Book Friends Forever: Recent Episodes
Alvina and Grace
Children's book publishing’s secrets are revealed as we listen in on fascinating, unguarded, insider discussion from two uniquely qualified best friends: award-winning author/illustrator Grace Lin, and one of NYC’s top editors, Alvina Ling. Go behind the scenes of kid lit and catch a fun glimpse of the lives of the best-selling author and editor, and the relationship between them.
Grace and Alvina talk about common microagressions while acknowledging their own pitfalls. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1. Click here for Grace's Newbery poster
Grace and Alvina welcome special guest Kacen Callender to talk about how authors can practice self-care and self-love, including as pertains to social media. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina talk about supply chain issues in publishing, they discuss some recent publishing news including new imprints and a reality show about writing, and talk about the benefits of getting older, and Alison Morris provides book recommendations. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina have a mid-year review! They look back at their new year's resolutions, both personal resolutions and the goals they had for the BFF podcast. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina discuss the aftermath of ALA Annual, and how they feel in general after an anticipated event is over. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina are recording live together, and welcome special guest Molly Burnham to talk about what it means to have a long gap between publishing books. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina talk about the terrible Hide the Pride movement, recommend some LGBTQIA+ books, discuss WNDB's recent interview with librarians about how they've replaced the hashtag #ownvoices, give some public speaking tips, and Alison Morris provides book recommendations. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina talk about everything they need to do to prepare to attend ALA Annual, where Grace will be accepting the Legacy Award! See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina welcome special guest Ruqayyah Daud, Associate Editor at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. They discuss what is entailed in terms of assisting and how things have changed since Alvina was an assistant. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina discuss the Uvalde mass shooting and talk about how to process loss, the history of gun culture, and how to work towards preventing future mass shootings. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina touch on some recent mass shootings, including the shooting at a Taiwanese Church in Orange County, CA, and talk about Taiwanese identity, including the history of Taiwan. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina talk about the term "model minority" and how Asian Americans are depicted in children's literature, they discuss the revolution of Barnes & Noble, and also talk about what parts of their lives now would their child selves be embarassed by. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina talk about all things music, including their first concerts, their relationship with music as children, and music books. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina talk about the term "imposter syndrome" and whether it should still be used, they talk about their favorite and least favorite narrative types, and how they feel about the world opening up again and how to interact with other people again. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina talk about how to effect change, and whether it's better to try to effect change from inside or outside of an organization. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina welcome special guest Sarah Park Dahlen to discuss her Baker Diversity Lecture on the depiction of Asian characters and eyes in children's books, as well as the APALA rubric to evaluate Asian American children's books. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina talk about all of the "invisible work" and administrative tasks they have to tackle in their lives, and discuss what type of doer they are. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Alvina and Grace talk about the controversies surrounging the movie Turning Red, they talk about author Brandon Sanderson's amazingly successful Kickstarter campaign, and discuss what creative type they are. Alison Morris also shares some book recommendations. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Alvina once again welcomes special guest Stephen Colman to sub in for Grace. They talk about being childless (kind of) at their age, their journey towards not having and raising children, and their discussions about potentially becoming foster parents in the future. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina talk about hustle culture and how things have changed in the publishing industry since they first got started, and also talk about the Great Resignation and how that has applied to the publishing industry. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Alvina welcome special guest (and husband) Stephen Colman to talk about how he became a poet (but don't call him a poet!). See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina talk about the treatment of Chinese and Chinese American athletes at the Winter Olympics, talk about the recent book banning controversies, and then welcome guest Alison Morris to talk about what kind of food textures are their favorites. Alison also shares some book recommendations. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina give their own podcast a performance review! They talk about the last year's highlights and challenges, and their goals for this year. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina share the things in their life that they can't live without, including food, exercise apps, and shoes! See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina talk about how Grace found out that she was the recepient of the Children's Literature Legacy Award! They also talk about the other ALA youth media award winners and how to stay grounded after you do win an award. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina celebrate the Lunar New Year by sharing the story of the 12 animals of the zodiac, talking about the significance of the year of the tiger, and looking back on the last year of the tiger (2010), and getting some book recs! See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina talk about social media and celebrity books, and how fame and followers may or may not equate to book sales. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina share how they did on last year's resolutions, and share some new year's resolutions for 2022. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina share their speeches for the Center for Fiction gala--Grace's introduction of Alvina, and Alvina's acceptance speech for the Medal for Editorial Excellence. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina are walking and talking together in Brooklyn and talking about the highs and lows of 2021. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member:
Grace and Alvina have an odds and ends episode where they discuss so-called Critical Race Theory, the DOJ's case against PRH's purchase of S&S, and audiobooks. Also, Alison Morris stops by with some book recommendations with a gratitude theme. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina discuss award season and how they keep things in perspective both in their professional and personal lives. See complete show notes at . Click here to become a Patreon member: .
