Update - Winner Announced! Celebrate National Cancer Survivor Month with Shannon Stocker!

7/9: Congrats to BuchetBooks on winning Shannon Stocker's giveaway! We'll be in touch soon with more details.

A special thanks to everyone who joined us and got inspired by Shannon's amazing interview!

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6/24/2024

Hi, parents, librarians, book fanatics, writers, and readers of all sorts! Did you know June is National Cancer Survivor Month - a month that celebrates cancer survivors, raises awareness, and advocates for cancer survivorship research? What better way to celebrate the month than with the extremely talented author Shannon Stocker and her book Warrior: A Patient's Courageous Quest! Warrior follows Maria as she prepares herself to travel through a dangerous land ---again--- in order to reach the bell on the mountain top and ring it. Told as an allegory, this book is truly a must as it showcases the many courageous children that face cancer each day, and the hardships they go through. Shannon’s inspiring interview simply can't be missed! Want to know more about Shannon, her courageous book, PLUS want a chance to win your own copy? Read on...

Q:  Thanks so much for joining #SeasonsOfKidLit! We’re thrilled to host you, and to hear about your book Warrior: A Patient’s Courageous Quest.  Before we get started, can you share a little bit about yourself and how you got started in your career as a writer for kids?  

A: ANSWER: Hi, ladies! Thank you so much for having me!! 

A “little bit” about myself is always so hard to do, as my path to publishing has been a fairly convoluted one. But I’ll try to be brief! I began my college journey at Northwestern, where I was first a Radio/TV/Film major, eventually switching to Learning Disabilities/pre-med when I began having some bizarre medical symptoms. I got a M.S. in Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, then completed medical school…but by then, my symptoms demanded more attention. For seven years, I searched for answers until I  was finally diagnosed with RSD/CRPS, a disorder of the autonomic nervous system. At my sickest, I used a wheelchair and was given two years to live. But eventually, I left the country to take part in an experimental treatment where I was induced into a coma using ketamine, which “rebooted” my brain and autonomic nervous system, much like you’d reboot a computer. Seven months after the coma, I became pregnant with my daughter. Twenty-one months after she was born, I had my son.

That kind of experience can’t help but change a person’s priorities, and when my children were very young, I decided to study the art of writing for children. My whole life, I’ve been a wordsmith…first, as a poet, and eventually as a singer/songwriter. But having children made me realize just how much I love kidlit. I realized I wanted to make an impact through books, spreading stories that brought laughter, amazement, joy, and made children feel seen. But I also knew I had a lot to learn. I joined SCBWI, took classes, joined 12x12, found fabulous critique partners (hello, Lynne Marie and Heather!), and saw my debut picture book (CAN U SAVE THE DAY) published in 2019. That same year, I signed with my agent, the fabulous Allison Remcheck of Stimola Literary Studio, and she sold my sophomore book to Dial/PRH (LISTEN: HOW EVELYN GLENNIE, A DEAF GIRL, CHANGED PERCUSSION). Then in 2023, LISTEN won the ALA Schneider Family Award, which completely blew my mind. It’s now been published in multiple languages, audiobook, several formats, etc. That’s also the same year WARRIOR came out. It’s definitely been dreamlike. 

Q: Warrior explores one young girl’s hero’s journey in battling cancer. Can you share more about the story and the inspiration behind it? What do you hope young readers will take away from your book? 

A: Ahh…you’re getting all the long stories out of me, I see. 

OK. Buckle up.

So when 2020 hit, the world shifted uncomfortably for everyone. For our family, though, 2020 made my coma look like a walk on the beach. Our daughter had been struggling with nausea, vomiting, afternoon fevers (daily, only in the afternoons), and fatigue for about two years. Then, in 2020, the headaches began. So we took her to the hospital for an MRI, thinking she’d be diagnosed with migraines. I won’t ever forget that night. On 10/2/2020, we were told that our twelve-year-old miracle baby had an inoperable tumor in the center of her brain. It would take nearly a month for pathology to confirm her type and grade of cancer - I aged a decade during that month. Shortly thereafter, she had a port implanted, and then Cassidy went through twenty-one rounds of chemotherapy over the course of a year and a half. By far, it’s the most brutal thing I’ve ever experienced.

But the crazy thing is this: in medical school, I did every rotation I could with pediatric oncology patients. Had I not gotten sick myself, I intended to become a pediatric oncologist. The third picture book manuscript I ever wrote (which has still not sold, but remains a favorite of mine) is even about a girl with cancer. I wrote it in 2016, four years before Cassidy’s diagnosis, and two years before her symptoms began. It’s almost like life was trying to prepare me for what lay ahead.

Kids with cancer inspire me like almost no one else. They are strong and resilient, of course…but, heartbreakingly, they are also wise. Pain begets wisdom, I think. At least it seems to for pediatric oncology patients. Yet as wise and as strong as she was, Cassidy always felt isolated. Regardless of the pandemic, even (though that didn’t help). Many friends and relatives fell off the grid, unsure as to what they could or should say to her. Toxic positivity is a huge problem in childhood cancer circles, and I wanted to find a way to reach these kids–these families–with a book that showed them that even when things aren’t going the way they want them to, that doesn’t make them any less a warrior. And they are NOT alone. Those are the messages I want these kids to read. Those are the messages I want these kids to feel. 

