The Power Transformation Podcast

81. Rejection to Bestseller: Navigating the Road to Literary Success with Janae Marks

• Alethea Felton • Season 2 • Episode 81

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Unlock the behind the scenes of literary success with New York Times Bestselling Author Janae Marks. In this episode, we explore Janae's heartaches of rejection to the celebration of publishing her poignant middle-grade novels, and she shares how personal experiences infuse her characters with authenticity. 

We delve into  her path from writing unpublished manuscripts to creating Zoe Washington, a character whose story ignites conversations on wrongful convictions and youthful advocacy. Janae’s narrative showcases the road to achievement paved with persistence and belief in one’s voice.

Join Us As Janae:

  • Reveals the shift from young adult fiction to middle-grade stories and the impact of representation;
  • Reflects on the challenges of book banning and the importance of community support;
  • Discusses how setbacks guide creative endeavors and insights into her latest projects; and
  • Highlights the value of nurturing the writing craft and supporting authors through independent bookstores.



Step into the vibrant world of children's literature where diversity reigns, and stories transcend mere entertainment. This episode is a testament to the enduring power of friendship and collaboration in the literary world, inviting listeners to join a community where stories are not just read but lived and cherished.

Connect with Janae:


Episode 81's Affirmation:
I am creative, passionate, and equipped with all I need to share my talents with others.

Click here to connect with Alethea Felton

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Alethea Felton:

It's ironic how life has its twists and turns and you never know exactly how you're going to meet people. Well, that is what I can say about our guest today, janae Marks. I met her in the most incredible way and you'll learn more about that later, but it's important to note that she is the author of the critically acclaimed novel from the Desk of Zoe Washington. She is the author of the critically acclaimed novel From the Desk of Zoe Washington, the New York Times bestselling book on air with Zoe Washington, and she's also written A Soft Place to Land. Janae grew up in the New York City suburbs and now lives in Connecticut with her husband and daughter, and there's so much more about Janae that you will learn on this episode of the Power Transformation Podcast.

Alethea Felton:

Have you ever faced a challenge that seemed hopeless? Yet you think that you have the power to change your life for the better, no matter the obstacles you face. Well, if so, then you're in the right place. I'm your host, alethea Felton, and welcome to the Power Transformation Podcast, where we explore the incredible true stories of people who have overcome adversity and created meaningful lives. So prepare to be inspired, equipped and empowered, for the time is now to create your power transformation. Hey y'all, welcome back to another episode of the Power Transformation Podcast. I am excited that you are here today and welcome to you If you are listening for the first time. I am so happy to have you here. You are now officially a part of the Power Transformation Movement.

Alethea Felton:

Yes, this is a global movement where we are bringing out these stories of resilience, empowerment, overcoming adversity and so much more through these amazing interviews with these extraordinary guests. And the guest I have for you today, as you heard, is one of those incredible people and I want to jump right into that interview. But we're going to start first with our affirmation. Those of you who have been with me since the very beginning of this podcast or early on, you know how we do it here. I say an affirmation once and then you all repeat it. I am creative, passionate and equipped with all I need to share my talents with others.

Alethea Felton:

I am super thrilled today to have this guest with me. I first met her approximately seven years ago I'll share more about that later but this is when she was still in her inception of trying to get these books out. But this is a best-selling author but, more importantly, outside of that, she is a sweet spirit, one of the kindest, gentlest souls I've ever met, and that is none other than Janae Marks. Hi, janae, and welcome to the Power Transformation Podcast.

Janae Marks:

Hello and thank you for having me. I'm very excited to be here.

Alethea Felton:

No problem. Thank you and audience. I will also tell you when she first met me, I was not introduced to her by my legal name, so she knows me as Lili. So if she says that, it's totally okay. I have guests who actually call me that and that's fine. But, Janae, I just want to welcome you and I'm so excited because of the fact you are just not a best-selling author, but you have a passion for writing to our youth and we'll talk all about that. But I'd like to always start off with an icebreaker question, just something fun and lighthearted, so that we can get to know you better. And this is your question, Janae Janae, what is your favorite activity to do with your daughter?

Janae Marks:

Oh, good question. Her favorite thing is to go out and be out and about. So I would say if I were to spend an afternoon with her, I would probably take her out to get some ice cream. That's always like something that both of us could enjoy. She likes obviously. She's a very big sweets person and just getting out and doing something outside the house is definitely her favorite activity.

Alethea Felton:

So yeah, oh, that's beautiful and memories like that will last a lifetime, and no matter how old she gets. It's just so beautiful to have a bond like that with your daughter. As a matter of fact, later on today I'm going to lunch with my mom, so it doesn't stop. Yeah, Okay so, Janae. The second standard question that I like to ask all guests is this all guess, is this okay?

Janae Marks:

If you could describe Janae Marks, who would you say? Janae Marks is yeah, so you know, in terms of my job, I am a published author for kids. I write books that are typically for kids, kind of in the middle age group, middle grade group. They're, you know, eight to 12 year olds in middle school and outside of that I'm also a wife and a mom to an eight year old, so she is just now getting to be in the same age range of the books that I'm writing, which has been pretty cool. I'm also a dog owner. I'm pretty obsessed with my little dog. Yeah, I would say and you know I'm a daughter, a friend, have a lot of other roles, but I would say the primary roles that I in my day-to-day probably are wife, mom and an author.