Grace and Alvina talk about how they organize their lives, from their daily routines to how they organize their bookshelves. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina discuss market trends, and also talk about the kinds of books they want to see more of. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina have an odds and ends episode where they discuss a Northampton art gallery controversy involving a blind jury, the New York Times Magazine article "Who is the Bad Art Friend", and when self censorship is a good thing. Also, Alison Morris stops by with some holiday gift shopping book recommendations. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina discuss memories, including early childhood memories and nostalgia. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina welcome special guest Rektok Ross to discuss legal considerations for authors, as well as social media tips. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina discuss several issues relating to censorship, including Banned Book Week, an update on the York, PA book ban, the cancellation of the Plum Creek Literary Festival, and "soft" censorship. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina have an odds and ends episode where they discuss various pieces of publishing news, including the book ban controversy in York, PA, and how HMH is being incorporated into HarperCollins. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina give an update on how they've been doing during the pandemic as well as talking about how the publishing industry is faring, including all of the supply chain issues that have been in the news. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina talk about ambition, especially in regards to ambitious women. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina talk about the people and things that have changed their lives. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina talk about the two types of happy people, mistakes they've made on the job, and non-dark books that are also deep. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina discuss everything related to back to school, including any rituals, school visits for Grace, and back to school book recommendations. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina welcome special guest author Donna Freitas to discuss what restorative justice is, and how it might play a role in publishing. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina talk about cancel culture, discuss their experience with intuitive eating, Grace shares her experience trying to translate WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON into Spanish, and Alison Morris shares picture book recommendations. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina check in on their 2021 new year's resolutions. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina share their favorite life hacks in the categories of food, home, work, children, and more. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina share their favorites things, from food to books to flowers. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace welcomes Alvina and her new husband Stephen as guests on this special episode to celebrate their wedding and relationship. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina discuss imposter syndrome for the second time, including techniques to counter it. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina discuss various beliefs about publishing that authors hold, and discuss whether they are true or not. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina discuss different myths about creativity and publishing and dispel them (kind of!). See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member:
Grace and Alvina are joined by Namrata Tripathi, Publisher of Kokila, to talk about names, especially the importance of pronouncing names correctly. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina are together in Northampton, MA and walking and talking about three topics relating to age, including getting older, staying relevant, and what makes a classic. See complete show notes at Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina are joined with author Paula Yoo to discuss her new book From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina discuss various categories and where they fall: for example, morning larks vs night owls, introverts vs extroverts, and more! See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina discuss how words matter, including word choice, bias, and in what you do and do not say. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina discuss publishing news, talk about the things they wish they could experience again for the first time, talk about Twitter and TikTok, and welcome Alison Morris's book recommendations. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Grace and Alvina discuss all the things they've failed at, and also some of the things they chosen to fail at in order to succeed at something else. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina define race and ethnicity and talk about how race is a social construct, and how both identities have continued to shift over time. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina are joined by Kidlit against AAPI racism auction winner Christina C. Wu, and they discuss their relationship with food, from childhood to now. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina catch up on each other's lives and talk about the tragic mass murder in Atlanta and anti-Asian hate. Then they air a conversation between Grace and author Shannon Hale about empathy and the genderizing of children's books. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina check in on their 100-second-a-day for 100 days challenge, talk more about when they had to let go of publishing related things, share three lessons they learned from the pandemic, laugh about things kids misunderstand, and welcome Alison Morris's book recommendations. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina are joined by special guest, author Linda Sue Park. The three of them talk about cultural appropriation and the scarcity myth--the myth that opportunity to be published is now scarce for white authors. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina celebrate the milestone of the 100th episode of the Book Friends Forever podcast! They answer questions that feature the number 100. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina discuss situations and objects that they've had difficulty letting go of. They also touch on recent events including the rising instances of anti-Asian hate crimes in the US. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina discuss the SLJ February cover and cover story controversy, they share their current food obsessions, talk about discovering names for things they didn't realize existed, and welcome Alison Morris to tell us what we should all be reading for Black History Month. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina talk about the upcoming Lunar New Year, how they celebrate as children and now, and what the year of gengzi means. They also talk about Gretchen Rubin's four tendencies, and how knowing your tendency can help you achieve your goals. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina talk about the 2021 Newbery and Caldecott award winners and see how they did with their predictions. They discuss their past award favorites, and discuss the potential effects of the award. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member:
It's BFF's first Chop Suey episode! Grace and Alvina talk about phishing attempts, publishing news, they invite special guest Alison Morris to tell them what they should be reading, and they also share their Caldecott and Newbery predictions. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina welcome special guest Jennifer Laughran, literary agent, and they discuss everything from morality clauses to what makes a good agent-author relationship. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1
Grace and Alvina discuss the results of their podcast survey, and talk about what changes they're planning on making to the podcast in the new year, including starting a Patreon. See complete show notes at .
