Author: Marissa DeCuir

“It’s ‘The Sopranos’ for 7-year-olds.” — Anselmo “Sweat Beak” Rossi

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Birds of a feather do flock together, and in Emmy-winning creators Jeff Sikaitis’ and Jake Wheeler’s debut graphic novel, a misfit mafia of seagulls looks to stay the top birds in Shoretown despite their many blunders and bonehead decisions in “The Gullfather: Birdsy Seagull: Vol 1. A Seahawk Situation” (June 6, 2023, Books Fluent).

The Gullfather himself, Birdsy Seagull, rules the roost with a fistful of feathers. And with a little help, but not much, from his ragtag crew: salty-mouthed Joey “One-Wing” Grella, handsome slacker Sammy “Vinny” Gullian, glamorous and dangerous Birdabella, and Birdsy’s well-fed enforcer, “Quack Quack.” They say they’ll stop at nothing to be the top crime birds on the boardwalk, but they pretty much stop at everything — snack time, nap time or any other reason — much to Birdsy’s ire. 

In the first book in the series, “A Seahawk Situation,” Birdsy and his crew are at war with the owners of the boardwalk eatery, Zen and Out, after they erect a wooden security seahawk to scare the gulls of Shoretown. Things escalate quickly after One-Wing battles Seymour the Wooden Seahawk and Vinny starts an indoor fireworks display. In retaliation, One-Wing gets birdnapped, and Vinny is almost made into curry, but just when Birdsy has nowhere left to turn, enter Birdabella, the wild card. Will Birdsy remain “king of the boardwalk” or will the humans get the upper hand and start to encroach on the empire he and NonnaBird built?

Piling on the action, silliness and a lot of heart, this oddball family is brought to life in a dynamic, arresting visual graphic novel format. For fans of “Bad Guys,” “Last Kids On Earth” and “Dogman,” the absurd adventures of Birdsy and crew are everything young readers want in a new series. 

“The Gullfather: Birdsy Seagull: Vol 1. A Seahawk Situation”

Jeff Sikaitis and Jake Wheeler | June 6, 2023 | Middle Grade/Graphic Novel
Books Fluent | Paperback, 9781953865250 | Hardcover, 9781953865267

JEFF SIKAITIS and JAKE WHEELER are Emmy-winning creators and have storytelling experience across a wide variety of formats from original series, branded content, physical products and publishing. They have won a number of advertising awards and have created content for ComedyCentral, Sports Illustrated, Viacom and hundreds of blue chip brands. “The Gullfather: Birthday Seagull” is their debut book.

In an interview, Jeff and Jake can discuss:

• Their backgrounds in the entertainment industry as writers, content creators and Emmy winners
• How the book is perfect for reluctant and avid readers alike, with engaging and visually stimulating graphics
• Why the two decided to pivot and start writing books for middle grade readers
• The unique ideas and elements Jeff and Jake are bringing to the market for middle grade literature
• How graphic novels in general can be a great way for reluctant readers to kick off a burgeoning love for literature
• What’s next for The Gullfather series and other projects the two are working on

An interview with Jeff Sikaitis and Jake Wheeler

1. First and foremost: How did you two meet and start working together? 

Our friendship started at Boston College and turned into a creative partnership in New York City after we graduated. We have been creative collaborators for 20 years and have shot documentaries, written award-winning TV commercials, directed branded content, created web series, and written sitcoms and screenplays. 

However with success, as it were, two things happen: lives begin to diverge, and creativity becomes more “serious”. The Gullfather series was not only a chance for us to rekindle a long-term collaboration, but also to return to a time of more innocent, irreverent and silly and adventurous writing. It was one of those “the spark is back” projects for us. We got the band back together and it’s been a blast so far. 

2. How did the idea for “The Gullfather” come about?

We were at Penfield Beach in Fairfield, Connecticut, and while watching my kids play on the playground in the foreground, we saw this scene unfold in slow motion. A mouthy seagull swooped in and stole a kid’s bag of chips. And while it was happening, we saw surrounding the seagull what looked like his crew. Then after the successful heist, we watched the crew enjoy their spoils in another part of the beach. We remarked, “That was like watching a mob racket,” and then we started ad libbing and riffing on that concept while we were at the beach. Putting on voices, doing some back and forth improv. 

As we left, we remembered how fun creativity was in the purely silly state, no client, no studio (so far ;). It could be absurd and wild and still clean and wholesome – and not only was it enjoyable, but there was a sense that inane could also be successful. We threw around lines like “Sopranos for 7-year Olds”, and it just seemed to be something worth pushing. If for no other reason than for ourselves and the kid in each of us. 

3. How did writing a graphic novel for children differ from previous writing projects you’ve worked on?

In one sense, there’s a craft to each format, and in this one, there was some difference to telling a story in stills and leaning on art to carry a lot as opposed to the moving image. However, there’s a constant that cuts across all our work which is the same — and that is, who the characters are. Do you care about them? Do you want to spend time with them? Do they have personalities that win you over? It started with the humanity — or birdanity, or avianity? — whatever you want to call it. 

Then, similar to a lot of our content projects, we built out a bible for Birdsy, his crew and Shoretown. Fleshed out the characters, the character dynamics, the boardwalk environment, our desired look and feel/moodboards. And then just really started experimenting with the tone and voice of the characters. Once we felt like we had distinct and memorable characters and we could easily write and create exchanges between the characters, we moved into story development. In parallel to story development, we had our artist (German Torres) start working on character designs. Once we had our voice and visual language locked in, we moved into the writing phase. And because of all the character work we had done, the writing of volume one was really fluid (and absurdly fun) and we finished the first draft within two weeks. Then the editing and evolving took probably another month.

