Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and a few stunning pages from Claribel A. Ortega’s Frizzy with illustrations by Rose Bousamra, which is out October 18th 2022!

Marlene loves three things: books, her cool Tía Ruby and hanging out with her best friend Camila. But according to her mother, Paola, the only thing she needs to focus on is school and “growing up.” That means straightening her hair every weekend so she could have “presentable”, “good hair”.

But Marlene hates being in the salon and doesn’t understand why her curls are not considered pretty by those around her. With a few hiccups, a dash of embarrassment, and the much-needed help of Camila and Tia Ruby—she slowly starts a journey to learn to appreciate and proudly wear her curly hair.

The post Take A Peek At ‘Frizzy’ by Claribel A. Ortega and Rose Bousamra appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Every year, in the magical town of Ravenskill, Witchlings who participate in the Black Moon Ceremony are placed into covens and come into their powers as full-fledged witches.

And twelve-year-old Seven Salazar can’t wait to be placed in the most powerful coven with her best friend! But on the night of the ceremony, in front of the entire town, Seven isn’t placed in one of the five covens. She’s a Spare!

Spare covens have fewer witches, are less powerful, and are looked down on by everyone. Even worse, when Seven and the other two Spares perform the magic circle to seal their coven and cement themselves as sisters, it doesn’t work! They’re stuck as Witchlings—and will never be able to perform powerful magic.

Seven invokes her only option: the impossible task. The three Spares will be assigned an impossible task: If they work together and succeed at it, their coven will be sealed and they’ll gain their full powers. If they fail… Well, the last coven to make the attempt ended up being turned into toads. Forever.

But maybe friendship can be the most powerful magic of all…

With action-packed adventure, a coven of quirky witchlings, Claribel A. Ortega’s signature humor, and girl-power vibes, you won’t be able to put down this middle-grade Latine witch story, perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers or Harry Potter.

Claribel A. Ortega, New York Times bestselling author of Ghost Squad and Witchlings, is a former reporter who writes middle grade and young adult fantasy inspired by her Dominican heritage. When she’s not busy turning her obsession with eighties pop culture, magic, and video games into books, she’s cohosting her podcasts Write or Die and Bad Author Book Club and helping authors navigate publishing with her consulting business, GIFGRRL. Claribel has been featured on BuzzFeed, NPR, Good Morning America, and Deadline.

You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok at @Claribel_Ortega and on her website at claribelortega.com.

The post Exclusive Book Trailer Reveal: Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Guest List comes a new locked room mystery, set in a Paris apartment building in which every resident has something to hide… 

Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A clever and steamy queer romantic comedy about taking chances and accepting love—with all its complications—by debut author Ashley Herring Blake.

This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Clashing empires, forbidden romance, and a long-forgotten queen destined to save her people—bestselling author Tahereh Mafi’s first in an epic, romantic trilogy inspired by Persian mythology.

Tripping Arcadia by Kit Mayquist
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From debut author Kit Mayquist, a propulsive and atmospheric modern Gothic with all the splendor of The Great Gatsby . . . and all the secrets, lies, and darkness that opulence can hide.

House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this sexy, action-packed sequel to the #1 bestseller House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J. Maas weaves a captivating story of a world about to explode―and the people who will do anything to save it.

Lulu and Milagro’s Search for Clarity by Angela Velez
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Booksmart meets Never Have I Ever in this Latinx road trip adventure—a big-hearted, voice-driven YA about two sisters who couldn’t be more different, but become begrudging partners on their school’s cross-country college trip—from debut author Angela Velez.

Fake by Erica Katz
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the author of The Boys’ Club, a gripping novel set in the high-stakes world of art forgery that moves across the globe, from the trendy art galleries of Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood to the high-flying international art fairs of Hong Kong.

The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From a major new debut author in epic fantasy comes the first book in a trilogy where action, intrigue, and magic collide. The Justice of Kings introduces an unforgettable protagonist destined to become a fantasy icon: Sir Konrad Vonvalt, an Emperor’s Justice, who is a detective, judge, and executioner all in one. But these are dangerous times to be a Justice…. 