Happy new year! Grace and Alvina talk about their holiday season and discuss some of their new year's resolutions for 2021, including their words of the year. See complete show notes at .
Grace and Alvina look back on 2020, including their highlights and lowlights, and how they did on their goals and resolutions. See complete shownotes on .
Grace and Alvina discuss what it means to be a midlist book and a midlist author. See complete shownotes at bookfriendsforever.com. Help us by filling out our survey!
Grace and Alvina welcome special guest Alison Morris of First Book to help them with holiday gift book recommendations. Complete shownotes at To visit Grace's etsy shop: TAKE OUR SURVEY: https://surveymonkey.com/r/7CTRPNY
Grace and Alvina talk about times in their lives when negatives turned into positives, and where they've been able to find the silver lining.
Grace and Alvina talk about publishing imprints--what they are, and some of the recent changes in the publishing industry. Complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/ To purchase Grace's 2021 calendar: http://ow.ly/mpHv30r60ya To become a patron of KAA (and also help BFF): https://www.patreon.com/kidasaskauthorspodcast
Grace and Alvina discuss burnout: when they've experienced it, and ways to prevent it, and how to recharge. Complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/ To purchase Grace's 2021 calendar: http://ow.ly/mpHv30r60ya To become a patron of KAA (and also help BFF): https://www.patreon.com/kidasaskauthorspodcast
Grace and Alvina discuss outdated and in some cases racist language and explore the origins of certain words and phrases, and discuss how language keeps changing. Complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/ To purchase Grace's 2021 calendar: http://ow.ly/mpHv30r60ya To become a patron of KAA (and also help BFF): https://www.patreon.com/kidasaskauthorspodcast
Grace and Alvina discuss their experiences voting, including the first time they voted in a presidential election, and how they're helping to get out the vote in 2020. Complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/ To purchase Grace's 2021 calendar: http://ow.ly/mpHv30r60ya To become a patron of KAA (and also help BFF): https://www.patreon.com/kidasaskauthorspodcast
Grace and Alvina discuss the many turning points in their lives, both personal and professional. Complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/ To purchase Grace's 2021 calendar: http://ow.ly/mpHv30r60ya To become a patron of KAA (and also help BFF): https://www.patreon.com/kidasaskauthorspodcast
This is a replay of the second part of the live recording at the Simmons Institute. Grace and Alvina talk about the topic "own voices" and the different ways the term is being used in the industry, and what they think about it. It's complicated! And they end as always with what they're grateful for. This episode originally aired as episode 26 on 8/22/19. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/ *To purchase Grace's 2021 Where the Mountain Meets the Moon trilogy calendar: http://ow.ly/mpHv30r60ya
Grace and Alvina talk with special guest Phoebe Wahl about body positivity, fatphobia, and what the Health at Every Size movement is all about. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/ To purchase Grace's 2021 Where the Mountain Meets the Moon trilogy calendar: http://ow.ly/mpHv30r60ya To become a patron of Kids Ask Authors (and also help BFF):
Grace and Alvina talk with special guest Phoebe Wahl about body positivity, fatphobia, and what the Health at Every Size movement is all about. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/ To purchase Grace's 2021 Where the Mountain Meets the Moon trilogy calendar: http://ow.ly/mpHv30r60ya To become a patron of Kids Ask Authors (and also help BFF): https://www.patreon.com/kidasaskauthorspodcast
Grace and Alvina discuss what it means for a book to underperform, and what an author can do when that happens. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/ To purchase Grace's 2021 Where the Mountain Meets the Moon trilogy calendar: http://ow.ly/mpHv30r60ya To become a patron of Kids Ask Authors (and also help BFF): https://www.patreon.com/kidasaskauthorspodcast
Grace and Alvina discuss their daily routines right now, and try to find more time in Grace's routine for her to work. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/ To purchase Grace's 2021 Where the Mountain Meets the Moon trilogy calendar: http://ow.ly/mpHv30r60ya To become a patron of Kids Ask Authors (and also help BFF): https://www.patreon.com/kidasaskauthorspodcast
