World…meet Shira and Esther

Something very exciting has been happening; the ARCs (advanced reader copies) of my book SHIRA AND ESTHER’S DOUBLE DREAM DEBUT are making their way into the world! After working on a book for years and years (and years) it’s been pretty fantastic to finally have people read it.

I’m grateful for the reception that Shira and Esther have found. On Instagram, Ari’s Book Addiction posted a lovely review for Jewish American Heritage Month. You can view that here!

That caught the eye of Afoma over at the blog Reading Middle Grade, and she included Shira and Esther in a list of 25 Best Jewish Middle-Grade Books. The post features “middle grade books by Jewish authors about Jewish kids,” where the character’s Jewish identity is integral to the story. Thank you, Afoma for recognizing the need for this representation! Sign up for her Friday Kidlit Newsletter with weekly roundups, kidlit resources, and more.

Are you a bookstagram influencer, podcast producer, or blog editor who focuses on children’s books and/or Jewish representation? I’d love to introduce you to Shira and Esther! Please leave me a note on the contact page and I’ll let my publicist know you need an ARC too. And if you discover Shira and Esther on the internet or IRL, please leave a message or tag me @annawritedraw!

Poetry Friday? It’s Poetry Month! (But you knew that.)

Around the blogosphere, there have fantastic posts all month about April, National Poetry Month. If you haven’t been privy to the wealth of words please see this 2023 National Poetry Month Kidlitosphere Roundup from the incomparable Jama Rattigan on her fantastic blog, Jama’s Alphabet Soup.

As with many celebratory “months,” I firmly believe that poetry should be enjoyed all year round–read it, write it, buy it! Here are a few of new few of my new favorite purchases.

I’m a huge fan of Dr. William Carlos Williams, and I’ve slipped this tiny red volume in my bag to go with me everywhere and anytime I need a poem. Place is so important to Williams; he has a knack for specific details about everyday things that change how you see your surroundings.

The Path to Kindness, is an anthology to pick up when you need a moment of sunshine in an otherwise dark world. In “Grandmother,” Kate Duignan writes of the bond forged over separated eggs when making a cake. Julia Alvarez’s contribution includes “Love Portions,” about the balance and imbalance of relationships and domestic work. Each poem, as mentioned in the subtitle, illuminates connection and joy.

Dorothy Parker keeps it light with mostly rhymed verse in Enough Rope. Parker lived from 1893-1967. Many of the poems have a turn-of-the-century sensibility.

EXPERIENCE
Some men break your heart in two,
Some men fawn and flatter,
Some men never look at you;
And that cleans up the matter.

Love Poems (for Anxious People) by John Kenney is entirely modern and hilarious. Titles of the poems include: “Here comes someone whose name I should know,” “A friend hasn’t texted me back yet and I am totally fine with that,” and “To the man on his phone at 7-Eleven who bumped into me and spilled iced coffee on my pants and said, “Whoops,” and then walked away.” I couldn’t stop laughing. These are poems that you finish and you can’t help but laugh at the you you see in the poem.

While these are all poems written for the adult market, I would be remiss if I didn’t take this poetry month moment to remind you of my poems in the anthology, The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-to Poems, which include “Playin’ Jacks” and “Fireworks.” This Pup Steps Up for the youngest readers also features an extended poem with rhymed couplets. Pick yours up today and happy Poetry Month!

A Knish is Love Part 2: The origin of the sticker

Did you read part 1? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. In my last post, I unveiled my fun new sticker from the fictional Morty’s Deli in my upcoming middle-grade book, SHIRA AND ESTHER’S DOUBLE DREAM DEBUT, on sale October 10, 2023. The sticker and a signed book is available to those who preorder the book from my local independent bookstore, Politics & Prose. Do that now! I’ll wait.

The sticker’s origin is a quote from the book:

A sign on the door says best knishes in idylldale. What? It’s not bragging if it’s the truth—and if there’s one thing you want from a deli man, it’s the truth.

Morty in SHIRA AND ESTHER’S DOUBLE DREAM DEBUT by Anna E. Jordan

But where is Idylldale and what is a knish? For the first question, I don’t want to steal my narrator’s thunder. I’ll simply say that Idylldale is the setting in the novel. It’s part Manhattan’s Lower East Side and part Catskill Mountains Borscht Belt resort (see below for a map of vintage Jewish Resorts and Hotels).