Lease On Love by Falon Ballard
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Beach Read meets The Flatshare in this warmly funny and delightfully sharp debut rom-com about a down-on-her-luck young woman who turns an innocent mix-up between a dating app and a roommate app into a new chance at love.

Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Witchlings follows a 12-year-old witch who is sorted into a coven of unwanted spare witches with her bully and the new witch in town; they must now band together to defeat the fearsome Nightbeast or risk being turned into a trio of toads. This magical adventure about earning your full powers is perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers.

The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Nina de Gramont’s The Christie Affair is a beguiling novel of star-crossed lovers, heartbreak, revenge, and murder—and a brilliant re-imagination of one of the most talked-about unsolved mysteries of the twentieth century.

League of Liars by Astrid Scholte
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this fantasy thriller, four teens charged with murder and the illegal use of magic band together to devise the ultimate jailbreak. Perfect for fans of Six of Crows and How to Get Away with Murder.

What February 2022 releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post February 2022 Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

It’s that time of year again where your TBR is grumpily glaring at you because you haven’t finished even half of the books on your shelves that you wanted to get to this year and still you somehow dare to order even more books?! Well, let us assuage that TBR guilt by—hah, not helping you read the books on your shelves, that would be way too productive—showing you all the middle grade releases of 2022 that are just waiting for you!

JANUARY

Dream, Annie, Dream by Waka T. Brown
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this empowering deconstruction of the so-called American Dream, a twelve-year-old Japanese American girl named Annie Inoue grapples with, and ultimately rises above, the racism and trials of middle school she experiences while chasing her dreams.

The Unforgettable Logan Foster by Shawn Peters
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Following a 12-year-old neurodivergent orphan with an eidetic memory and zero filter, The Unforgettable Logan Foster is filled with superheroes, supervillains and epic showdowns between good an devil which show that sometimes, all it takes to be a hero is to just be yourself.

Dear Student by Elly Swartz
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

When Autumn becomes the secret voice of the advice column in her middle school newspaper she is faced with a dilemma–can she give fair advice to everyone, including her friends, while keeping her identity a secret?

The Lucky Ones by Linda Williams Jackson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Exploring poverty, racism, and the power of education through the eyes of a kid who dreams of brighter days, The Lucky Ones will resonate with fans of Rex Ogle’s Free Lunch, Linda Sue Park’s A Single Shard, and Lesa Cline-Ransome’s Finding Langston.

Riley’s Ghost by John David Anderson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the beloved author of Posted and Ms. Bixby’s Last Day comes a stunning and unforgettable upper-middle-grade ghost story about the struggles of surviving middle school. When Riley Flynn finds herself caught up in a nightmare of ghosts, she’s put to the test and has to attempt to survive the darkest shadows in her life and reckon with a haunted past.

FEBRUARY

Each of Us a Universe by Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo comes a heartfelt middle grade filled with glowing friendship, inner strength and the impossible becoming possible, following two girls who go on an adventure to the top of Mt. Meteorite, and learn about each other, themselves, and the magic friendship can bring, perfect for fans of Katherine Applegate and Barbara O’Connor.

Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Witchlings follows a 12-year-old witch who is sorted into a coven of unwanted spare witches with her bully and the new witch in town; they must now band together to defeat the fearsome Nightbeast or risk being turned into a trio of toads. This magical adventure about earning your full powers is perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers.

Amari and the Great Game by B.B. Alston
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The long-awaited sequel to the New York Times bestseller Amari and the Night Brothers!
Artemis Fowl meets Men in Black in this magical second book in the New York Times and Indie bestselling Supernatural Investigations trilogy—perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, the Percy Jackson series, and Nevermoor.

Unseen Magic by Emily Lloyd Jones
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The magic-infused town of Aldermere is the first place eleven-year-old Fin has ever felt safe—and she’ll do whatever it takes to save her home when she accidentally unleashes a shadow self who wreaks havoc everywhere she goes. Emily Lloyd-Jones’s middle grade debut is an enchanting exploration of self discovery and finding the place you truly belong. 

