Win a 30-minute call with Katie Carella, Editorial Director of Scholastic's Acorn early reader and Branches early chapter book lines. You can ask her anything about her work or career path during your call! You could even ask her for book recommendations for your students or kiddos. She is looking forward to chatting with you!

Katie Carella is the Editorial Director of Scholastic's Acorn early reader and Branches early chapter book lines, both of which she originated. She started out working in marketing and publicity on the adult side of the industry, then earned her masters degree in elementary education at the University of Pennsylvania, and taught 1st through 3rd grades- all before entering the children's editorial world. Katie is driven to create page-turning books for new readers!

Image: Headshot of Katie Carella

Win a 30-minute phone call to discuss any of your publishing industry related questions with Shelly Romero, Lead Editor at Cake Creative & Electric Postcard Entertainment.

No critique will be given with this prize.

Shelly Romero (she/her) is the Lead Editor at Cake Creative & Electric Postcard Entertainment where she creates, develops, and edits a diverse list of projects from middle-grade to adult. She was previously an associate editor at Scholastic.

Image: Headshot of Shelly Romero

Win a 30-minute call with Debbi Michiko Florence, author of middle grade novels and the Jasmine Toguchi chapter book series, and instructor of "Writing Chapter Book series" workshops.

Debbi Michiko Florence is the author of upper middle grade novels Keep It Together Keiko Carter, Just Be Cool Jenna Sakai, Sweet and Sour, and her forthcoming This Is How I Roll. She is also the author of three chapter books series including Jasmine Toguchi, and co-authored a picture book biography, Niki Nakayama: A Chef's Tale in 13 Bites.

Image: Headshot of Debbi Michiko Florence

Win a 30-minute call with Erin Murphy, President at Erin Murphy Literary, to discuss the industry, your projects and goals, and the like.

Erin Murphy was born and raised in Arizona, and founded EMLA in Flagstaff in 1999 after a 7-year stint as an editor at a regional publishing house. Her clients' notices in addition to hitting bestseller lists include a Caldecott Honor (plus writer clients seeing their books get Caldecott silver and gold), a Newbery Honor, a Sibert Medal, Stonewall Medals, APALA silver and gold, an American Indian Youth Literature Honor, a National Jewish Book Award finalist, a Schneider Award, and multiple Edgar, Sydney Taylor, Américas, Golden Kite, Jane Addams, and Orbis Pictus awards or honors, among others. In 2016, she relocated the agency headquarters to southern Maine.

Image: Headshot of Erin Murphy

Win a 30-minute video call with Helen H. Wu, Yeehoo Press Publisher to discuss the industry. Helen will answer any questions you might have during your call!

Children's publishing / Picture Book preferred.

Helen H. Wu is a children's book author and illustrator, as well as a translator and publisher. Helen is the Publisher of Yeehoo Press, an independent children's book publisher based in San Diego, California.

Image: Headshot of Helen H. Wu

Win a 30-minute call with Anika Fajardo, author of books for both adults and children. Chat about a career path that has taken her from writing memoir to middle-grade (and works in between)!

Anika Fajardo was born in Colombia and raised in Minnesota and is the author of a book about that experience: Magical Realism for Non-Believers: A Memoir of Finding Family. Her books for middle-grade readers include the award-winning What If a Fish, Meet Me Halfway, and the Disney tie-in novel Encanto: A Tale of Three Sisters. She lives with her family in Minneapolis, where she teaches at Augsburg University's MFA program.

Image: Headshot of Anika Fajardo

Win a 30-minute phone or video call with Traci Sorell, an award-winning author of fiction and nonfiction works for young people, to ask questions about the publishing industry or discuss your personal career path.

Available within the United States only.

Cherokee Nation citizen and award-winning author Traci Sorell writes fiction and nonfiction for young people. A former federal Indigenous law attorney and advocate, Traci lives with her family on her tribe's reservation in northeastern Oklahoma. Find out more about her work online at www.tracisorell.com or @tracisorell via Instagram.

Image: Headshot of Traci Sorell, photo by Cody Hammer

Win a 30-minute call with S. A. Rodriguez, middle-grade author of Treasure Tracks, to discuss the path to publication from a debut author's perspective. Prize will include a signed copy of the novel.

Available within the United States only.

S. A. Rodriguez is a Latina writer, researcher, and former head of U.S. Hispanic marketing for Citibank, where she spent her career supporting diversity initiatives. Treasure Tracks is her first novel.

Image: Headshot of S. A. Rodriguez