Grace and Alvina are joined by guest Siena Konscol, Associate Director of Publicity at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. They discuss what a publicist does, and how that job has changed during the pandemic. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Grace and Alvina answer questions during their keynote for the SCBWI Summer Spectacular. Questions cover topics including imposter syndrome, and how to balance friendship and business. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Grace and Alvina discuss an article about peak sadness, and talk about when their saddest and happiest moments and periods of their lives have been so far. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Grace and Alvina discuss homeschool pods and virtue signaling and being "performative" on social media. See complete shownotes at
Grace and Alvina discuss a listener's question: how to share beloved classic children's books that include racist and sexist scenes or themes with children today. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Inspired by a tweet, Grace and Alvina talk about how they have found a new value in the ability to change one's mind and their own many changed opinions.
Grace and Alvina are joined by author Brendan Kiely to discuss STAMPED by Jason Reynolds and Ibram K. Kendi. This is part two of their discussion. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Grace and Alvina are joined by author Brendan Kiely to discuss STAMPED by Jason Reynolds and Ibram K. Kendi. This is part one of their discussion. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Grace and Alvina are joined by two friends, Heather and Fernando, who are both teachers to discuss remote learning during a pandemic. They also touch on the recent protests and how to talk to kids about race. This is part two. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Grace and Alvina are joined by two friends, Heather and Fernando, who are both teachers to discuss remote learning during a pandemic. They also touch on the recent protests and how to talk to kids about race. This is part one. See complete shownotes at
Grace and Alvina talk about the murder of George Floyd and recent protests and uprisings, including discussing issues of race and how and when to talk to children about race. They also discuss decision making and how they make difficult decisions, especially in light of the pandemic. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Grace and Alvina are recording live in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month, sponsored by the Asian Author Alliance. This is part two of their discussion about their Asian American heritage, and how it has informed their work. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Grace and Alvina are recording live in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month, sponsored by the Asian Author Alliance. They discuss their Asian American heritage, and how it has informed their work. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Grace and Alvina discuss how the pandemic might change them in the long term, discussing everything from hair styles to working styles, jigsaw puzzles and gardening. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Grace and Alvina and special guest Alison Morris of First Book discuss how they're all faring during the pandemic. Alison talks about what First Book is doing to help educators during these times and how listeners can help. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Grace and Alvina and special guest Alison Morris of First Book discuss how they're all faring during the pandemic. They discuss the racist incidents authors have experienced during online events. Alison talks about what First Book is doing to help educators during these times and how listeners can help. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Grace and Alvina and special guest Lexi Wright of High Five Books discuss how hey're all faring during the pandemic, and how one independent bookstore is surviving. They discuss what people can do to support independent bookstores right now. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Grace and Alvina and special guest Lexi Wright of High Five Books discuss how hey're all faring during the pandemic, and how one independent bookstore is surviving. They discuss what people can do to support independent bookstores right now. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Grace and Alvina discuss the increase of racism against Asians and Asian Americans during the pandemic, and Grace shares a personal experience. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Grace and Alvina discuss the ways they've been surviving and coping during the pandemic. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Grace and Alvina give an update on where they are during the pandemic, and talk about the different ways it's affecting the publishing industry, including bookstore closures, the rise of Amazon, and the Open Library controversy. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Grace and Alvina discuss how their social distancing/sheltering in place is going during the Coronavirus Pandemic.