Just Right Jillian by Nicole D. Collier
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Fifth grader Jillian will do anything to blend in. But after a bully says she can never be a winner, she sets out to win her school’s biggest battle of wits. Unfortunately, breaking out of her shell is easier said than done. Jillian has less than a month to overcome a lifetime of shyness and summon the courage to speak up for herself—or lose her only chance to win.

MARCH

Where the Sky Lives by Margaret Dilloway
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the author of Five Things About Ava Andrews comes a new middle grade standalone novel with STEM and activism themes. When the private preserve adjacent to Zion National Park is sold, Tuesday’s park archeologist mother tells her they’re moving, and twelve-year-old Tuesday’s search for closure may lead to unexpected answers.

Kelcie Murphy and the Academy of the Unbreakable Arts by Erika Lewis
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Brimming with Celtic mythology, action, and danger, Erika Lewis’s Kelcie Murphy and The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts introduces readers to a new kind of magical school and a warrior who must choose with which side of an epic battle her destiny will lie.

Isla to Island by Alexis Castellanos
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

This stunning wordless graphic novel follows a young girl in the 1960s who immigrates from Cuba to the United States and must redefine what home means to her.

Ellen Outside the Lines by A.J. Sass
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Rain Reign meets Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World in this heartfelt novel about a neurodivergent thirteen-year-old navigating changing friendships, a school trip, and expanding horizons.

Wingbearer by Marjorie Liu, illustrated by Teny Issakhanian
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From bestselling author Marjorie Liu and debut illustrator Teny Issakhanian comes the first in an epic new middle grade graphic novel series featuring a young girl who must stop a threat to her magical world – perfect for fans of Amulet.

APRIL

Osmo Unknown and the Eightpenny Woods by Catherynne M. Valente
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From New York Times bestselling author Catherynne M. Valente comes an inventive new fantasy following a boy journeying away from the only home he’s ever known and into the magical realm of the dead in order to fulfill a bargain for his people.

It’s the End of the World and I’m in My Bathing Suit by Justin A. Reynolds
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A hilarious middle-grade from Justin A. Reynolds that asks: What happens when five unsupervised kids face the apocalypse under outrageously silly circumstances?

Hunters of the Lost City by Kali Wallace
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Packed with shocking twists, frightening monsters, and dark magic, this is a page-turning fantasy adventure for middle-grade fans of Holly Black and Tamora Pierce. Following 12-year-old Octavia who grew up believing the town of Vittoria was the only one left in the world is in for a rude awakening when she meets a girl beyond the walls of her town and learns the truth about the deadly magical war and plague that defined her past.

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Unicorns don’t belong in fairy tales; they belong in nightmares. Get ready for unlikely heroes, elemental magic, fierce sky battles, ancient secrets, nail-biting races and of course, bloodthirsty unicorns. Perfect for fans of Percy Jackson, Eragon and His Dark Materials, these unicorns will change everything.

Consider the Octopus by Nora Raleigh Baskin and Gae Polisner
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

When chance, or fate, throws two twelve-year-olds together on board a scientific research ship at the edge of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, it’s not all smooth sailing!

MAY

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Percy Jackson meets Tristan Strong in this hilarious, action-packed middle grade contemporary fantasy that follows a young boy as he journeys across China to seal the underworld shut and save the mortal realm.

Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

After inheriting a grieving fox spirit, a Chinese American boy must learn to embrace his heritage to solve the mystery of his brother’s death in Jesse Q Sutanto’s magical, action-packed middle grade fantasy.

The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan, Soman Chainani, and Philip Pullman, The Marvellers is set in a global magic school in the sky where students from around the world come together to practice their cultural marvels. Ella Durand, the first Conjuror to attend the Arcanum Training Institute, must overcome anti-Conjuror prejudice to track down a missing teacher and protect the school from a magical threat. 

Freddie vs. the Family Curse by Tracy Badua
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this thrilling and hilarious middle grade adventure, a young Filipino-American boy must team up with his ancestor to break the curse that’s haunted their family for generations. . . or be trapped in an amulet forever.

Small Town Pride by Phil Stamper
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

13-year-old Jake loves his rural town, but doesn’t always feel supported by the people there, so he fades into the background. That is, until he comes out and his overly supportive dad puts a comically huge pride flag in their yard, suddenly turning all eyes on him.