In terms of the writing, the biggest thing was making sure:

• It was middle-grade appropriate.
• It was entertaining.
• It was fast-paced.
• And it was layered entertainment: enjoyed by kids, could be enjoyed by a parent who picks it up, and had a re-readability (OK, that’s not a word) every time you read it or looked at a page you picked up/discovered something new — detail in the environment, facial expression of character, joke within a joke, etc.

4. What were some of the hardest parts about writing the book? And what were some of the more fun aspects?

We are big believers in “the journey is the reward” or actually part of the reward; our main reward is creating a hit franchise that is held in the same regard as “Bad Guys” and “Last Kids on Earth.” But the hard parts are usually needed to get to the end state we wanted. Whether it was editing out jokes or scenes that were extraneous, to giving some scenes more breathing room but not much, they were hard in the moment but we knew that they were necessary evils.

The fun part was collaborating together again. Jake lives in Montana and I live in Fairfield, and we don’t get to collaborate at the frequency we once did. So it was great to reignite our creative partnership and get back to what we love doing: creating stories and characters, and writing. And hopefully “The Gullfather” can win some fans and earn some heart to allow us to continue our frequency of collaboration.

5. What was it like working with artists Geman Torres and Leisha San for the book?

It was such a rewarding process. And while we are not artists, we have art direction and film backgrounds so we had a very fluent short-hand with German. 

But German is a phenomenal talent and his ability to take our stage directions, crude storyboards, and script and then translate it into this kid-friendly work of art was awesome. We also worked with him to create a sophisticated aesthetic in terms of color palette and in certain cinematic framings that break the “panel” so to speak.

The end result, we believe, is that every pane is a mini movie poster — detailed and visually arresting in its own way. One of the things we are most proud of is how strongly the visual comedy comes through. A reader could absorb the story by just looking at the pictures. However as writers we don’t recommend this. At least not on the first or second… or third read. After that, it’s cool.

6. What are some lessons young readers will be able to take away from the book?

First and foremost that reading is awesome and can be more or equally as entertaining as a screen, device or TV. We strongly feel that graphic novels, when crafted the right way, have the same ingredients as a hit show or movie: visually arresting, immersive entertainment and a range of emotions that hit even harder because of the visuals. 

But besides falling in love with a series and characters, if you really deconstruct the story and Birdsy and crew, “The Gullfather” is about the value of friendship, the importance of family (no matter how screwed up and dysfunctional they are), the power of teamwork (even if it doesn’t yield the greatest results) and at the heart of everything, fighting for what you believe in — which in this case is Shoretown and Birdsy and his crew’s love and attachment to their boardwalk home. 

7. No spoilers, but what part of the book are you most excited for readers to see?

To laugh. Period. And, well, to enjoy the ride. In some sense we’ve made reading so, so heavy. There are a lot of heavy lessons that we seem to impart onto reading from adult-land. Not that any of those aren’t necessary and well-intentioned. But as readers, and as humans, laughter and joy is part of the equation we can’t forget. 

Also, I would mention, there’s a reason that mythology and fables and fairytales are still popular today. They can offer lessons we want to transmit in an appealing and memorable way.

But if we had to drill down into a scene, we are excited for readers to read/see

the encounter between Seymour (the wooden eagle) and One-Wing and Vinny. Hijinks with hilarity with some visuals that will have you in stitches. That is one of many scenes that captures 

our brand of storytelling and entertainment.

8. What’s next for The Gullfather series? Are y’all working on other projects as well?

Literary domination. No in all seriousness, we have two other volumes scripted out, so hopefully when we see traction and we see readers fall in love with Birdsy and crew, we will release those. We also think the series has screen potential, so we are going to explore some script-to-screen paths as well. 

Outside Birdsy, we have a few properties in the works, but one we are really excited about is Magic Paper Society: Five neighborhood boys sneak into an abandoned paper factory and leave unknowingly with stacks of magical paper. They soon discover this magic paper turns them into the coolest, strongest, slightly bizarre superhero version of themselves. But there’s just one little hitch — they didn’t happen to grab an instruction manual. So they have no idea when, why or how they get transformed into their superhero selves. And the factory was demolished days after their visit so they will never have an instruction manual. This, of course, leads to lots of excitement, confusion and awkwardness for the boys and their adult superhero alter-egos as they navigate middle school problems and battle their eternal enemies who always seem to be lurking around the corner.”

That is written, illustrated and ready to go after Birdsy tops the bestseller list. 

Sample pages from “The Gullfather”

Sample pages from “Magic Paper Society”

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In his debut memoir, “Born Into Crisis” (Burning Soul Press, May 2, 2023), pastor and community organizer Kenneth Nixon Jr. discusses the necessary steps to healing and breaking free from the cycles of family traumas. Drawing from his own experience with dysfunctional family dynamics, Kenneth uses his story to call attention to the need for systemic change in our mental health system.

The American mental health system is in crisis, and those affected by its shortcomings are drowning without the tools and resources they deserve and need to thrive. In “Born Into Crisis,” Kenneth shares his story of growing up with a mother with severe mental illness and a family stuck in an enduring cycle of trauma. He knows firsthand the impact trauma can have on a person’s life. Kenneth not only takes you on a powerful journey through his stories, he provides cogent and practical strategies for creating lasting change in our mental health system. “Born Into Crisis” is more than just a story of resiliency. It’s also a call to action.