Alethea Felton:

Yes, indeed, and prior to this podcast starting and prior to the actual theme music and all of that I did share with the audience, the books you have published, and there's so much more going on. I didn't go into depth, but just a general overview, and so my question, especially with you being a guest here on the Power Transformation Podcast all about empowerment, evolution, journeys, resilience, all of that how did your passion for writing first emerge and what were a couple of pivotal moments?

Janae Marks:

that shaped your evolution as a writer. Yeah, so I've always been interested in reading as a kid, I would say, my first, you know, before I was even a writer. I was always a big reader as a kid I didn't even think about becoming an author, but I was always somebody who liked to read in my free time. And then, you know, but I did do some writing growing up, mostly journals. I would just write journals about my life. I wouldn't necessarily write a ton of fiction at that time.

Janae Marks:

It wasn't until I got to college and I decided to become an English major because of my love of books and literature that I started taking some creative writing classes and realized that that part of it also interested me as well. And I would say, one really big pivotal moment for me was my senior year of college where I took an elective English literature class. It was called Girls Books and so we basically read children's books featuring female protagonists, some classics, some more newer ones. So, for example, we read a Judy Blume book, we read Little Women, harriet the Spy, you know several others, and we basically would talk about them and how. You know a lot of the themes and you know the feminist. You know stuff that they might include. Or, you know, even as an adult reader, we could all still resonate with a lot of these stories, even though they were actually written for younger readers. And it was just a really, really fun class and kind of reminded me because, you know, up until that point I'd just been reading a ton of classics, a ton of, you know, older books. So that's what you read when you're an English major. You know you read Shakespeare, you read all the, all the greats from the past, like Moby Dick and things like that. And this was the first time that and a really long time that I'd read a book for kids and it was just I just remembered how much I loved them as a kid myself.

Janae Marks:

And then part of the our last assignment in that class was to write a chapter of our own girls book, quote unquote, girls book. So essentially a chapter from our, a story that would also be geared towards kids, with a female protagonist and kind of talk to, you know, taking what we had kind of learned from reading all these other books. And it was the most fun I had in a creative writing assignment. I had been, you know, taking creative writing in school for the rest of during college. But I was writing you know I was writing short literary stories like most people were writing at that time, you know, stories that were definitely geared more toward adults to read, and this time I was writing about a child protagonist and I just had so much fun with it and it reminded me how much I loved reading.

Janae Marks:

And so I definitely have that professor's class thing for kind of bringing me back to children's literature, cause I don't know that I would have necessarily thought to return to that if not for that class. So after graduating from college and realizing that I did want to try to pursue publishing, I ended up going back to school and getting a master's in creative writing and because of that class and my experience like kind of getting reintroduced to children's literature, I decided to get that master's in fine arts in creative writing for children specifically. So the program I went to had a writing for children section or like basically that you had the option to do the writing for children program as a fiction, poetry or nonfiction. So I decided to go for the writing for children part and I really enjoyed it and that's basically then. That was the start of the rest of my journey to trying to become published.

Janae Marks:

Although going into your theme of this podcast. We'll probably talk about this more. That was only the beginning. It still took me 10 more years to eventually publish a book.

Alethea Felton:

Exactly, and I'm so glad that you actually said all that because it piqued my curiosity where I was going to ask you what led you drawn to write children's books specifically. But was it that assignment that sparked it, and what exactly is it about that age group that actually captivates you as an author?

Janae Marks:

Yeah, I think it was the assignment just kind of brought it, brought it back to the forefront of my mind of like, oh yeah, like you know, in just that class in general. And I think what really drew me in, even just when reading the books and then again when I was writing my own story for the first time, was just remembering what it was like to be a kid at that age and again going back to what I used to write journals a ton. As a kid I was mostly just writing about my feelings and thoughts, and so I did spend a lot of time in my youth kind of thinking about all the things that I was going through, and so it was actually really easy to kind of put myself back in that headspace as an adult and remember what it was like to be in middle school, dealing with all the changes and transitions that you go through at that age. There's such I don't know.

Janae Marks:

I think that's such a big developmental time in our lives, like you're kind of experiencing a lot of firsts, you're kind of getting a little bit, you're in this kind of in-between space You're not quite super independent yet Like you would be in high school where you're going off on your own entirely, without your parents around all the time, but so your parents might still be a part of your life, but you are kind of breaking away a little bit more from your home and and getting involved in other things. But I feel like you're experiencing stuff for the first time, you know, and getting a little bit more independence for the first time, and so I just I just think it was easy for me to put myself in that headspace. I think a lot of writer's short kids say that they feel like they're, you know, a 12 year old locked in an adult's body.

Janae Marks:

Like I feel, like it's easy to kind of what it was like to be that age and all of the feelings had.

Janae Marks:

Middle school is usually a really tough time for people, like it's not usually their favorite years to look back on because there is so much like stress that can happen during that time. You know, middle school it can be really tough, but I think there's also a lot of joy and you know, even in the tough moments, like things that you can, you know you can be, you know look back on and and feel like I overcame that tough moment and I'm the better for it. So yeah, and I think then as I started to just to read more books for that age group, I realized like how much I love them and I think also just on a writing, practical writing level, I think my voice also is just, it just really suits that age group. I think I might've been forcing myself a little bit when trying to write some of the more literary stuff. You know it just wasn't really. You know it wasn't the kind of writing that was best for my voice and I think I my voice kind of fits nicely in this literature for children space.

