433: Voice, Point of View, and Other Unique Narrative Techniques for Middle Grade Novels - Interview

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Jessica Vitalis. We’ll be talking about voice, perspective, pacing and her books The Wolf’s Curse and The Rabbit’s Gift.

Jessica Vitalis is a Columbia MBA-wielding writer on a mission to write entertaining and thought-provoking literature. As an active volunteer in the kidlit community, she’s also passionate about using her privilege to lift up other voices. She founded Magic in the Middle, a series of free monthly recorded book talks, to help educators introduce young readers to new fantasy books. She was recently named a 2021 Canada Council of the Arts Grant Recipient and featured on CBCs Here and Now. Her first novel, The Wolf’s Curse, published in 2021, and a standalone companion novel, The Rabbit’s Gift, comes out October 25th.

You can find her on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

In this episode Jessica Vitalis and I discuss:

• Balancing multiple perspectives on the same events without boring your reader
• Weaving folklore, tradition, science, and spirituality into a middle grade story
• How to use footnotes and parentheticals without slowing your story’s pace

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/433