it – if we just give a little more of ourselves or, put another way, place ourselves firmly outside the center of focus.
CK Malone is an educator, author, and giver. They aren’t perfect – we discuss this point in the episode – but what they are and strive to continually be is capital-G Good.
From shouting out those who inspired them to boosting the work of others to praise for those who have made them and their work what they are today, this chat takes a village.
A little context: we recorded this conversation in early April 2022, a few months after CK had hosted an event boosting (future podcast guest) Julie Hedlund’s Over Bear Under Where, and had just completed several hundred manuscript critiques. For free. Generous and gracious is the name of the game.
CK’s debut picture book, A Costume for Charly, comes out this September – make sure to preorder it if you’re able, or ensure your local library stocks a copy when the time comes.
Find out more about CK and their debut A Costume for Charly FIRST by listening to this episode, THEN at their website, carlislemalonebooks.com. Enjoy CK Malone's verse!

Nick Cave is Gonna Be Fine–An Interview with Ally Malinenko

I’m Brenna Jeanneret, children’s lit author, mother, rock climber, outdoors person, and podcaster joined by Josh Monken, children’s lit author, father, science communicator, and podcaster.
Josh and I have embarked on this kidlit journey together this year, having become critique partners early in the year, only to find that our powers combined could make captain planet. Maybe not, but at least our powers combined can make a pretty good podcast. 
Our guest for this conversation was Ally Malinenko, author of Ghost Girl and the upcoming This Appearing House. You can find Ally on Twitter,  Instagram, and her website.
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our new quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on Twitter @_maddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com 
Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes you can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com  
Find us on Twitter @joshmonkwords and @brennajeanneret and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!
Thanks and see ya next time. 
You May Contribute a Verse is a homespun production, produced, edited, recorded, conceptualized, and marketed by Josh Monken and Brenna Jeanneret.

The Gertie Journey with Karen Nespoli

I’m Brenna Jeanneret, children’s lit author, mother, rock climber, outdoors person, and podcaster joined by Josh Monken, children’s lit author, father, science communicator, and podcaster.
Josh and I have embarked on this kidlit journey together this year, having become critique partners early in the year, only to find that our powers combined could make captain planet. Maybe not, but at least our powers combined can make a pretty good podcast. 
Our guest for this conversation was Karen Nespoli, author of Gertie Saves the Day illustrated by Daniela Massironi. The best place to find Karen is on her website. 
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our new quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on Twitter @_maddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com 
Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes you can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com  
Find us on Twitter @joshmonkwords and @brennajeanneret and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!
Thanks and see ya next time. 
You May Contribute a Verse is a homespun production, produced, edited, recorded, conceptualized, and marketed by Josh Monken and Brenna Jeanneret.