Alethea Felton:

And and I really like how you brought up the fact about how middle school is a tough time and, as you know, I'm a former educator teacher I was one for 20 years in terms of the education realm and prior to me, even leaving the classroom and shifting into a different role within HR, I had students who may have had some really tough lives outside of school, but yet reading was their escape. They really enjoyed reading and it took them to worlds that were just different places. My last year in the classroom and correct me if I'm wrong wasn't from the Desk of Zoe Washington, released at the very beginning of 2020?

Janae Marks:

Yeah, in January, if I'm not mistaken.

Alethea Felton:

Yes, Okay, yes, prior to the pandemic, and the way that I remember that is because a copy of your book ended up coming to my school's library and I remember a woman I worked with, who was the media specialist at the time, who read every book, was telling me this is a really good book. And I looked and I said I know the author and she said really. I said yeah, so it's just the fact that for her to see that spark. And then I did read that first book, of course, and I said my sister, who is an avid reader, loves your work too. And that leads me to this character, zoe Washington.

Alethea Felton:

And, for audience, if you've never read any of her books, she's going to tell you about how to go out and get them. She's published three books and so much more is coming down the road. But this is a question about Zoe Washington specifically. What inspired you to write those two first novels centered around Zoe Washington? And you know, without telling the end of the book or anything like that, what was it that said I want to write these books about this kind of like mini detective, advocate, activist all wrapped in one. Tell me about that journey.

Janae Marks:

Yeah, so. So from the desk of Zoe Washington was the fourth book that I wrote, but the first to get published. So I had written a few other things before this and they weren't really working out. I wasn't able to. You know the process. You know I went through the process of trying to get them published and it wasn't really working out. So when I was sitting down, you know, to think about what I wanted to write next, I was actually inspired by for this book by a podcast.

Janae Marks:

There's this podcast that was really popular many years ago called Serial S-E-R-I-A-L. The first season of that podcast was really popular back, I think, in 2014. And it told the story of a man who, at the time, was in prison for a crime that a lot of people believe that he didn't actually commit. So it was kind of like the first of like of the true crime. True crime stories have now gotten really popular on podcasts and documentaries, but I feel like that was maybe one of the first podcasts that was doing it and they kind of, you know, went into the case and went back to the scenes and talked to people and essentially, as you're listening, you're like, well, did he do it or did he not do it? That was the big question that you wanted to know, and you're kind of listening to find out, and so I was just sort of inspired by this idea and interested in learning more about wrongful convictions. Essentially, you know what it means when somebody goes to prison for something they didn't actually do. So I started doing some research. I ended up finding out more information on the Innocence Project website, which is a nonprofit that helps overturn these kinds of cases, and because, again, I like writing for kids, my brain was like well, what would it be like to be the kid of somebody in this situation? Because a lot of times when you hear a podcast or watch a documentary, it's mostly focused on the person who's in prison, on the case, on the lawyers or the detectives and things like that, and not really as much on how does this impact your family, to like have your family member all of a sudden get locked up for something they didn't actually do or you're not sure if they did it or not. So that's kind of how Zoe came to me and her dad, marcus.

Janae Marks:

So then I decided to just start a story out where you know she, zoe, hears from her dad for the first time because he's been in prison her whole life. He ended up getting incarcerated when her mom was pregnant with her and so she has never really known him. But he gets in touch with her for her during her 12th birthday, around that time, and she decides to write back to him and gets to know him, and then she ends up finding out that he might actually be innocent. He admits that to her and she's not sure whether that's the truth and so the book ends up being a mystery, as you said. So I think you know, I think I was just really inspired by that and realized that it would be interesting to show a child's perspective and also realize, especially in reading other books for kids that had come out before mine, books like One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams Garcia, like other books that show, you know, the tough things in that kids are dealing with, like racism, like discrimination, or you know how the system you know are the criminal justice system, can be unfair or just other things like that.

Janae Marks:

There are other books that have come out that show that kids can have a part in, you know, in changing things and also, you know, use their voices for change and if they feel like something isn't right, they can do something about it. Sometimes maybe they may not have the power to fix everything, but they can do something if they, if they want to. So I think I just wanted to create a character that had that kind of drive and initiative to kind of do something when she feels like something is wrong and wants to try. And, you know, and again, I think, like with kids books, what's cool is that you can make them. You can make them the hero who ends up solving the problem.

Janae Marks:

And you know, and there's a lot of real life hit activists out there that do just this, you know, or at least use their voices in different ways to inspire. So I know that there's actual people out there that Zoe, you know, is kind of modeled on. But yeah, I think that's kind of what made me kind of start and make her that kind of personality, even though, like, she really is very different for me. I feel like I, as a kid, was very more reserved and much more of a rule follower and would have been nervous to like go against, you know, authority. But she's the kind of person who is willing to stretch those limits in order to do what's right, and I admire that about her.

Alethea Felton:

But I think that's the beauty of writing, especially fiction writing and creative writing, is writers can literally take on a whole new persona and character. I'll never forget I heard an interview with the late great Toni Morrison, who was one of my favorite authors, and she said that sometimes her students at Princeton would write her stories about themselves and she'd say nobody wants to hear about your little life, why don't you go ahead and go? And it was the funniest thing she said in that particular interview is that nobody cares about your life. Write about something that is not connected to you, something that is so far-fetched. It can have certain parts of your life, but in terms of the overall character, so I like how you said because that was actually going to be my next question. This is great, it was going to be. How is Zoe like you, or are you two totally opposite?