Grace and Alvina discuss the Coronavirus Pandemic and how it's affecting them and the publishing industry. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Grace and Alvina discuss out of print books--when a book goes out of print, why it might go out of print, and why sometimes that's just the accepted circle of a book's life. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Inspired by a scene in "Little Women," Grace and Alvina discuss the the idea of talent vs genius and if only geniuses should attempt creative pursuits.
Grace and Alvina talk about three big book publishing news items: the sale of Disney titles to LBYR, the American Dirt controversy, and the Diversity Editions controversy. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Grace and Alvina talk about one of their favorite topics: coincidences! They talk about some publishing coincidences, as well as examples from their personal life. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
In honor of Valentine's Day, Grace and Alvina talk about all of the things that they love (and don't love!) about the publishing industry. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Grace and Alvina talk about Grace's upcoming novel, "Mulan: Before the Sword"--an original prequel to Disney's live action film. They discuss IP, the advantages and disadvantages of taking on an IP project and Grace answers listener's questions about the upcoming book.
Grace and Alvina discuss the New York Times article by Leonard Marcus about opening up the Caldecott Award for international illustrators. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/
Grace and Alvina discuss the nebulous distinction of commercial versus literary writing. They also catch up on their holiday breaks, including a trip to Taiwan for Grace and a Mexican cruise for Alvina, and they end as always with what they're grateful for. See complete shownotes at https://bookfriendsforever.com/.
Author Jonathan Auxier joins Grace in this pre-recorded episode. Grace and Jonathan talk about hoe heartbreak in their real lives affected their writing, and ultimately made their stories better.
Grace and Alvina answer more listener questions, including what are our favorite fairy tales and how Grace chooses what to write about.
Grace and Alvina reminisce about their highlights and lowlights of the last decade as well as what they hope for the next ten years!
Grace and Alvina talk about the best gifts they've given and received, and they also give some gift recommendations--books, of course!
Grace and Alvina answer listener questions, including how to get kids to love reading, and what the title of their memoirs would be.
Grace and Alvina talk about the perils of social media, using a recent Sarah Dessen twitter brouhaha as an example.
Grace and Alvina talk about one of their favorite topics: FOOD! What children's books made you hungry? And what do you eat while you work?
Grace and Alvina talk about how publishing is like dating--from reading submissions to finding an agent.
Grace and Alvina demystify school visits--how and why an author might start doing them, how to get paid, how to do effective school visits, and more. They also talk about author tours and how they work. And they end as always with what they're grateful for.
Grace and Alvina demystify school visits--how and why an author might start doing them, how to get paid, how to do effective school visits, and more. They also talk about author tours and how they work. And they end as always with what they're grateful for.
In honor of the first week of November and election day, Grace and Alvina look back on the pivotal 2016 presidential election and the effect it had on both their lives, and the publishing industry as a whole. And, they end as always with what they're grateful for.
In honor of Halloween, Grace and Alvina talk about what they were afraid of as kids, and what their fears are now, both in their personal and professional lives. And they end as always with what they're grateful for.
Grace and Alvina talk about podcasts! They discuss when they first started listening to podcasts, and give a few recommendations. They also talk about the results to their survey and what they want to accomplish with this Book Friends Forever podcast. And they end as always with what they're grateful for.
Grace and Alvina talk about co-hosting the Carle Honors together, and then answer a listener's question about Amazon. They talk about how they choose to exercise their power as a customer (or not). And, they end as always with what they're grateful for.
Grace and Alvina are together in Brooklyn, recording an episode all about the financial details of publishing, from both a creator's side and an editor's side (they each share their first advance and first salary!). And they end, as always, with what they're grateful for.
Grace and Alvina talk about the fourth tenet of happiness: social. They talk about how to make new friends in adulthood, and changing priorities. And, they end as always with what they're grateful for.
Grace and Alvina talk about the third tenet of happiness: the mental. They talk about how they view the mental tenet. Grace sees it more in terms of mental health, and Alvina had initially interpreted it more as how to keep your brain sharp. They talk about both aspects and what they do to nurture both. And, they end as always with what they're grateful for.
Grace and Alvina are on a walk in the woods together, talking about the second tenet of happiness: the physical, or health. They talk about they stay healthy, including diet and exercise. And, they end as always with what they're grateful for.