“This is a breathtaking, heartfelt, honest account…The author uses his experiences as a jumping-off point to discuss systemic problems that fail people like his mother, to empower readers to take stock of their own mental health.” – BookLife

“The title of Nixon’s memoir is perfectly apt—the moment of his birth was a genuine crisis…” – Kirkus Reviews

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kenneth Nixon Jr. is a pastor, community organizer, and mental health advocate. He knows firsthand what it means to navigate personal mental health challenges while also navigating a broken system on behalf of a loved one. Kenneth speaks out about the need for reform in the mental health system, and works to improve the lives of those affected by mental illness. He also is the founder of the non-profit justice organization called Justice Now. Find out more about him at www.authorkennethnixon.com. 

Follow Kenneth Nixon Jr. on Instagram: @kenneth_nixonjr

“…A remarkable memoir about mental health and breaking cycles of trauma and crisis…This powerful, compassionate, and inspiring book contains actionable information…a must-read for everyone…” – Readers’ Favorite

“The strategies in Born Into Crisis will serve as a boon to any who are suffering the vicious pains of mental illness.” – Indies Today

“An inspiring story of personal resilience and an urgent call to action. This is a must-read book!” – Dawn Raffel, author of “The Strange Case of Dr. Coney”

“A beautiful story about resilience…Its relatability inspires us to personal and collective action without using clinical language or easy answers.” – Dan Campbell, licensed clinical social worker

“Born Into Crisis provides an outlook on mental health from the front lines. Kenneth Nixon shares his experiences so vividly, you read the words feeling his pain as he experienced each moment. Born Into Crisis is not just a memoir, it’s a call to action which leaves the reader asking themselves what they can do to help those in need.” – Alonda Alloway, PhD, licensed clinical social worker

In an interview, Kenneth Nixon Jr. can discuss:

• How his personal experiences as a child of a mentally ill parent speaks to larger issues in the mental health care system
• Understanding forgiveness and how it’s necessary for healing 
• How meeting others with similar family backgrounds have brought him closer to his faith and inspired him to persevere in his mission to advocate for those living with mental illness and their families
• The importance of building intentional relationships – creating foundations of trust and respect – to help inform and support systemic change
• Support systems and resources for people who have family members with mental health issues
• Understanding generational and inherited trauma
• Decriminalization of mental illness
• His calls to action and advocacy
• His work as a pastor and community organizer in northern Virginia
• Writing about past traumas as a path to healing

An Interview with

Kenneth Nixon Jr.

Before we dive into everything else, please tell us a little about “Born Into Crisis” and the experiences you share in your new book.

In my book, I try to showcase a diverse perspective by touching on my mother’s mental illness, my family’s inherited traumas / generational traumas, and the direct effect it has on entire families in crisis. My book attempts to reflect on how families can pass down an inherited trauma that can become an invisible barrier for generations of people to break through. It is about making sense of our history, understanding its impact on who we are today, and using it to find healing and transformation. Through sharing my experiences, I hope to create awareness about this issue so that more people can begin their journey toward healing from their familial traumas or mental health issues. 

How do you think your personal story speaks to larger issues in the mental health system? 

My personal story speaks to more significant issues in the mental health system in many ways. First, it highlights how difficult it can be for people to get treatment due to a lack of access or difficulty affording care. This is especially true in rural and underserved areas, where resources are scarce and often strained. It also emphasizes how vital support systems are in providing adequate care—from family members to professionals such as therapists and counselors. Additionally, my story demonstrates that even when someone does manage to receive treatment, there can still be challenges that make a recovery an ongoing process instead of a one-time event. Mental health is not a “one size fits all” approach—individualized care plans are often the most effective way forward. By telling my story and sharing my experience, I hope to raise awareness of these issues and help create a more effective mental health system for everyone.

Writing this book required you to come face-to-face with past traumas. What was the hardest thing for you to write about? How did you navigate this?

The hardest thing about writing this book was communicating the far-reaching effects that severe mental illness can have on those, yes who suffer, but also their family. When I began writing this book, I was confronted with many difficult memories from my past that I hadn’t thought about in years. It was cathartic and heartbreaking to relive those moments and face the reality of how much my mother’s mental illness and family dynamics had shaped me. To bring this story to life, I had to partly, but holistically, share my truth. Writing honestly about the good and bad, the pain and the beauty of my story, has been a journey that has brought me closer to understanding not only myself but also how mental illness affects many families around the world and the systems that claim to support those in need.

In your role as a pastor and community organizer, have you encountered others with similar family backgrounds? How did that impact your perspective?

As a pastor and community organizer, I have encountered many individuals with similar family backgrounds who have experienced the suffering of a loved one due to severe mental illness. This has had a profound impact on my perspective. Seeing how these families are affected has brought me closer to my faith, deepening my understanding of humanity’s need to proactively breakdown unconscious bias around mental illness. It also inspires me to work harder to advocate for those struggling with mental illness and their families to receive the treatment and support they need. 

Can you tell us about your work in conflict resolution as a court certified mediator in Virginia?