Janae Marks:

Yeah, I mean personality-wise I would say we're pretty different. I did put a little bit of you know things about myself into her. For example, she is an only child, I am an only child, she. I like little things, like I named her dog in the book Butternut that was my childhood dog's name, you know like. I would like find little things here and there to kind of put in, but for the most part, yeah, I did really create a new character that you know, I didn't really think about what of myself could I put into her, but rather what you know characteristics can I give her that would both help her and also stand in her way on her journey, because not only do you want your characters to have all these strengths, but you also want them to have some flaws too. So I, you know, I just trying to think about those things and, yeah, I think it's true.

Janae Marks:

I think most people's lives aren't interesting enough to warrant, like, writing a story about your life.

Janae Marks:

I think it is much more fun to write fiction, you know, unless you have something really amazing happen to you.

Janae Marks:

But and you can always put some of yourself into your characters I think all my characters have a little bit of myself in them, you know, even if it's just, you know, little tiny bits here and there. But yeah, and I think, of course, your perspective, as you write the story, some of your feelings, might, you know, eke into their story as well. But yeah, I think it's been fun to kind of create characters that are unlike me and see how they would, you know, take the story If I were dropped in the same position as Zoe. I may not have done the same stuff as her. So it's interesting to you know, and that's why, yeah, I think when you're a reader you don't always have to. I think sometimes readers think that what people, what authors, put into the book is always exactly how they feel. And that's not always the case, because sometimes they write a fictional character that isn't necessarily their point of view, but they feel like that's right for that character to feel that way in the story.

Alethea Felton:

So, yeah, it's interesting to create stories, characters from scratch, Mm-hmm. And you know, just for the fact of you having this character advocate for her dad in that first book so heavily on a really serious subject is important. Because from a parent's perspective and I am not a parent, but I'm prefacing this but I think sometimes from a parent's perspective, and in this era we're in now, in our country of books censorship, some people might be jolted or ruffled by the fact that, oh, my goodness, this girl is trying to exonerate a convicted killer. And how is that age appropriate? Well, I'm telling you, as a former educator, I had countless students no joke, countless students over the years who had at least one parent behind bars, and some of my former students' parents were convicted murderers in that age group. And so it's real life. And so for you to even be brave enough to present a topic like that, I'm sure everybody wasn't pleased, but it did something because it's a best-selling novel and it's reality for a lot of kids.

Janae Marks:

Yeah, when I was doing my research because again I, this is, this is fiction, I don't have, I have never had a parent in prison. So it's, you know I'm not writing from personal experience but when I was doing my research I did find one statistic that really, you know, illuminates what you just said. It said that one in every 27 children in the United States has a parent that's in prison, and that's a lot If you think about that. It's like one in every average classroom and, again, not all of those parents necessarily are convicted of like serious, really serious crimes. There could be a variety of crimes. It also could be like many of them could be actually innocent too, just like Marcus, who knows?

Janae Marks:

But the point is like this experience of having a parent not be home because they are, you know, locked up, like you said, you know it still impacts them and I think it is frustrating when people who are trying to ban or censor books say like, oh, I don't think this is appropriate, when you know there are kids living this exact situation, like you know, kids even younger than Zoe, who's 12 in the book. I mean, there are kids who are, you know, in lower elementary school, like preschoolers. You know who are dealing with this dynamic, and so they deserve to see that their story is represented in books. They can feel less alone, they can feel like you know there's less of a stigma about it. They can feel more comfortable if their peers find out that this is their situation. They don't have to feel, as you know, like different and that it's, you know, it's not so abnormal.

Janae Marks:

So I think yeah, I think, when people are saying that they want to protect kids from some of these books not just mine, but other books that might be a challenge. You know, like the big question that a lot of authors ask is like, well, what kids are you trying to protect? You know, because clearly not the ones who can relate to the story, just the ones, like, who are living a very, maybe privileged, lucky life that don't have some of these problems. And you know, all the other kids need to see themselves in books too. So, yeah, it's definitely something that a lot of authors not just me or you know are kind of pushing back against with all the increase in book bans and challenges around the country right now.

Alethea Felton:

And the sequel to From the Desk of Zoe Washington is on air with Zoe Washington, and I'm purposely not going to have you talk about that book, because part of this podcast is, while thousands upon thousands of people know you, there's so many more who don't, and so I want people to read that first book and then read your next book. But A Soft Place to Land isn't centered around Zoe, but a character named Joy, and that's your third book. Is Joy similar to you?

Janae Marks:

So her story actually was partially inspired by one of my own experiences as a child, so she's not me exactly either. I definitely, you know, made her her own person. But the story in this book, the story begins with Joy dealing with a really big move. Her family, due to financial hardship, had to sell her childhood home and move into an apartment across town. So now you know, this house that she grew up in her whole life she has to leave. And now her family is in this more cramped apartment. She has to share a room with her younger sister. Her parents, like, due to all the stress of all of this, have been fighting more and more, and so she is really struggling and more and more, and so she is really struggling.