Grace and Alvina discuss learning about the four tenets of happiness, and discuss in depth one of them: the spiritual. Future podcasts will touch on the other three (physical, mental, and social)! They talk about what the worship, and what they want to worship. And then end as always with what they're grateful for.
Grace and Alvina are joined by special guest, author Lisa Yee! The three of them discuss being Asian American in the US and in the children's book community. And they end as always with what they're grateful for.
Grace and Alvina talk about their 20-year anniversary of working in publishing, and the advice they'd give their youngers selves. They also talk about who their mentors and role models in the industry have been, and how they hope to mentor and be role models themselves. They talk about where their careers might be in another 20 years, and end as always with what they're grateful for.
This is the second part of the live recording at the Simmons Institute. Grace and Alvina talk about the topic "own voices" and the different ways the term is being used in the industry, and what they think about it. It's complicated! And they end as always with what they're grateful for.
Grace and Alvina are recording live at the Simmons Institute! The theme of the conference is "Make Way." In part one of the live recording, they share how they each broke into publishing.
Grace talks about the Carle Museum having a diversity audit, and they discuss representation of diversity in children's book publishing. Alvina takes a trip down memory lane and recalls the saga of the missing art for Wabi Sabi by Mark Reibstein, illustrated by Ed Young, including how Alvina left the art on a MetroNorth train. And, they end as always with what they're grateful for.
Grace and Alvina talk about how to stay relevent in the children's book industry, including graphic novels, podcasting, and more! They also remember the first time one of their books hit the New York Times bestseller list. And then end as always with what they're grateful for.
Grace and Alvina are together in Washington DC for the ALA Annual Conference where they’re about to celebrate the Caldecott Honor for A BIG MOONCAKE FOR LITTLE STAR. They reminisce about memories from past ALAs, and talk about the role of an editor at conferences, as well as the role of an author and illustrator. And, they end as always with what they’re grateful for. One podcast referenced: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/colby-sharp-2/the-yarn/e/39-alvina-ling-and-grace-lin-49034244
Grace and Alvina discuss everything from doing book store visits and building chicken runs. And, they discuss a harrowing experience author Kelly Barnhill had earlier this year in a Lyft, and discuss what authors and publishers can do to ensure their safety when traveling alone. Grace discusses how she developed and then changed her art style, and they end as always with what they're grateful for. (Note: the link to Kelly Barnhill's Twitter thread is no longer live.)
Grace and Alvina discuss LGBTQIA+ issues in honor of Pride month, including their own blind spots, and some related debates that arose during the creation of Kidlit Women. They take a trip down memory lane and discuss their bookselling backgrounds, including some diversity-related issues they encountered. They discuss Diversity 1.0 vs Diversity 2.0, and end as always with what they’re grateful for. Some things discussed: PRIDE month, Lord Rabbit, Mulan, Disney, The Princess and the Frog, Tomi Adeyemi, Lupita Nyong’o, Eoin Colfer, Curious George Goes to Wordsworth, The Watsons Go to Birmingham, Elisabeti’s Doll, Kidlit Women, Laurel Synder, Karaoke, Rebecca Sherman, Writers House
Alvina talks more about BookExpo, and they take a trip down memory lane and talk about the Caldecott-Newbery banquet for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (including what Grace wore and how she found her special dress!), and they also discuss imposter syndrome, when they have felt it, and how they manage it. And they end as always with what they’re grateful for. Some things mentioned: Write or die podcast, The Revolution of Birdie Randolph by Brandy Colbert, Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes, Tomi Adeyemi, The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin, Nothing But the Truth (and a few white lies) by Justina Chen, Always Be My Maybe, Crazy Rich Asians, Connie Chung.
Grace finally gets chickens! They talk about how that brought up some conflicted thoughts about how different Grace's life has become after Robert's death, and they discuss secondary loss (what is it, how it manifests in both of them--for Alvina, it involved the probable loss of being a mother.). They also discuss BookExpo and BookCon, and end as always with what they're grateful for.
Alvina is back to work after sabbatical! She and Grace talk about their philosophy on social media, and how it plays into work and life. They also discuss the one time Alvina almost left Little, Brown for another publisher (she doesn't say which one!), and the pros and cons of both editor and creator loyalty to a publisher. And they end as always with what they're grateful for.