JUNE

Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun by Tolá Okogwu
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Black Panther meets Percy Jackson in this action-packed and empowering middle-grade series about a British-Nigerian girl who learns that her Afro hair has psychokinetic powers.

The Lost Ryū by Emi Watanabe Cohen
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In The Lost Ryū, debut author Emi Watanabe Cohen gives us a story of multigenerational pain, magic, and the lengths to which we’ll go to protect the people we love. In this middle grade fantasy set in post-WWII Japan, Kohei Fujiwara must team up with his new neighbour to search for the truth, both about Kohei’s family history and the disappearance of the giant ryū that fought in the war.

Secret of the Shadow Beasts by Diane Magras
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

For fans of Dragon Pearl and the Lockwood & Co. series comes a swift-moving contemporary fantasy about a young girl tasked with destroying deadly shadow creatures. As the terrifying beasts In Brannland suddenly double, young Nora decides it’s time for her to join the battle.

Valentina Salazar Is Not a Monster Hunter by Zoraida Córdova
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Sal and Gabi Break the Universe meets Supernatural in a heartfelt, hilarious adventure about a trio of tight-knit, monster-loving siblings from acclaimed author Zoraida Córdova.

High Score by Destiny Howell
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

For fans of Gordon Korman, Varian Johnson, and Celia Pérez, High Score is an exciting heist adventure with a diverse cast of whipsmart characters and entertaining, fast-paced writing. With a head for cons and a heart of gold, Darius James – DJ – finds himself faced with his toughest challenge yet: live on the straight and narrow.

What 2022 middle grade releases are you looking forward to reading? Tell us in the comments below!

The post You Need These Highly Anticipated 2022 Middle Grade Fiction Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Within these pages, you’ll find short stories and comic strips for every letter of the acronym that you might be proudly calling yourself a part of. While I’m not going to spoil any story for you, let me just give you a taste of what you’re in for: there’s a story in here in which a young witch turns herself into a puppy to win over her new neighbour and secret crush. Did someone mention perfect premise? Because that surely is one. There’s also a story about a boyband fandom being the reason for someone coming out and hoo boy, if that didn’t hit home, I don’t know what will. Another chronicles two online friends helping each other come out to their parents while another follows someone trying to find a new inclusive sport after quitting gymnastics because of the assumptions people make about their gender. Beyond stories set in the contemporary world—albeit with magical elements—there are also stories of pirates and other fantastical elements that will make young readers be drawn in from the very first paragraph. Beyond being obviously queer, these stories are also incredibly inclusive and feature topics such as body diversity, bullying, identity struggles, friends standing up for each other, encouraging and uplifting support groups, and a sense of camaraderie not only between the characters themselves but with society at large.

It seems like a truth universally acknowledged that there are no perfect anthologies out there—rarely does a human ever like every single story in an anthology and that’s okay. With that being said, though, I have to admit that I wholeheartedly loved every story in this. Whether you come to this anthology because of an author you already love or because you want to try out someone’s work for the first time, you won’t be disappointed. Even the ones that perhaps weren’t my cup of genre or trope, I was still filled with so much warmth and excitement whenever I thought of what that story might evoke in younger readers’ hands. It’s an anthology that is based on hope, inclusivity, and camaraderie—and it is a must-read, no matter how old you are. Here’s to the future and to many more LGBTQIAP+ based anthologies!

Sure to become a staple in children’s literature, This Is Our Rainbow offers an uplifting and gripping collection of short stories for young readers. Whether you’re part of the LGBTQIAP+ community or an ally, you will devour this must-read anthology that is filled with magic and above all, immense love.

This Is Our Rainbow: 16 Stories of Her, Him, Them, and Us is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of October 19th 2021.

Will you be picking up This Is Our Rainbow: 16 Stories of Her, Him, Them, and Us? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

The first LGBTQIA+ anthology for middle-graders featuring stories for every letter of the acronym, including realistic, fantasy, and sci-fi stories by authors like Justina Ireland, Marieke Nijkamp, Alex Gino, and more!