The pandemic has led to a significant increase in conflict resolution for couples, families, and businesses. This usually involves helping them identify the issues causing or contributing to their conflict. This process aims to help them find solutions that will address the underlying emotions and needs, as well as the practical aspects of resolving the issue. The mental health component of conflict resolution involves exploring the feelings and emotions that have been triggered, allowing for a deeper understanding of the issue at hand. By understanding the source of conflict, individuals can develop new ways to express their needs to resolve or manage the conflict. People from all walks of life come into the process with their own traumas, anxiety, and fears. A skilled conflict resolution practitioner can help identify these issues and help parties address them in a manner that respects everyone’s rights and needs. Conflict resolution is a valuable tool to create better communication skills, increased empathy, respect for differences, and understanding of the other person’s point of view. 

Your book isn’t just a memoir recounting your experiences growing up amid your mother’s severe mental illness — you say it’s a call to action. Can you elaborate on this? How does your book provide a platform for advocacy and understanding?

My book provides a platform for understanding and advocacy by sharing my story honestly and transparently. The call to action is for readers to take the time to learn more about mental illness and how it affects individuals and families, as well as provide resources, strategies, and a model of care that can be implemented on a local and national scale. I am tired of the continual hamster-wheel conversations about mental health and its impact on society while so few people take transformational, systemic action. I hope my book can contribute to real change in some small way. We all want the same thing: to help those struggling with mental illness feel better and access quality care that considers their individual needs.

What is your stance on decriminalizing mental illness?

The decriminalization debate will rage across the United States for some time. The final answer is likely not a simple binary choice: it isn’t so much an “either/or” as an “if/when.” However, suppose the only question about handling an individual with serious mental illness is whether or not to jail them. In that case, we are already experiencing a community and public policy failure. The question should not be whether or not we jail individuals with serious mental illnesses. It should be how we prevent someone from reaching that point. The answer is deceptively simple: we must ensure that a person is treated comprehensively during a crisis. This is where the Crisis Now model comes into play. By treating someone at their worst moment — a moment of crisis — society can get that person through a devastatingly painful moment, get them the help they need, and prevent a mental health situation from deteriorating. This can ultimately lead to that person recovering.

What can readers who don’t have severe mental health issues in their families gain from reading this book? 

This book is not just for people with family members dealing with severe mental health issues. The stories of these families can be a source of comfort and strength to anyone who has faced difficult times in life. It provides readers with an insight into the struggles that those dealing with mental illness can face, giving them a better understanding of the emotions at play. Additionally, it offers a chance to reflect on our own experiences and how we can support others going through similar difficulties. Even if we don’t have any immediate family members experiencing severe mental health problems, this book is an important reminder that everyone should take care of their mental well-being and look out for those around us. Ultimately, by reading this book, readers will gain a greater appreciation of the resilience and strength it takes to overcome mental health struggles and develop a more compassionate understanding toward those dealing with them. 

Can you tell us what Crisis Receiving Centers are and their purpose? 

Crisis Receiving Centers (CRCs) are facilities staffed by mental health experts to which law enforcement or community members can take someone struggling with mental illness or addiction instead of to jail or the emergency room. These are simple facilities, and they are small. Typically, they are stand-alone centers that operate 24 hours/day, seven days/week, with around 16 beds and also shorter-stay reclining chairs. Officers who drop people off at CRCs usually spend less than 15 minutes doing a warm handoff with staff, as opposed to the hours they may spend waiting in an ER.

What does forgiveness mean to you? How do you understand it? And why is it necessary for healing? 

Forgiveness is a concept that can mean different things to different people. For some, it may be associated with letting go of resentment and feeling compassion toward those who have hurt you. It could also mean recognizing and accepting the wrongdoing without holding a grudge or seeking justice. Ultimately, forgiveness is an act of reconciliation and understanding that everyone makes mistakes. Forgiveness is necessary when it comes to healing from physical, mental, or emotional pain because it helps us move forward. When we forgive ourselves for our past wrongs or forgive someone else for hurting us, we take control of our emotions and no longer allow them to dictate our behavior. Forgiveness is ultimately an act of self-compassion, kindness, and courage that helps us heal from the inside out. We learn to accept our experiences as part of life and better understand who we are and why things happen the way they do.

How is the importance of fathers and fatherly figures explored in your book?

The importance of fathers and fatherly figures is a theme explored in my book. I explore this theme through the context of the lifelong impacts on children who have one or both parents absent from their lives, and in particular, I am focused on boys. I focus on how having a robust male role model or mentor in place to provide guidance and support can help counteract some of the emotional challenges faced by those. I also discuss how having a fatherly figure present in one’s life can make all the difference in providing emotional stability and helping positively shape a young boy’s character. I also discuss the need for both fathers and motherly figures to be present in a child’s life, as this can provide a balanced approach that helps foster emotional growth and stability. 

What support systems and resources exist for people who have family members with mental health issues?

There are many support systems and resources available to people with family members who have mental health issues. One such resource is the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). NAMI offers many programs, including support groups, educational classes, and individualized assistance. Additionally, they provide information about services in the local area that can be beneficial for those struggling with mental health challenges. Another great resource is Mental Health America (MHA). MHA provides comprehensive information about mental illnesses and treatment options, helplines, and other programs designed to help those dealing with mental illness find support.

What does the name VOICE mean, and what’s your role with the organization?

Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (VOICE), is a nonpartisan coalition of 53-member faith communities and civic organizations in northern Virginia working together to build power in middle and low-income communities. We organize in the multicultural suburban localities of Prince William, Fairfax, and Arlington counties and Alexandria City, uniting people across lines of race, class, religion, political party, and geography to take action on key issues in our community. VOICE is the largest citizen’s led organization in the state, representing over 200,000 residents. I  have been involved with VOICE for over 10 years, eight of which as a clergy leader through the church I attend, First Baptist Manassas, one of the founding congregations of VOICE. I have served on VOICE’s Strategy Team (board of directors) and helped lead several statewide and local campaigns as a clergy leader and community organizer.

