Update - Winner Announced! Celebrate All Souls Day with C.K. Malone!

Update 11/19: Congrats to Mandy Weeks on winning C.K.'s giveaway! We'll be in touch soon with more details.

A special thanks to everyone who joined us and got inspired by C.K.'s interview and publishing journey!

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11/2/2024

Hi, readers, writers, and holiday lovers of all sorts! It's All Souls Day - a day where many around the world pray for the faithful departed. And what better way to celebrate the day than with C.K. Malone - multi-published #kidlit author who is sharing a closer look at their new book, Popi's All Souls Song! Popi's All Souls Song follows Mara and Nene who have recently lost Popi. Mara's not quite sure how she can have the strength to celebrate All Souls Day without Popi until she sees Nene crying. Mara soon realizes she must put aside her own hurt to help comfort Nene. Want to know more about C.K., their new book, PLUS want to know how you can earn a treat - a MS critique and a book? Read On...

Q: Hi, C.K.! Thanks so much for joining us today. It’s good hosting you again (readers, click here if you want to see C.K.'s first interview with us!) and hearing all about your new book, Popi’s All Souls Song. Can you share a little bit about your book’s path to publication? What was it like working with Beaming Books again? 

A: It was different this time. My editor left as did my marketing person and there was a lot of ups and downs. It was actually a bit hard. The people who were supposed to be there for me were suddenly absent. There were new people! While they were still part of BB, it was hard. I got transferred to others. While they were amazing humans, they were not the peeps assigned to me. And they were busy with their own contracts. I began to question everything. Again, wonderful people. But my (dis) Ability made me feel all the feelings.

Thanks so much for sharing this with the readers! We often hear about just the ups - so this was truly insightful to hear how things can go unexpectedly.

Q: In your book, Mara and her grandparents celebrate All Souls Day by sharing a song with those who’ve lost a loved one. But, when Mara’s Popi has passed, she has a difficult time with grief. It’s not until she sees tears on her Nene’s face that she realizes she needs to be there for her grandmother. 

What a sweet story! Can you share more about it and about All Souls Day for those who many not be familiar with the holiday?

A: So, this holiday is meant to remember those who have passed on before. It is meant more for being who celebrate  ALL SOULS’ DAY.  Loss is super hard. How to feel, how to deal, how to everything. It has historical significance as much as other holidays. 

Q:  What do you hope young readers will take away from the story, no matter their background or what they celebrate?

A: My Popi celebrated this. My actual Nene didn’t understand my Popi in this. She was full-blooded Cherokee and she had a very hated past due to being forced out of her family and into foster care.

Nene came from my being unable to say Billie which was her chosen name. But Popi, the name given to him by us, understood this. And he played music or sang when people they know died. I hope everyone celebrates those who have departed (if they love them).  

Thanks for sharing this with us!

Q. Can you share some of your favorite spreads? Why are they your favorites?

A: All of them? Swann did an amazing job. They are all my favorites!

Q: What’s one question you wish we would have asked you?

A: Ask me about Andrew DeYoung! Andrew really championed keeping this book when my editor left. I adore Andrew more than anyone on this planet for keeping this book. I would like to know why he chose to do this.

So happy he did, too! Your book is beautiful!

Thanks again for joining us, C.K.! It was such a treat having you with us and hearing more about your book.

Would you like to leave a tip or a treat for our readers?

A: BOTH!

Here's a tip: Don’t think because an editor passes that it means your work isn’t good.

And here's a treat: I'd like to offer one MS crit of a fiction PB up to 1500 words as well as choice of book BB has published. (It doesn’t have to be mine.)

Wow! Thanks for such amazing tips and treats, C.K.!

Giveaway Details: Readers, to enter to win this sweet treat 1) share this post on social media and 2) leave a comment below to thank C.K. for stopping by! Seasonal GIFs are always welcomed and appreciated.

The giveaway winner will be drawn on or about 11/15!

Books will be shipped in the US only.

About C.K. Malone

C.K. Malone (they/them) is a bigender educator and literature coach at the secondary level. When not grading essays or helping students, they're busy helping design culturally and LGBTQIA+ responsive units for the district and working as a climate and culture coach. When they're not writing, they're coaching and advising through alignment with the Genders and Sexualities Alliance Network. C.K. continues this work in the literary world by advocating for all to be given the space to tell their own stories. Though they love the many hats they wear, their favorite is as an advocate for diverse voices.

For more about C.K., check out the below links:

Twitter: @CKMalone2 

Instagram: @writer_ckmalone 

Website: carlislemalonebooks.com (Readers, come visit C.K.'s website to meet authors and win prizes!)

To purchase C.K.'s books on Amazon, or to leave a review, click here.

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