Janae Marks:

And that is similar to something that I went through, different circumstances, but my parents got separated when I was in high school and they ended up selling the house that I'd grown up in up until that point and I moved with my mom into an apartment in the same town. So I get similarities, you know I you know again, I'm an only child didn't have to share a room with a sibling and I also, you know, was able to go to the same school as I had normally gone to, so a lot, you know, some of the things are different, but it was really hard, I miss. I really was upset about having to leave that house and having so many things happen that I couldn't control. A lot of times parents have to make these decisions and their kids just have to go along with it because you know they have no, they have no ability to do anything about it. You know, and it's tough, and sometimes these moments take a long time to recover from, and so I think that was just one of those.

Janae Marks:

Again, kind of going back to how I journaled a lot as a kid, this is one of those things that had an impact on me and I had to kind of recover from and heal from this, this big, abrupt change in my life, and so I kind of wanted to put that into a story. So the rest of the Soft Place I Went is totally different than my life. But that first initial move inspired Joy's move and then kind of gets the ball rolling for the rest of that story. So, yeah, that was an example of me putting a little bit more of myself in a book while still keeping it fictional, because it's sort of like what you're saying before. The rest of my life was actually quite boring after that moment happened, so I had to make it more interesting by fictionalizing it, you know, to make it actually warrant a whole book.

Alethea Felton:

And well, you might say that your life was boring, but you touched on something that I think is quite intriguing and I want to kind of go that direction now and I'll come back to more of the book things. But you said earlier that From the Desk of Zoe Washington was actually your fourth book, but your first published. So that leads me to ask, as a part of this transformation journey, Janae, what were some of the challenges and triumphs that you experienced along the way of this writing journey, Because it can't be easy, but yet there was something within you that said I'm going to keep going. And how has, on top of those challenges and triumphs, how has your personal growth and transformation paralleled your journey as a writer?

Janae Marks:

Yeah. So I mean, I think when I went into my graduate writing program, I planned to graduate and really thought I would get a book deal right away, because they had so many alumni who had done exactly that and so I thought I was going to follow in their footsteps. So when I graduated and finished up my first written novel and sent it out, and it got all rejections from every single literary agent I sent it to, I felt pretty discouraged and sort of like, well, wow, did I just waste money going to graduate school for this? Am I never going to make it? And it and it took again another, another, you know, eight years, before I finally got an agent and a book deal with my fourth book. And so during that timeframe I really did have to learn perseverance and learn to just kind of keep believing in myself.

Janae Marks:

I think what kept me going was I did know like deep down that I was a good writer and I kind of came to learn that this business is very subjective and even if you were a great writer and you write a story that's pretty solidly written like you know, the writing is fine, like it's not always necessarily. That isn't always enough. It's often what do they want? What does a publisher want to publish in this moment in time? You know what is selling right now and they want more of that kind of book. And if you're not writing that kind of book, then you're going to get rejected, even if you are a talented writer. So I think what helped me a lot during this time was to find my community. You know, meeting other writers, hearing about their experiences. I went to a lot of conferences writing conferences over the years where they would have other published authors give keynotes and workshops and things, and they would tell us their story about their long journeys and I would get this. I would really start to understand, like, ok, this is really a matter of staying resilient, because it really a lot of it is out of your control. You can only control the writing, but when you're expecting a publisher to publish you, you can't control whether they say yes or no. All you can control is whether you keep going. So that's kind of what I had to learn and it worked Eventually. I just kept going and kept going and kept going and finally something did finally stick.

Janae Marks:

So that is my biggest lesson for anybody who is interested in this field. It's just you have to believe in yourself, you have to keep working hard at improving your craft, but also just know that you have to just keep trying, because it really is a subjective industry, just like the arts in general. What somebody's taste is not going to always be the same as somebody else's taste. And so, yeah, I think that's kind of how I learned, and even as a published author, it doesn't end there.

Janae Marks:

You still have to kind of have that resilience and perseverance, because things don't always just because you get one book deal doesn't mean you're necessarily going to get your next one so easily. It's like things still can happen. So you have to kind of keep that going. But I think you know again, I just always recommend anybody who wants to be a writer just to really learn how to, how to pick yourself back up in the face of rejection, because it is super common and it's perfectly normal for it to take a long time. It really is. I really thought like, oh, I'll definitely get a book deal after graduating from graduate school, because I saw examples of that. But there are far more examples of people who still took many years. I think that's also very normal and perfectly acceptable, and I had to learn to kind of be kinder to myself in that journey too.

Alethea Felton:

What happened in the midst of your writing process, Meaning how has your writing process evolved over the years and what key lessons have you learned about just the craft of storytelling?

Janae Marks:

Yeah, I think, I just I mean I think I, as throughout the whole journey, I definitely kept trying to learn and improve my writing. Even after getting, you know, going to school for writing, I still continue to take workshops whenever I could excuse me or take any opportunity to get feedback from a professional. You know, if I went to a conference and they offered, you know, to get feedback from an actual editor or agent, I would I would, you know, often pay for those extra opportunities Because I was always interested in learning and getting that feedback throughout, because I know that, you know, just because you think that you're really great and you, even if you have a degree that you can look back on, you can always learn, you can always improve. I definitely read a ton of, kept reading a ton of books in the category and genre that I'm writing in, to keep up with what's being published and learn from those authors that have come before me. And also reading, even just reading craft books.