Alvina calls in from Greece (on the island of Paros) during the last week of her sabbatical. They talk about heirlooms and souvenirs, buying jewelry and art. They also discuss the moment they both decided that they wanted to work in children’s book publishing specifically (as opposed to “adult” books). And they end as always with what they’re grateful for.
Alvina calls in from South Africa! Grace finished her novel! Both talk about their work identities and their first international trips and end with what they are grateful for.
Author/illustrator & longtime friend Jarrett Krosockza fills in for Alvina! Jarrett and Grace talk about their parallel careers, being served road-kill pate, professional jealousy, how things have changed for them after becoming parents and the hustle of making it (so far). Jarrett also admits, to Grace's great surprise, that he finds public speaking challenging.
Grace and Alvina talk about Alvina's upcoming trip to South Africa and tips on what to do if you are stranded at the airport. They also discuss the microaggression of being repeatedly mistaken for other Asians; and then Grace grills Alvina on the intricacies of book auctions (Is it better to have a huge advance? What is the difference between a fall book and a spring book?). They end with what they are grateful for.
As Alvina prepares for her sabbatical, Grace and Alvina talk about their past trip to the Grand Canyon, the importance of setting goals and admitting your dreams (Alvina wants to go the Oscars and Grace wants win gold!). They end, as usual, with what they are grateful for.
Grace and Alvina are in the audio studio together! They discuss the technical details of how they usually record this podcast, talk about the differences between having success early in your career versus later in your career and the pros and cons, and remember when they started blogging, particularly the group blog the Blue Rose Girls. And they end as always with what they’re grateful for.
Grace and Alvina talk about what their ideas of paradise would be, and what their ideal lives are. Alvina talks about the Walter Awards Symposium and the two books she edited that were honored, GHOST BOYS by Jewell Parker Rhodes and THE ASTONISHING COLOR OF AFTER by Emily X.R. Pan. Grace shared a gross but fascinating fact about angler fish! They discuss Alvina’s upcoming sabbatical, and take a trip down memory lane and remember their vacation to Beijing and Shanghai together. And they end, as always, with what they’re grateful for.
Grace and Alvina continue their conversation from the previous week and talk about whether being white or POC in publishing is a help or a hinderance, touching on issues of college admissions, white privilege, and affirmative action. Grace remembers the time her father gave her a surprise review on Amazon and what he said, and we talk a little bit about our parents and the different ways we were raised. And they end as usual with what they’re grateful for.
Grace and Alvina follow up on episode 7 and discuss the ways they grieved and coped after their husbands deaths. They also discuss a listener’s question about whether or not publishers have official or non-official quotas that limit the acquisitions of books by and about POC and other underepresented groups. And they end as always with what they’re grateful for.
Grace and Alvina share about their love stories with their late husbands, and how both of them had to deal with caring for their loved ones while they battled cancer, how they survived after their husbands deaths, and how caregiving and grief affected their work. They end as always with what they’re grateful for.
Grace and Alvina talk about how they balance work with life (do they?), and take a trip down memory lane and reminisce about what they thought they wanted to be when they grew up when they were kids. And, as always, they end as always with what they’re grateful for.
Grace and Alvina talk about how Sales Conference at a publishing company works, and how they’ve both developed as public speakers when it doesn’t come naturally to either of them. And, they end as always with what they’re grateful for.
Grace and Alvina talk about how they measure success in their fields, remember when Grace first wrote and published her first novel, The Year of the Dog, and end with what they’re grateful for.
Grace and Alvina talk about when they first attended the Kindling Words retreat together, where Grace shared an early draft of her first novel The Year of the Dog. They also discuss what’s on their minds: the recent discovery of photographs with students in blackface in Grace’s high school yearbook—for which Grace was the editor. And they end with what they’re grateful for this week.
Grace Lin and Alvina Ling talk about the news that Grace’s picture book A Big Mooncake for Little Star was awarded a Caldecott Honor, and share how they each first heard the news. They also discuss what’s on their minds: extroversion vs. introversion, and share what they’re grateful for this week.
Episode 1: How it all began…
Children's book publishing’s secrets are revealed as we listen in on fascinating, unguarded, insider discussion from two uniquely qualified best friends: award-winning author/illustrator Grace Lin, and one of NYC’s top editors, Alvina Ling. Go behind the scenes of kid lit and catch a glimpse of the lives of the best-selling author and editor, and the relationship between them.