What is the Crisis Now model?

The Crisis Now model is innovative in addressing mental illness and addiction. Under this model, people with mental health issues or addiction are provided with proactive treatment instead of waiting until they reach a crisis point. This prevents the need for expensive emergency care and reduces the number of individuals in jails or emergency rooms due to their mental health issues or addiction. This model has been successfully implemented in Arizona, resulting in improved outcomes for those living with mental illness and addiction while reducing taxpayers’ costs. The success of the Crisis Now model is due to its emphasis on early intervention and providing access to comprehensive care that addresses physical and psychological needs. It also involves partnerships between healthcare providers, police departments, courts, housing authorities, mental health organizations, and other community stakeholders to ensure that those with mental illness or addiction can access the services they need. This model should be adopted nationwide to reduce the financial burden of caring for those facing mental health issues or addiction while providing more humane treatment options. The Crisis Now model offers a practical approach to treating these individuals holistically and can help improve their lives while reducing the strain on public resources.

What’s next for you?

In terms of mental health advocacy, I will continue fighting to  secure transformational investments from Virginia state government in transforming the Commonwealth into a community-based model of crisis care that can be replicated across the country. I plan to expand my efforts to bring more awareness to unconscious bias and other forms of stigma that surround mental illness and addiction. I am also already half way through writing my second book that will deal directly and frankly with unconscious bias and the compassion gap that needs to be addressed when dealing with mental health issues.

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

“Welcome to Monsterville” encourages creative play and grief healing

Clarksville, MD – Poetry educator Laura Shovan’s latest project, “Welcome to Monsterville” (Apprentice House Press, April 25, 2023) began when her friend, fellow poet Michael Rothenberg, sent her illustrations of monsters that he created as a form of art therapy during the pandemic. In response, Laura sent him back poems, one for each monster, telling their story. Born out of pandemic-related grief, confusion and fear is this gentle, therapeutic book that doubles as a playful way for kids to develop social-emotional skills. 

As an educator, Laura feels passionately about the value of social emotional learning and how creative play supports children’s development. She hopes that fellow educators will use “Welcome to Monsterville” as a springboard for classroom conversations about sitting with strong emotions.

About “Welcome to Monsterville”:

With an introduction from former president of the American Art Therapy Association, Dr. Mercedes Ballbé ter Maat, this quirky collection of illustrated poems is a celebration of friendship, emotional intelligence, and creative play as a form of healing.

Did you know monsters can be friendly, thoughtful, and shy? Much like their human neighbors, the residents of Monsterville have strong emotions. They can be joyous, angry–even afraid. Readers will meet a monster house who plays hopscotch and makes the sidewalks quake, cry with a monster called Sadness, and laugh at a bubblegum-headed monster’s epic tantrum. 

“Welcome to Monsterville”

Laura Shovan | April 25, 2023 | Apprentice House Press | Children’s 

Paperback | ISBN: 978-1627204774 | $17.99

“A delightfully surprising collection of poetry and art that is sure to inspire its readers to pick up a pen and explore their own creativity.”

—Jarrett Lerner, author-illustrator of the EngiNerds series

“With perfect personification (monster houses that dance), colorful characters (Bubblegum Head), lively language (Dockaboodlecoo!), and a whole range of emotions from gratitude to shyness to anger to sadness, children will easily see themselves in the world of Monsterville. And they’ll want to visit Monsterville again and again.”

—Janet Wong, author of “You Have to Write”

Laura Shovan is a novelist, educator, and Pushcart Prize-nominated poet. Her work appears in journals and anthologies for children and adults. Laura’s award-winning middle grade novels include “The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary,” “Takedown,” and the Sydney Taylor Notable A “Place at the Table,” written with Saadia Faruqi. An honors graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts (BFA Dramatic Writing) and Montclair State University (Master of Arts, Teaching), Laura is a longtime Maryland State Arts Council Artist-in-Education, conducting school poetry residencies. She teaches for Vermont College of Fine Arts’ MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults. To learn more about her life and work, visit: www.laurashovan.com 

Follow Laura Shovan on social media:

Facebook: @laura.shovan.poet | Instagram: @laurashovan

In an interview, Laura Shovan can discuss:

• How “Welcome to Monsterville” turned pandemic-related grief, anxiety and fear into a tool for kids to better understand and manage emotions
• The value of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in the wake of the pandemic
• How being an educator influences her approach to writing for kids
• The story behind Michael’s lively and colorful illustrations
• How the book was born out of a sense of creative play, and why adults should make art with a “process over product” mindset
• Why she values collaboration with other authors and artists 
• What it was like working alongside publishing students at Loyola College 
• Why writing poetry a positive outlet for big emotions 

An Interview with Laura Shovan

1. In your author’s note, you mention that creative play helped you and Michael cope with grief. What made “Welcome to Monsterville” such an important outlet for those emotions?

One of the joys of working on this project together was that it was a “no judgment” zone. Through his art therapy, Michael was learning to trust his creative impulse–to go with whatever idea bubbled up for a monster without labeling it “strange” or worrying that a creature was too out-there. He wasn’t editing his emotions, but letting them flow freely into his art. I had a similar experience writing poems in response to the illustrations. In order to write the monsters’ stories, I had to get out of my own way and follow my creative impulses, no matter how weird. Grief, on some level, has to do with loss of control. Giving up the controlling mind and trusting the creative process was healing for both of us.