Janae Marks:

There are tons of books out there that are about the craft of writing that I could read. So I was constantly trying to, you know, level up on my writing and try to improve. One big shift that I made was. The three previous novels that I wrote that were not published were actually for a slightly older audience. They were still considered children's literature, but they were young adult, so they were in the young adult category, meaning that they were meant more for high school kids to read.

Janae Marks:

And those did not end up getting published. So actually, when I wrote From the Desk of Zoe Washington, I actually sort of intended for it to be YA, mainly because, again, I just happened to read a lot of it at the time, um I, um that I was going to school and in in the times that I was trying to get published, that was what. That was what was kind of really gaining popularity. A lot of you know, of YA books were getting really popular in general. So I just started reading a bunch of them and thinking that that's the age category I wanted to write for. But then I had a critique partner, a friend who was reading, you know, reading pages for me and giving feedback, and we would swap, you know, we would swap pages and give each other feedback.

Janae Marks:

One of my writing partners at the time said that she felt that From the Disco, zoe Washington seemed more younger, that it didn't feel, you know, it could work for a YA, but it felt younger. And so I ended up realizing that that was a correct, you know, piece of feedback and ended up lowering her age. So in the very first draft I didn't even get through the whole draft because I think I sent this writing partner a few sample chapters as I'm writing it. So I really only got in maybe a few chapters in before I ended up lowering her age from, I think, 16 at the time, to 12. And then the book evolved from there and it was the best piece of feedback I could have gotten, because it really does make more sense as a middle grade, I think, with all the themes and the, even with the tough, you know, themes of the incarceration. I think the, the fact that it's a family story and you know a lot of things just made more sense with her being younger. So I I also really again took advantage of my, of the relationships I'd made with other writers who give me this really helpful feedback and and would really take it to heart if I felt it was good advice, and so that, I think, really made a huge impact because that was the first book to get to finally get a yes in the publishing world.

Janae Marks:

So I think shifting down it might've also just made more sense for my voice and my style to write for a younger audience. So, yeah, I think there are a lot of things that I did over those years. Again, I think this is why it's important to not limit yourself, like keep yourself open to other possibilities. You know, if you say I want to do one thing, you know maybe you need to. In my case, like maybe saying like, oh, I want to be a YA author because that was like what was really. There's so many YA books coming out at that time that were really popular and I was like, oh, I can be like one of them. But, like you know, shifting and realizing that maybe a different category or different genre or is the right, is the right move. Open yourself up to writing something that is a little different than what you would expect it at first might be the thing that gets you, you know, that success that you've been looking for.

Alethea Felton:

I am so glad that you brought that up, because there's so many nuggets and pearls of wisdom out of that. It is absolutely amazing how you went into it, thinking it was going to be for one group, then it turned out to be for someone else, and that really worked out tremendously well for you, and so I think a lesson that anybody can take from that is about the not giving up being flexible, adjusting, shifting. You just never know how we might go into something, whether it's writing or just anything in life thinking it's going to be one way, and it turns out better for us than we could ever imagine.

Alethea Felton:

And so, when you're writing your books, I know that we're talking about your transformation and evolution as a writer, but what is the core message that you wish to convey to your readers and what is some feedback that you've gotten from your readers, because I know that you do book tours and signings but what do you want them to gain or learn or apply to their lives from your writing?

Janae Marks:

Yeah, I mean, I think this ties into kind of what you said earlier about being a educator for this age group and how your students would come to you and say that books were their escape, I think. You know. Ultimately, I hope that my books can be that for a lot of readers. I think, first and foremost, writers, especially for this age group, just really want to get kids excited about reading in general and to provide an entertaining story that's going to make them into lifelong readers. You know, and hopefully that'll be the one to kind of make them excited about reading, because reading is so important. You know, even as adults in our busy lives, it's so important to keep being a reader. You can learn so much and you know and gain so much empathy and understanding and, like you know, experience and hear about experiences that are outside of your own, and our world would be so much of a better place if more people would would read.

Alethea Felton:

And so.

Janae Marks:

I think that's, first and foremost, what we all want is just to get kids excited. But then, in terms of like the kind of topics I write about, I also just want to inspire kids to feel like they can be the heroes of their own story. I mean, in particular, especially as a, you know, african American woman. You know writing kids featuring Black girls. You know like, when I was a kid, there were no books that with characters that looked like me on the cover. Really, I mean, I usually mentioned, you know, my favorite books as a kid were the Babysitter's Club series. Oh, I love those, I loved that series. But there was only one Black girl. She was one of the main characters and so she wasn't on the cover all the time. She wasn't one of the main ones and so, again, at the time I didn't really think about it because that was the norm back in the 90s. Like there weren't really a lot of, there wasn't a ton of diversity in books. If there was, the books about kids that looked like me would be like, you know, stories of hardship, like stories about a slave child or you know, and things like that. They weren't necessarily hopeful. You know contemporary stories where they are the hero and they're having fun and they're going on adventures and things like that, and so I think there's been a shift, which has been a really great thing. Today's kids have so much more access to books of all kinds of diversity. You know, all kinds of diversity is now represented in kids' books now, the way it wasn't before. And so, yeah, I think I also just want kids who look like me and also kids who don't look like me, just to see you know themselves and my books, maybe feel less alone in some of the hardships they're dealing with, feel like they can use their own voices if they experience, if they feel like there's some injustice. I've definitely had a couple of kids say to me that they want to become a lawyer because they were just so enraged by what happens in the Zoe Washington books that they're like I want to make change, and that's amazing.