Jewish food and culture tie these two geographical regions together. Every culture has its filled pastry: dumplings, bao, meat pies, and Jewish culture has the knish. As Morty, the deli owner, says in my book:

Kinder. You already know that when you are very, very hungry, almost anything—with the exception of liverwurst with onions—tastes good. But Morty’s knish is not just anything. Did I already say they are the best in Idylldale? What? You never had a knish? Imagine the lightest, fluffiest mashed potatoes wrapped in a piecrust and baked to perfection. You got it? Yes? No. It’s not like that at all. A knish is better than a fluffy biscuit, better than a melt-in-your-mouth donut, a knish is love.

Morty in SHIRA AND ESTHER’S DOUBLE DREAM DEBUT by Anna E. Jordan

A Knish is Love Part 1: Reasons to Preorder my book!

If you’ve been following along, you know that I recently received my advanced reader copies for my middle-grade debut novel, SHIRA AND ESTHER’S DOUBLE DREAM DEBUT. The book won’t be in your bookstore until October 10, 2023, but here are a few good reasons why you should preorder yours now.

  • We’ve all seen what happens when the supply chain is interrupted. When there is unexpected demand, it can take a long time for production to catch up. When you preorder, the publishing company can gauge demand for the book and order accordingly.
  • A successful preorder campaign creates buzz for a book and builds anticipation for the launch. Especially if you, the consumer, posts about your purchase and support!
  • Sales of foreign rights and other rights are more likely to be successful if the book has buzz.
  • Independent bookstores often purchase only one or two copies of a book (especially from a debut author) if they are unsure how it will do. If you order from your local independent bookstore now, they will have guaranteed sales and a reason to order more!
  • Finally, if you order from MY local independent bookstore, Politics & Prose, I will sign your book and add in a fun sticker from the fictional Morty’s Deli! Here’s the link to order SHIRA AND ESTHER’S DOUBLE DREAM DEBUT from Politics & Prose!

What? You don’t know what a knish is? Stay tuned!

Book Covers, ARCs, and Author Photos…Oh, my!

Remember how my last post promised updates? Here they are!

First, my ARCs (advanced reader copies) came in the mail from Chronicle Books and I was excited enough to try an Instagram reel speaking direct-to-camera. Uncomfortable? Perhaps. Authentic? Definitely. Please follow me there @annawritedraw

I had a blast sitting for my author photos with National Geographic photographer, Becky Hale. Because I knew her in another capacity, I felt very comfortable and she turned out photo after photo that were just stunning. Here’s one of my favorites. I’m so grateful!

Credit: Becky Hale

The ARCs don’t have the final book cover, but I’m thrilled to share that with you today. Illustrator Marco Guadalupi created this fun cover that captures both the similarities and differences of Shira and Esther. I love how he subtly transmits Shira’s vigor and Esther’s studiousness. The Idylldale tenements and the story landmarks of the theater, The Heights, and the synagogue all become a theatrical background framed by the canned spotlights and the title marquee. More on the cover soon!

After so many years of working on the manuscript for SHIRA AND ESTHER’S DOUBLE DREAM DEBUT, it’s amazing to see the book–the thing that people will hold in their hands and actually read– becoming a reality. If you preorder the book from my local indie bookstore, Politics and Prose, you’ll get a signed book and additional swag! The book is also available for preorder anywhere you buy books.

Shana Tova: 5783

Happy New Year to any who celebrate. If you don’t, feel free to borrow this Jewish autumnal opportunity to take stock of the last year, make amends, and start with a blank slate.

Today, I received a notice from LiveJournal celebrating my blogging beginnings 16-years ago. That blog traveled from LiveJournal to Blogger to WordPress, and the whole time, I imagined that I was “building a platform” of possible readers who might buy some dream-of-a-book in the future. In January of 2021, when Chronicle Books bought my middle grade manuscript, that once-mythical-moment became a reality, and I’m excited to give you a little insight on the publishing journey for my Fall 2023 debut.

