Dianne White discusses how she didn't expect to be a writer, but supportive teachers and helping kids find their own voices showed her that she was one.
Margaret Finnegan writes about how things did not always go according to plan in her life, but that ending up where she didn't expect inspired her middle grade books.
"Novels that address tough topics should also leave the reader with possibilities for concrete action—and the hopefulness that emerges from those actions. In Torch, action and hope grow out of the bonds of friendship that Štěpán, Lída, and Tomáš create with each other."
Kellye Crocker talks about teaching her students that the keys to writing are respect and trying, and how those two things have helped her writing as well.
"Some books want to be written. They refuse to go away. They nag. I like to joke that Amber and Clay (Candlewick, 2021) went to other writers first, and tried to get them to write it. The other writers had sense enough to say no."