Janae Marks:

Or hearing from a parent that their kid wasn't really into reading but then my book got them really excited and they couldn't put it down, and now this is what makes them want to read more. Books Like those are the kinds of things that I get really excited to hear. It's not, I think, you know. I think, going back to the people who are trying to ban books, I think that these parents really think that, like authors, are trying to indoctrinate their children. And I really we're not trying to do that. We're just trying to share a little one story, that one perspective of one character's story, and hope that the readers can just gain some empathy, understanding.

Janae Marks:

You know maybe some feel less alone. You know there's different in my books. You know there's different pieces that people can relate to. There's a lot of friendship stories in my books. There's family relationships, there's fun, you know, things like baking, you know, in the Zoe books. So I think you know there's a lot of entry points for kids to enjoy them and I think at the end of the day I just want kids to have fun reading and I'm going to keep and I think that's what is so great about going to events with kids and school visits and things is they get so excited. Like I could be, like I'm. I don't necessarily consider myself famous, like I mean, even though I'm, you know my name is as a public figure. You know you kind of get into that when you're an author.

Janae Marks:

But I don't actually think I'm famous. I go around in my day to day life, nobody really knows. But when you walk into a room with kids at a school visit, they're like, oh my gosh, like you know, they treat you like a celebrity and they're so excited and it's like because of a book, like it's amazing. I mean I wish more. You know, like that's what everyone wants for your kids to be excited, that much excited about reading and meeting an author. I mean, that's that's why we do. I think that's what's so special about writing for kids, why we do it. I think that's what's so special about writing for kids. I think when adults read, they can be just as enthusiastic about the book. They like it but they're not gonna. They just don't think there's that same level of of excitement for reading. When you're an adult and you have so many other things going on, I think that kids just get really and you know you can change their lives with the right book. I think that's just that's what keeps me writing for this age group.

Alethea Felton:

But you are a celebrity, janae, I don't know.

Janae Marks:

My daughter asked me that the other day. She's like are you famous? I was like it really depends on who you talk to.

Alethea Felton:

She's like has anybody?

Janae Marks:

ever recognized you in the grocery store and I'm like, no, that's what I'm saying. But also, you know, writers don't have, you know, that same kind of visibility. So I think people don't really know what you look like unless you're really studying that picture in the back of the book, Unlike if you're an actor. You're going to be much more recognizable out in public. So I think that's actually kind of nice that you kind of hide behind your computer screen.

Alethea Felton:

If people can just think of you as famous, Exactly, Exactly. So we have a few minutes left and I know we could talk all day, but as we start wrapping up, Janae, how do you see the landscape of children's literature evolving and how do you help? How do you hope excuse me that your books contribute to its growth and its enrichment?

Janae Marks:

Yeah, I mean I would say on the one hand I'm a little bit worried about the children's landscape because of the rise in book banning legislation in some of our states. There have been some states that have really put a stop to it. You know, I think Illinois is one of them that has banned book banning. But you know, other states like Texas and Florida are really, you know, making it very difficult for librarians and teachers to keep, you know, a library of books, of a diverse set of books, in their classroom. They're, you know, they're making it almost like illegal for them to do that.

Janae Marks:

And I worry for the kids, you know, out there who really desperately need to see books featuring their marginalization in the story and like they're going to miss out if those books somehow disappear from their school shelves. But I'm also hopeful because there are so many writers out there who do writing so many great things and writing these kind of books that kids really need and the publishers are still publishing them. So I just hope that people like your listeners, other parents, anybody in your community will continue to fight the good fight against book banning. If you happen to hear about a situation in your local community that often you can come and show up to board meetings or you can sign the petition that might go around. Try not to get complacent in this, because this can definitely become a really big issue if book banning continues to happen. But so there is part of me that's worried about that.

Janae Marks:

But honestly, I am really hopeful because so many great things are still happening. I'm still my publisher, still excited to publish my book, so I'm glad that there is still a space for me and other authors like me out there to keep doing what we're doing. And I think that kids you know, people need to realize that kids have, you know, are much smarter and more capable than you think to engage with these kinds of stories. And, like you mentioned earlier, kids are living these experiences already and they deserve to be able to see those experiences written out in fiction and so they can engage with it and learn from it. And yeah, so I think that you know. I just hope that, like these stories can continue to be published that you know, especially diverse books written by diverse authors, especially because those are the ones that, again, for years and years, these were the stories that weren't being told. So now they're finally being told. I hope they can continue to be told and not disband, yeah.

Alethea Felton:

I do too, because books open you up to so many new worlds and possibilities and ideas, and it just, oh my goodness, I hope that something changes in that area too, where we can be more embracing and accepting of so many books. And looking back on your journey as an author, as well as the effect that the stories that you've written have had on younger readers, janae, what advice would you give to your younger self just starting on this path?

Janae Marks:

I think that I would just tell myself that you know not to be so hard on myself if it takes longer than I hoped, to keep going. And I think, and honestly, I kept going. So that part I was doing, but I think what I wasn't doing was being kind to myself and not beating myself up if it was taking a long time and you know and and sort of feeling like I was failing myself if it was taking a long time. I think it's just you have to kind of realize that these journeys to reach goals like this can take a long time and can be with a lot of hardship and that as long as you keep going, you're doing your best, like that's all you really can do. And I think I would just kind of try not to feel so bad about it, as I was going through that journey, and just try to let it. Let things fall as they did.