Originally, the book was going to be launched this year, but with Covid, a death in my family, a move, and a new teaching job, I knew I couldn’t keep up with the pace. Chronicle was kind enough to allow me to postpone.

I’ve been so lucky to work with two fabulous editors who have guided me through a few revisions. From macro to micro, each revision was focussed and each created a manuscript that was better than the previous draft.

In copy edits, I’ve worked with the Chronicle team to make each word sparkle.

The other day I got to look at cover ideas. *squee* Like that moment in a pregnancy when you actually start showing, it began to feel very real. At this point, the book has gone through a variety of titles, and we’ve landed on SHIRA AND ESTHER’S DOUBLE DREAM DEBUT. What a perfect way to encapsulate this Prince-and-the-Pauper-meets-Mrs. Maisel book about two identical girls who swap places to fulfill their dreams.

Even though I am a woman of many words, I can’t really explain how joyful this process has been. The respect that I’ve felt from the team is amazing.

By the time 5784 rolls around, I’ll be a published novelist. I hope you’ll continue on this journey with me.

Breakfast at the Bird Feeder

At 6 am it’s the coolest time of the day. I try to spend as much time outside before the DC area humidity gets me, and there’s no other option except siesta, so I’ve been taking my tea and oatmeal on my balcony. The space is large enough for a couple of chairs, a side stool, and a few plants. I added a birdfeeder this year and I love it.

Mostly, there are sparrows brown and delicate, but there’s also the sweetest Tufted Titmouse. His little downy blue-grey mohawk and big black eyes speak to me. The house finches, males have this beautiful scarlet cap and breast. They mob the feeder and devour the seed. There’s a mating pair of Cardinals, orange beaks cracking sunflower seeds. I also love the White-breasted Nuthatch who hops up the building clinging to the bricks, waiting for his turn. At the feeder, he dips his long thin beak into the seed.

Of course, the big guys want a piece of the action. There’s a red-bellied woodpecker, which doesn’t actually have a red belly but a red cap and white belly. Its black tail is dotted and dashed with white like Morse code come to life. There are Blue Jays who scream at the smaller birds and drive them away. A Mourning Dove who has only visited a few times, and a huge crow who perched on the hook holding the feeder this morning. (I cawed at him to leave the seed for the smaller birds and he complied.)

The whole time, Rothko (my cat) crouches inside, tip of tail flicking in anticipation of a kill that never comes.

Rothko stalking the balcony bird feeder.

How do you eat a whale?

I’m in the copy editing stage of the publishing process for my book SHIRA AND ESTHER DOUBLE THE WONDER. My middle-grade debut novel launches Fall 2023 from Chronicle Books.

Perhaps because of the heat, my attention is not as focused as usual. Like a squirrel, I skitter from one thing to another—foraging, cleaning, social media, videos, playing with Rothko the cat, and back to the work at hand before something else shiny catches my eye. I’ve been waiting and working for this moment for the last 20 years and yet, I’m procrastinating.

One show that I’ve been obsessively procrastinating with is Home Town Takeover with Ben (a cuddly bear of a man who can make anything out of wood) and Erin (pixie-dream-girl, and artist extraordinaire) Napier. The premise of this show (in case you don’t know) is that they have chosen one town to revitalize. Ostensibly, the show is about remodeling buildings but REALLY it is about leadership, economics, transportation policy, marketing and community. The Napiers often reflect on the massive task they’ve taken on with the question: How do you eat a whale? The answer of course is: One bite at a time.

Back to copy edits. Enjoy this excerpt of the poem “The Whale,” by Joseph Edwards Carpenter.

The Whale
by Joseph Edwards Carpenter

1

Oh! the whale is free of the boundless sea
He lives for a thousand years;
He sinks to rest in the billows breast,
Nor the roughest tempest fears:
The howling blast as it hurries past,
Is music to lull him to sleep,
And he scatters the spray in his boisterous play,
As he dashes the king of the deep.
Oh! the rare old whale, ‘mid storm and gale,
In his ocean home shall be,
A giant in might, where might is right
And kind of the boundless sea!