A boyband fandom becomes a conduit to coming out. A former bully becomes a first-kiss prospect. One nonbinary kid searches for an inclusive athletic community after quitting gymnastics. Another nonbinary kid, who happens to be a pirate, makes a wish that comes true–but not how they thought it would. A tween girl navigates a crush on her friend’s mom. A young witch turns herself into a puppy to win over a new neighbor. A trans girl empowers her online bestie to come out.

From wind-breathing dragons to first crushes, This Is Our Rainbow features story after story of joyful, proud LGBTQIA+ representation. You will fall in love with this insightful, poignant anthology of queer fantasy, historical, and contemporary stories from authors including: Eric Bell, Lisa Jenn Bigelow, Ashley Herring Blake, Lisa Bunker, Alex Gino, Justina Ireland, Shing Yin Khor, Katherine Locke, Mariama J. Lockington, Nicole Melleby, Marieke Nijkamp, Claribel A. Ortega, Mark Oshiro, Molly Knox Ostertag, Aisa Salazar, and AJ Sass.

The post #ReadWithPride: ‘This Is Our Rainbow: 16 Stories of Her, Him, Them, and Us’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

12-year-old Lucely Luna has always been able to see spirits. When something unusually creepy and strange happens during one of her father’s Ghost Tours, Lucely realises the ghosts of her dead family members (who live with her as fireflies) are in danger, and she teams up with her best friend Syd to find a spell that will help her fix the mess. However, the spell they cast goes terribly wrong and plunges their whole town in danger. Now they must team up with Syd’s witchy, leather jacket clad grandma and her grumpy cat to save Lucely’s ghost family and the town.

Ghost Squad is the bookish equivalent of the sense of comfort you feel when you bury yourself under a pile of cosy blankets. The book is relatively short in length, and the plot moves along pretty quickly. Ortega uses some much-beloved elements and tropes of a typical middle grade story in clever and unexpected ways and there are epic battles, best friends teaming up and going on a quest to find a magical object, and a band of misfits saving the day! Her prose is quirky and atmospheric, her storytelling vivid as you can clearly picture every frame in your head as you read. The story is rooted in Dominican folklore, and whether you’re someone familiar with the tales that influence the book or not, you’ll find it incredibly delightful.

The best thing about Ghost Squad is its characters. While Lucely and Syd were great, what I especially loved was Ortega’s handling of the various kind and supportive adults in Lucely’s life, who actually listen to what the kids have to say and trust them instead of just being dismissive. My favourite among the main characters was definitely Babette, the super-grandma who wears a massive purple cape and vanquishes ghostly dragons with a wand. Also, Chunk the cat deserves all the belly rubs and string cheese in the world!

Ghost Squad is first and foremost a book about family and not just the kind bonded by blood. Despite there being magical adventures, the story’s main focus always remains on Lucely’s various relationships, which Ortega portrays with a lot of heart and aching sweetness. Lucely’s mother left them a while ago, and while Lucely is still dealing with the grief of her absence and trying to move on, she has a kind and loving father with her every step of the way. Then there’s Syd, always ready to follow Lucely to the ends of the earth; their unwavering loyalty to each other is the driving force behind the plot. Lucely’s firefly family is fussy and affectionate and fiercely protective of her, and the few scenes where we get to meet them are the ones I enjoyed the most.

While I really liked this book, there were a few things I felt could’ve been done better. The first half of the story is far less exciting when compared to the second half, mostly because the setup took an unusually long amount of time. And while the story concludes satisfactorily, I couldn’t help feeling like the ending was too rushed.

However, the issues I pointed out didn’t really interfere with my enjoyment of the story. If you’re a fan of Pixar’s Coco or just really like spooky (but not too spooky) middle grade fiction, you’re bound to love this book. I very much recommend trying the gorgeously narrated audiobook, which has been made available for free on Spotify, by the way, so I really don’t see why you shouldn’t go and give it a listen right now!

Ghost Squad is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore!