Janae Marks:

Because honestly, I look back and I think those those early I guess you can call them failures really did impact. They still had a positive impact. They kind of led me to where I am today. You know it's like you look back and you see how this one book that didn't work out. And you know, if it had worked out, who knows, maybe I never would have come up with From the Desk is Away, washington.

Janae Marks:

You know it's like they all led me to writing this particular story. That got me to where I am, so I don't have any regrets. I think I would just tell my younger self to just be a little bit more kind as I was going through the process.

Alethea Felton:

Yeah, and that could benefit all of us, all of us. So I could keep going on and on, but I want to hear in closing about what are some of your future writing goals, aspirations, projects. I can't share it, it's okay, but then also, after that, tell us how listeners and readers can connect with you on social media and, more importantly, how can we support you in buying your books.

Janae Marks:

Yeah. So my next book that comes out on October 1st is called A Split Second and kind of going back to our earlier conversation about keeping yourself open to writing new things that are outside what you originally thought you were going to write. This is a perfect example of that, because all of my first three books are all very much straight contemporary realistic fiction and this next one has a little bit of a speculative twist. It's about a girl who ends up going through a time jump, so essentially has a little bit of a science fiction like magic fantasy little twist. It's realistic with a little bit of a twist, so it's not full on fantasy or anything like that, but it's something that I honestly never thought I would write. I really thought I was a straight realistic fiction writer and then I had a nice that was a little bit different and off the cuff for me, but I decided to pursue it and it worked out. So that's a split second, which comes out on October 1st.

Janae Marks:

And in terms of where you can find me in my books, my website is janaemarkscom and it has all the links to every one of my books as well as my social media. I'm basically at janaemarksbooks on most platforms like Instagram. I would say Instagram and Facebook are the ones that I post to the most, probably. And, yeah, I think, in terms of where you can buy my books honestly, wherever books are sold, usually you can definitely go online. If you do I, of course, there's Amazon, but I always want to plug the independent bookstores and book and websites like bookshoporg, which ships to you just like Amazon does, but they support independent bookstores and it's really important to keep our independent bookstores going. And so, yeah, if you have a local store, definitely go to them first or go to bookshoporg online, but otherwise, anywhere you find your books, you should be able to find mine. So yeah, so yeah, hopefully you'll check one of them out, your books, you should be able to find mine.

Alethea Felton:

So yeah, so yeah, hopefully you'll check one of them out. Yes, indeed, and in closing I just want to say that I'm so grateful that you have taken time out and audience, just as a closing fact and briefly, about how life. You never know how life's going to turn out. I met Janae, as I said earlier, but it was seven years ago and we had a mutual friend. As a matter of fact, this friend was Janae's best friend. I like besties, and this friend I've spoken about before, but her name was Shadary and Dary at the time was battling stage four colon cancer and she fought a good fight. She was 32.

Alethea Felton:

But during her time in hospice care, that's when I first met Janae, and I remember meeting Janae and her spirit was so sweet and I had heard about her long before I had ever met her because of how much Derry talked with me about her, and so when I finally saw her I said, oh, this is who I've heard about over the years, even if she hadn't heard of me, that didn't matter.

Alethea Felton:

But Shadary thought so highly of this beautiful woman and this beautiful soul and when I met her I knew that it was a very uncomfortable and hard time for everyone, but the fact that Janae traveled to see her friend in her last moments here on earth and just spent that quality time with her. But I assure you, janae, derry, never felt that you weren't still her best friend. She always felt that way and I'm just telling you still her best friend. She always felt that way and I'm just telling you I am so proud of this journey that you've taken and I continue to hope and pray nothing but the best for you and I am honored to have you up here because of the fact I met you through someone who meant the world to both of us and it is an honor and a privilege knowing you and anything I can do to help support you along the way. You know I am a text, phone, call, email away, but I love you dearly and thank you again for taking time for us on the Power Transformation Podcast.

Janae Marks:

Yeah, thank you so much. That is so nice of you to say, I mean I I mean, as you know, that was a really difficult time but definitely one of the silver linings was getting a chance to connect with you. I mean I'm so happy that she brought us together and got a chance to connect us before, you know, before she, before she passed I mean that was, you know, getting to meet her friends especially it was made it that experience, you know, a little less hard. Yeah, yeah, I mean I definitely I think about her all the time and you know, and her support, and I think that's another. You know, she was also another one of those people who, in that long journey, was there for mental, moral support, even though she wasn't part of this process. Just you know, she was like that.

Alethea Felton:

I am very grateful for Janae taking time with all of us today and I hope it does inspire someone. Whether you are, you are incredibly skilled, talented and gifted, and if you could take that chance to just trust the process and trust this journey called life, oh my goodness, what incredible, incredible outcomes you can have. Let's go ahead and close off with our affirmation I will see you yet again for another episode of the Power Transformation Podcast. Thank you so much for your support. I will say the affirmation once and you repeat it I am creative, passionate and equipped with all I need to share my talents with others. If you enjoyed today's show, then you don't want to miss an episode. So follow the Power Transformation Podcast on Apple Podcasts, spotify or wherever you usually listen, and remember to rate and review. I also invite you to connect with me on social media at Alethea Felton, that's at A-L-E-T-H-E-A-F-E-L-T-O-N. Until next time, remember to be good to yourself and to others.