Book Friends Forever Podcast

Grace and Alvina discuss their superpowers! That is, what qualities they possess that they feel most helped them get to where they are today in their careers. For both of them, cultivating connections and communities played a large role. They talk about what they think their own superpowers are, and what qualities they think are each other's superpowers are.
For the Fortune Cookie segment, they talk about a new spate of publishing scams, including by people using AI to impersonate authors and editors, and reporters. Then, Alvina tells Grace about the new book THEIR NAME IS ALEX by Paloma O'Toole, and they end as always with what they're grateful for. 
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Grace and Alvina have an odds and ends episode where for AAPI or AANHPI Month they discuss their Asian American identities and how that's affected their careers. Then they discuss a recent report on book banning from Pen America, and then special guest Alison Morris joins to discuss celebrating birthdays, and then Alison gives some book recommendations! They end as always with what they're grateful for.
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Grace and Alvina talk about taste in general, including the definition of taste, how people develop their tastes, what their own tastes in culture are and how their tastes developed. They talk about who gets to determine what (for example) is "crud" vs "good". They talk about how cultural differences factor into people's tastes, and how people's personal biases play into their taste. They talk about how subjective taste is, and the importance of having people with diverse taste in the gatekeeping role.
For the Fortune Cookie segment they discuss the question of what aspects of their lives now would their younger selves be surprised by? And, they end as always with what they're grateful for.
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Grace and Alvina are joined by special guest Michele Kirichanskaya to discuss queer representation in children's literature. They talk a little bit about the history of publishing queer publishing, including the first book published with a gay character, and legendary editor Ursula Nordstrom who helped break taboos in publishing. They touch on what publishing is doing well and how they could be better, touching on graphic novels and their favorite queer books. Michele also talks about their first book, ACE NOTES.
For the Fortune Cookie segment, they talk about what they've all been reading lately, and then end as always with what they're grateful for.
Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.   
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Bookfriendsforever_podcast   
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookfriendsforever_podcast/
Find Michele: https://www.instagram.com/michelekiricha1/ https://bsky.app/profile/michelekiricha1.bsky.social https://michelekirichanskaya.com (note: Michele is available as an authenticity reader)

Alvina and Grace are recording together in Brooklyn! They discuss the overall state of the children's book industry, including an article by Harold Underdown, and talk about the effects of book banning and the drop in the school and library market, and discuss how it's just a tough market overall, sadly. They discuss middle grade books and page counts and how the days of bulking them up to make them look longer are behind us. They also discuss young adult publishing and the term "clean teen."
For the Fortune Cookie segment, Alvina talks about the official announcement of her imprint "Alvina Ling Books" and logo reveal, and the great reception it received. And she also talks about what happened when they tried to secure the url AlvinaLingBooks.com. And they end as always with what they're grateful for. 
Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Bookfriendsforever_podcast
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookfriendsforever_podcast/