2. “Welcome to Monsterville” is a collection of ekphrastic poems written in response to Michael’s art. How was this different from your other writing for kids?

Michael’s monsters are enigmatic and I had to approach them as if they were puzzles to be solved. Though I wasn’t aware of it when I was writing early drafts, I was asking myself questions about each creature: What emotions do I feel when I look at this image? Does it have a personality or facial expression that I can reflect with my words? What is this monster’s story? There was some freedom in not having to compose a traditional narrative with a plot. Instead, the poems and illustrations take readers on a sort of guided tour through the imagination.

3. How can adults stay in touch with their sense of creative play, and why should they?

Michael valued – as I do – having a creative practice that’s disconnected from our work as writers. For Michael, art was the outlet for creative play. Before his death, he had been creating abstract pieces, often full of color and wild forms, for several years. When I need a break from writing books, I make other things: I bake bread, garden, and doodle robots, which I post on Instagram. The goal with creative play isn’t to monetize or polish the work for publication. The point is the act of creativity itself, to be in the practice of making something. Many adults are taught that creative play is for children. They learn, in their teens, to abandon making art if they’re not planning to become (or “good enough” to become) a professional artist, musician, writer. But art–even art we make for no one but ourselves–can be a powerful way to work through strong emotions. It can be a place to record observations, advocate for empathy, and understand who we are. It’s also fun! Sometimes I go back to the Ed Emberley books from my childhood, which show you step by step how to turn your thumbprint into a mouse, a robot, an elephant. There’s great joy in simply allowing yourself to create for the sake of play.

4. Social Emotional Learning (SEL) has become increasingly important in schools since the Covid-19 pandemic. How does “Welcome to Monsterville” support SEL?

As Dr. Mercedes Ballbé ter Maat writes in her introduction to the book, monsters, like human beings, “come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, filled with ideas, thoughts, and emotions.” They, and we, are “perhaps strange and weird, beautiful, and kind, also filled with ideas, thoughts, and emotions.” I hope this book acknowledges that children are emotional creatures who “laugh and talk, play and cry, sing and dance, think and feel… hide when they are afraid, cry when they hurt, kiss and hug when in love.” And I hope that educators will use “Welcome to Monsterville” as a springboard for classroom conversations about sitting with strong emotions, rather than pushing them aside.

5. How has being a teacher influenced the types of books you write?

Being an educator influences everything I do, including my writing for children and teens. When I visit classrooms as a poet-in-the-schools, I am inviting children to describe the hobbies and interests they are passionate about, their hopes, concerns, and favorite traditions. “Welcome to Monsterville” reflects the stories and feelings of children I have worked with over many years.

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

Perfect for fans of the Off-Campus series, and those who are over the Alpha Male trope

PARIS – Debut author Rosanna Patruno is releasing the first book in her thrilling New Adult fantasy series, “The Hidden Heir” (March 14, 2023), which follows magical Inga through her supernatural lessons with the handsome yet mystifying Biagio, and on an otherworldly journey to protect her family from the sorcerer hunting them.

Despite being one of the less gifted witches in her family, Inga is eager to take advantage of her magical skills. Her mother, however, doesn’t believe women have a place in school, and wants Inga to give up magic and work with her in her tearoom. When Inga meets the gifted yet mysterious magical instructor Biago, who offers her one-on-one lessons to advance her magical abilities, she is ecstatic. Her mother does not trust the high-status, handsome Biago, for reasons unknown to Inga. But Inga unexpectedly develops feelings for Biago, as he shows her what it is like to live among the aristocrats of London, leading Inga into a world of unexpected euphoria that she did not know existed.

When long forgotten family secrets begin to resurface, including a millennia-old sorcerer hunting Inga’s family, and young women suddenly disappearing across London, Inga must fight to secure her own fate, and the fate of those around her. Can Inga trust Biago to help her avoid a destiny far worse than death, or is Inga’s mom right to not trust him? Follow Inga on her journey to uncover the truth of her family’s history, and to protect them and society at all costs.

“The Hidden Heir”
Rosanna Patruno | March 14, 2023 | New Adult Fantasy
Paperback: 978-2-9585988-0-8

Rosanna Patruno: From her youth spent in Puglia, a wild region in the south of Italy, Rose has retained a love for the culinary preparation of beautiful natural products. And when still a teen, she decided to become a writer without knowing anything about this world; Rose never imagined for a moment what her path would be. At the age of twenty she defied the path laid out by her patriarchal family and escaped, leaving her family and this region behind, to follow her own passion – that of art and literature to discover Paris. There she took art classes, immersing her creativity between anatomy morphology and the art of watercolor along with Theater, which sharpened her sense of observation and her art of human portraiture – two skills she offers in her writing. Later, she developed her knowledge of pre-Christian myths, a passion she shares with her husband. Her life as a writer comes from a well of decisions and encounters: “A novel may begin life as an anecdote, but sharing is where it is truly born. It is not something that we premeditate. But the desire to have amusement and excitement can only stem from our original creations for which the inspiration flows from our own memories – the surprises of life”.