Book Review Wednesday: Jumper by Melanie Crowder

Blair Scott is in her second season as a wildland firefighter when the Forest Service puts out a call for an additional class of smokejumpers. She and her best friend Jason both apply, though neither expects to get in since they’re only nineteen. But it’s been a devastating fire season, and they are both accepted. But going to training camp is only the first step—everyone expects the teenage rookies will wash out in the first week. Blair has always been touchy about people telling her she isn’t good enough, so she begins taking unnecessary risks to prove herself. It doesn’t take long before everything spins out of control, leaving Blair struggling to cope. 

Penguin Random House (2022)

There are very few YA books that I read in a day, but Melanie Crowder’s JUMPER wouldn’t let me go. Perhaps it was the characters. Blair Scott is a young woman with a medical secret. A daughter driven to achieve everything with her body when her mother would prefer she be careful and cautious. Aunt Cate, a single, smart, scientific, woman who lives in the woods. Jason. Ah. Sweet, strong, incredible Jason. All of us want a friend like Jason. Two smart, salty, veteran firefighting instructors and a cadre of firefighting candidates, each with their own carefully drawn personalities and experiences.

Perhaps it was the setting and the action. The textures of Montana range, mountains, and forests are beautifully drawn on the page. It is a ripped-from-the-headlines setting where Blair and Jason train to contain and fight fires that most of us would run from. But, the big fires aren’t the only ones burning and they aren’t the focus for Blair, Jason, and their smoke-jumper colleagues. The smoke-jumpers parachute into the woods to tamp out and contain smaller, hard-to-get-to fires. Crowder keeps the reader on the edge of their comfy reading cushion as the firefighters strategize to battle the intensity of the flames while keeping their egos and personal struggles in check.

Perhaps what kept me reading was the structure. For an East Coast reader, a lot of this was new information, but Crowder had that covered as well. Careful and intentional insertions of firefighting orders, “watchouts,” and vocabulary kept me informed and foreshadowed the action, urging me on.

Perhaps it was the timeliness. In just the last couple of weeks, four fires have broken out in Montana and in a California heat wave, the Oak Fire in Yosemite (the photos in this TIME magazine article are jaw-dropping) expanded to 28 square miles (19,000 acres). Climate change has expanded the fire season so much that for some places, there’s no more season at all. Fires happen all. The. Time. (Take a look at this fire and smoke map.) Upon finishing the book, I ran into this tweet reminding us that those who run toward the fires to save our lives and property are often volunteers and underpaid workers.

But wait…I can’t forget the emotional arcs of each of the characters. Crowder writes emotion so well. You’re going to swoon, you’re going to cry, you’re going to be destroyed in all the best ways.

Get the book. Just get the book.

Poetry Friday: Empty Nesting

Purchase at your local independent bookstore or through my Bookshop link.

It’s been a long time since I spoke about mothering. Mommy blogs as a genre seem to satisfy their purpose once a child has become an adult. And yet, I am still a mother. With two sons, I’ve experienced everything twice. They each left for college but came back for holidays and vacations. Then they each finished college and set up nests of their own.

This last time handed me a gut punch I wasn’t really expecting. After all, we had already navigated long stretches away from each other, serious girlfriends, a pandemic separation (when we all agreed they’d be better with Dad in Maine then with me in NYC), and weekly phone calls that became more occasional. I’ve learned I cannot control their day-to-day health and safety (much less my own). I understand not only that I’ve given them all I could, but also, that they are fine humans whom I trust completely.

However, I had those moments, maybe you’ve had them too, where you look at the young man before you, and perhaps the light shifts, and you see a flicker of them as the small child they once were. And then it’s gone.

This poem from Laura Foley in the poetry anthology THE PATH TO KINDNESS: POEMS OF CONNECTION AND JOY (p.76 Edited by James Crews, Storey Publishing, 2022) captures my experience.

Laura Foley
A PERFECT ARC
I remember the first time he dove.
He was five and we were at a swimming pool
and I said: you tip your head down as you are going in,
while your feet go up.

And then his lithe little body did it exactly right,
a perfect dive, sliding downward, arcing without a wave,
and I just stood
amazed and without words
as his blond head came up again
and today

I watched him for the longest time as he walked
firm and upright along the street,
with backpack, guitar, all he needs,
blossoming outward in a perfect arc,
a graceful turning
away from me.