Will you be picking up Ghost Squad? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Coco meets Stranger Things with a hint of Ghostbusters in this action-packed supernatural fantasy.For Lucely Luna, ghosts are more than just the family business. Shortly before Halloween, Lucely and her best friend, Syd, cast a spell that accidentally awakens malicious spirits, wreaking havoc throughout St. Augustine. Together, they must join forces with Syd’s witch grandmother, Babette, and her tubby tabby, Chunk, to fight the haunting head-on and reverse the curse to save the town and Lucely’s firefly spirits before it’s too late. With the family dynamics of Coco and action-packed adventure of Ghostbusters, Claribel A. Ortega delivers both a thrillingly spooky and delightfully sweet debut novel.

The post Review: Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Claribel, can you tell us a bit about yourself, and about Ghost Squad?

I’m a former reporter and Ghost Squad is my debut middle grade book! It was inspired by my Dominican heritage and my own family. In addition to writing, I also co-host the Write or Die podcast with my friend, fellow author Kat Cho and own a small graphic design and author consultation company Gif Grrl. On a personal note, I  love hip hop, cheese and 80s movies!

Witches! Ghosts! Cats! If you could pick one to help you fight in the coming zombie apocalypse, which would you choose?

What a difficult choice. I think I would have to go with witches, because of their versatility and commitment to the dramatic which I can relate to.

I love the focus on friendship and family in this story, was this inspired by your own family dynamics and friendships?

Absolutely. I come from a big family and I pulled a lot from that including names haha. In terms of friendships it was the same idea, I’ve had a lot of incredible friendships I was able to take inspiration from but also, some not so great friendships too which helped me know what not to write when it comes to two bffs.

One of my favorite things about this story was the seamless integration of the Spanish language. Can you speak to the importance of doing this in our books for all languages, not just Spanish?

It’s interesting because the Spanish language words in Ghost Squad are either something people love or something they’ve complained about a lot. I wanted to write a story that was authentic to my experience growing up, without thinking of any particular gaze. Authentic representation of different cultures and experiences are so important in literature as it can foster both understanding and compassion in people reading outside their experience, and help bolster self confidence and provide validation for those reading about stories that mirror their own.

What drew you to writing to a middle grade audience?

My writing voice trends toward middle grade naturally and I also just love middle grade books!  I  love that age of kids as well because they still have so much hope for the world. Middle grade humor is my humor, it’s just fun for me to write and I feel like a lot of the obstacles we face at that age are things we continue to deal with throughout our lives. There are so many themes about being underestimated and misunderstood and just wanting to be seen and I think that’s such a universal human feeling.

You do a lot outside of your writing, can you give us some insight into what your usual day to day looks like?

It’s busy and tiring but almost always fun. Depending on the day I can be doing anything from writing (a normal writing day for me is around 2 to 3,000 words) recording interviews for my podcast Write or Die, making gifs for author’s books or just playing Stardew Valley for ten hours because I need a break. I contain multitudes.

What do you do when you want to de-stress or re-center when you’re feeling anxious?

Play video games, read physical books or listen to audiobooks while coloring. Taking walks through nature or petting my dog Pancho helps too.

Pancho is the CUTEST boi I have ever seen! How’s he doing?

He’s very happy since I’m home all day at the moment!

As of writing this, will you be live streaming your book launch? What/how can we support you and other authors that are being affected by the pandemic? Can we buy you a coffee?

I will be! My book launch will be livestreamed on my YouTube channel and I’ll be joined by Ryan La Sala and Zoraida Córdova! It’ll be happening at 6pm ET on April 7th 2020.and Books of Wonder will be the official bookseller of the event so people can order my book through them! The best way to support us right now is to buy our books and request them at your local library! Come to our virtual events, boost our posts on social media and send us dog and cat pics.

Are there any reads you would suggest for any readers who might be under quarantine at the moment? Or video games? Or podcasts?

Yes! I just started MAGIC FOR LIARS and it’s incredible so far. Also Howl’s Moving Castle, both the book and movie, are comfort reads/watches for me. For video games I suggest Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, Splatoon and The Sims! Podcasts I love include The Dollop (the earlier episodes are my favorites) I Hate it But I love It and of course the Write or Die podcast!

Will you be picking up Ghost Squad? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Claribel A. Ortega, Author of ‘Ghost Squad’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.