Follow Rosanna Patruno on social media:
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

In an interview, Rosanna Patruno can discuss:

• How growing up in southern Italy has influenced her personality & how her experience impacted her view of the world
• What it is like growing up in a patriarchal society, and how she drew on that for her writing process
• Why she feels patriarchal society finds its greatest support among some women
• Why it is important to acknowledge that not all teenagers come from a family that wants the best for them, and how this story can show them how to strengthen their personality
• How she goes against the stereotypical alpha male tropes in her storytelling and offers alternate ideals of what a couple should be
• How writing fanfiction helped to find the strength to write her debut series
• Her plans to continue Inga and Biagio’s story

An Interview with Rosanna Patruno

You mention that you were a big fan of fanfiction. How has fanfiction inspired your writing of this series in particular?

When you come from a country with ancient and rich literature, where you are acquainted since childhood with outstanding authors, one has the impression a girl simply cannot compete with the likes of Dante, Manzoni, and Umberto Eco. Fanfictions provide aspiring writers with a space where they can find fun in storytelling without being compared to Literature tutelary figures. It is a nice and pleasant training ground where they can “sharpen their quills” and gain confidence in this craft thanks to their readers’ emotional support and recognition.

What was it like growing up in a patriarchal society, and how did you draw on that for your writing process?

One does not realize how polluted their city is until one discovers the purer air of the wild sea. Likewise, a girl in a patriarchal family could hardly breathe until her will, a casual encounter, or both, show her a different reality. It takes time and effort to unleash her long unused wings in this new environment, but with the right support, she can build her confidence. In this book, my character is only at the beginning of this journey, which I went through in the years it took me to write her story.

How do you think this story can show teenagers how to stand up for themselves, especially when up against unsupportive family members or friends?

A reader (or someone watching movies) identifies with a character. When surrounded by a fictional “loving and perfect” family, with parents willing to do their best for their kids, she will twist it to fit her own (dysfunctional) family. This could lead her to renounce her dreams to follow her family’s will, sometimes for the parents’ or siblings’ interest. Giving her the means to recognize the red flags is just as important as showing her how she could find the strength to lead her way.

What do you think of the “Alpha male” idea seen in many fiction novels, and how do you feel Biago is different from that standard?

It is reassuring to fall for the stereotypical alpha male (protective, strong, competent, rich…) because it is the patriarchal mother’s expectation for her: an over-controlling figure who “will take care of her” by keeping her in a state of child-like dependency. The romanticization of such a figure will lead the daughter into the same trap her mother fell in, reproducing the expected social format of a shadow woman. Offering a different yet positive alternative shows how a more balanced and respectful relationship can help the girl become herself in a less direct, and less directed, but more interesting long-term path.

There seems to be an underlying importance of music in your book. How would you describe your relationship with music?

If music always attracted me, I only discovered its world in Paris, where people can go to concerts (jazz and classical mainly) almost for free. One of my favorite experiences was a night rehearsal of Renaissance music at Notre Dame. It was a magical moment; we were nearly alone with the musicians in the cathedral, offering us the impression of stepping back a few centuries ago. We also had the chance to “welcome” a Bosendorfer at home for some time (a cumbersome guest, I must admit), and its sound and resonances accompanied the writing of the encounter between Biagio and Inga.

This is your debut series! Can you tell us about what else we can expect from the series, and from you as an author?

Inga’s journey to discover herself and her potential is only at the beginning, and it will take time and effort to become and to get where she is meant to be. The universe where Inga and Biagio’s story takes place is larger than shown in this story, and the Distant Worlds mentioned here will soon offer unexpected plot twists!

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

Award-winning author’s book includes Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald, Dorothy Parker and many more

Brunswick, ME – Award-winning author of over ten mysteries and historical novels, Matt Cost is releasing a fast-paced historical mystery, “Velma Gone Awry: A Brooklyn 8 Ballo Mystery” (April 12, 2023, Encircle Publications), which is set in the roaring ‘20s and follows a PI on a surprising, peculiar case to find the flapper daughter of a wealthy businessman.

Matt Cost brings us back to Brooklyn in the roaring 20’s and introduces us to Hungarian PI, 8 Ballo. The search to find Fritz Hartmann’s daughter will lead him to cross paths with Dorothy Parker, Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald, Coleman Hawkins, Bugsy Siegel, Babe Ruth, and many more. As the 8th child in his family, Ballo’s mother simply named him 8. Now in his mid-thirties, the jilted, college-educated, Great War veteran has his own private investigator business and is on a jarring journey to discover why Velma has gone awry.

Matt Cost is an award-winning author and also a runner up in the RONE and a finalist in the Silver Falchion. He owned a mystery bookstore and was a history major at Trinity College. After reading Cost’s work, Grace J. Reviewerlady said, “a fine cast of characters and always a sprinkling of humor… engrossed from the very beginning until the final word. Thrilling and exciting, this one comes highly recommended and easily earns all five glowing stars, and InD’tale Magazine said, “…twists and turns and added thrilling lures will ensnare readers and keep the pages turning!” of the Clay Wolfe/Port Essex series.

“Velma Gone Awry”
April 12, 2023 | Encircle Publications | Mystery / Historical Fiction
Hardcover | 978-1-64599-418-3 | $27.99
Paperback | 978-1-64599-417-6 | $17.99
Ebook | 978-1-64599-419-0 | $6.99

Praise for Matt Cost:

“Meet Detective 8 Ballo…. he’ll find a mountain of trouble, make plenty of enemies, and meet all the big names in town, from Dorothy Parker to Babe Ruth to Bugsy Siegel. Before you’re done, you’ll find a mountain of entertainment, a book filled with action, suspense, plot twists, and a sense that you’re actually living back there in the fantastic world that author Matt Cost brings so vividly to life. Velma may have gone awry. But don’t let her get away. Read the book.” – William Martin, New York Times Bestselling Author of Back Bay and December ’41

“Clay Wolfe and crew are back with another round of hijinks, thanks to author Matt Cost. I have liked this series because of the shenanigans, the budding romance, the action sequences, the sexy scenes, and the fun, ridiculous narratives.” – The Traveling Cloak Reviews

“Clay Wolfe, the nattily-dressed, roguishly-charming, ex-Boston-homicide-cop-turned-PI, is unfurling – expanding his reach (both emotionally and professionally) into thornier, darker and more challenging arenas – a fascinating budding shift for this already top-notch PI crime series.” – Terri at BooklyMatters

“The reader is hooked into the story from the first page with the possibly innocuous, yet nonetheless, chilling words “Sometimes bad genes need to be stamped out and good ones need to be fostered. There’s really no difference between mice and human beings when it comes to genes.” – I Read What You Write: Book Bites

MATT COST writes the Mainely Mystery and the Clay Wolfe/Port Essex Mystery Series. He’s also written several books of historical fiction. This is his first jaunt in combining his two loves of histories and mysteries into a historical PI mystery. Cost was a history major at Trinity College. He owned a mystery bookstore, a video store, and a gym, before serving a ten-year sentence as a junior high school teacher. In 2014 he was released and began writing. And that’s what he does. He writes histories and mysteries. Cost now lives in Brunswick, Maine, with his wife, Harper. There are four grown children: Brittany, Pearson, Miranda, and Ryan. A chocolate Lab and a basset hound round out the mix. He now spends his days at the computer, writing. Find out more about him at https://mattcost.net.

Follow Matt Cost on social media:
Facebook: @MattCost8 | Twitter: @MattCost8
Instagram: @mlangdoncost | TikTok: @MattCost8

In an interview, Matt Cost can discuss:

• The process of researching and writing historical mysteries, and the fun in bringing infamous literary characters to life
• How he manages to write three new books a year in three different series
• Being a seasoned, award-winning author in the world of mystery books
• Owning a mystery bookstore, inspirational anecdotes, and what the book industry looks like as a bookstore owner versus an author
• What exactly a Ballo is, interesting facts of them and the history behind them
• His evolution as a writer of histories and mysteries and the blending of these two genres
• The importance of a strong writing community, the support of important people, and the backing of an involved publisher
• The importance of setting as a character in the plot of the novel

An Interview with Matt Cost

What does the writing process and research process look like for a book set in the roaring ‘20s, and how did you decide which famous literary characters to include?

As I delved into the research of the Roaring ‘20s I became increasingly excited about all that was going on, Prohibition, speakeasies, jazz, baseball, gangsters, and so much more. I read books about all these things, visited historical sites in Brooklyn, and got lost in internet research for days at a time. I wanted to include a sprinkling of the many legendary people of the time and had a hard time tamping the numbers down. In the end, Dorothy Parker emerged as a major character, but there were cameo appearances by Coleman Hawkins, F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, and Babe Ruth to name just a few

What was it like owning a mystery bookstore? What are some fun, behind the scene stories from that time, or lessons learned that contributed to your storytelling?

I opened The Coffee Dog Mystery Bookstore in Brunswick, Maine, in 1994. It was named after my chocolate Lab at the time, making him, and the place, the two non-fictional pieces to the mystery novels that would follow in the Mainely Mystery series. The UPS man would always bring treats for the Coffee Dog, so that one day when this friendly canine saw a UPS truck at the top of Maine Street, he ran it down and boarded a different driver’s truck, a young man who was quite surprised. Interacting with customers about fabled mystery writers such as Elmore Leonard, Carl Hiaasen, and Robert Parker was fabulous and cemented the groundwork for my future mystery writing.

What exactly is a Ballo? What are some interesting facts and history about them?

The Ballo family emigrated from Hungary to America in the 19th century, at which pointed the A at the end of their name was mistakenly changed to an O on the paperwork. 8 Ballo was the eighth child born in America in 1888, and his mother was certain that he was going to be a girl to even the scales at four and four. When it turned out he was a boy, and Dad was out to sea, she merely wrote the number 8 on the birth record, meaning to change this at a later date, but never did. Dad was a hardworking man who left his seafaring job to be at home working in a German beer brewery in Bushwick and Mom raised the eight children with love and kindness.

How do you decide which of your characters lives or dies? Is it hard killing off characters?

Killing characters’ in my books is a very sensitive topic. Readers don’t seem to mind when you kill the baddies off, but the slaying of a likable character can lead to outrage, but an occurrence that I believe whole-heartedly as necessary to raise the stakes, so that the reader isn’t able to coast along knowing that everything is going to work out, and only the bad will die and the good will live. Many times, in my writing, I’ve gotten to that pivotal point where a person of the pages life hangs in the balance, not yet knowing their fate, and then moving forward with or without them.

Is there anything else in the works for PI 8 Ballo?

The second book in the Brooklyn 8 Ballo series, City Gone Askew, is well underway, and is looking at a publication date of April 2024. 8 Ballo is hired to investigate a murder and the theft of an Aquila, a golden Roman Eagle Standard from the first century, which proves to be only the tip of the iceberg of this scintillating mystery. Joining 8 are his close friends Pearle, McGee, Marty, as well as Dorothy Parker, Coleman Hawkins, and other legendary newcomers to the pages.

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/