Q: Writing about difficult topics for children is challenging, especially for ages K - 3rd. Do you have any advice for writers and authors who are writing about cancer or other similar topics?

A: I might sound like a broken record here, given how common this message is, but…write what you know. If childhood cancer hasn’t personally touched you, then maybe you aren’t the right person to write about it. This can be said of any topic, or any point of view, but I think it particularly holds true for traumatic events. That said, if someone feels really drawn to write about a topic, I’d suggest using sensitivity readers (not just critique partners). Make sure you’re handling the topic with the respect that these kids, and these families, both need and deserve. 

Q: As former critique partners, we’ve had the opportunity to enjoy many of your manuscripts. How has your writing and your focus changed since you first began writing and/or published Can U Save the Day? What are some of the things that you now consider before choosing your next project? 

A: First and foremost, I just want to say that I feel incredibly lucky to have fallen into the writing circles that I have. Critique partners like you two have been instrumental in my writing journey, and I’d never have the books that I do without you all. Love you ladies!

Now…I love this question, because as you know, my writing focus definitely did change after CAN U SAVE THE DAY. I attended a conference in early 2019 (with you actually, Lynne!), where I heard the message I’ve already referenced: “write what you know.” Although I’d heard it before, this was the first time I’d really considered the question. What did I know? Well, I knew music. I knew medicine. I knew disability, and what it felt like to be looked at as “less than.” And that’s when I began to wonder…was there a musician out there with a disability, with whom I might relate? As soon as I got home from the conference, I began research. The very first musician I read about was Evelyn Glennie. Her story resonated so strongly with me, but I thought she was too famous. I really wanted to interview someone so I could tell their truth. But no matter how many stories I read, I kept coming back to hers. Finally, I swallowed my fear and reached out to her team. They reached back within 48 hours, and the rest is history. From that moment on, I felt a renewed passion–not just for writing, but for writing with a purpose. A purpose that felt very, very personal to me. LISTEN was sort of magical that way. I think you both saw an early version of it…it didn’t change a whole lot after that. It wrote itself, because I cared so, so deeply. Ever since then, I’ve tried to choose topics about which I feel that same fire. Whether they are lyrical nonfiction, rhyming fiction, or young adult novels–I know it’s worth writing when it gives me chills. That doesn’t mean everything I write is a winner, by any means. I still write a lot of stuff that gets filed! But I’m far more motivated to complete a project when I get that feeling.

Q:  What’s one question about your books/writing, etc., that you wish we would have asked you?

A: I think the one thing I want people to know about that I haven’t really talked about yet is my upcoming project! On October 1, my debut YA novel comes out. STRONGER AT THE SEAMS (Blink/HarperCollins) is a fictionalized version of my daughter’s journey, with themes of self-advocacy and acceptance. Blink is a newer imprint at HarperCollins, publishing “clean teen” - books that deal with tougher subject matter in a clean fashion. Their goal is to fill the gap between middle grade and older YA novels. I’m really, really proud of this book, and I’m grateful to Blink for publishing it. Part of my message to your readers is that if someone is considering writing cross-genre, I say go for it! Picture books are a very different kind of beast, but they are both really fun!

Also: there is one day between Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (September) and Cassidy’s diagnosis day (10/2)–and that is October 1. It seems very fitting that STRONGER comes out on that day. I wrote much of that novel on a fold-out couch next to Cassidy’s hospital bed. It was therapeutic for me…but it’s also my love letter to anyone who has ever felt broken. If that’s you, I hope this book makes you feel seen.

Q: What upcoming books of yours can we keep an eye out for and what other titles can we check out ASAP? 

A: Other than STRONGER AT THE SEAMS, my next picture book comes out in spring 2026 from Penguin/Random House. IZZY’S WHEELS: HOW TWO SISTERS REINVENTED THE WHEEL (ill. by Diana Mayo) is a nonfiction picture book biography about Izzy and Ailbhe Keene, who realized that the fashion options available to Izzy, a wheelchair user, weren’t the same as those for her sister. The two now create stylish wheel covers for 75 million wheelchair users around the world, and I’m delighted to have interviewed these sisters so I could best write their truth. 

I do have another 2026 release that is yet to be announced, and two more that are likely to come out in 2027. Lots of exciting things happening! 

Very exciting & congrats! We can't wait to check out all your books.

Q: What’s one way you and/or your Warrior celebrated Cancer Survivor Month?

A:  I wish I had a great answer for this, but I don’t. We are still relatively new to the “survivor’s” world, and every day that she is stable feels like Cancer Survivor’s Day to us. Cassidy and another brain cancer survivor who attended high school with her (she just graduated) started a club at their school, called Gifts for Gold. They did a toy drive and collected enough stuffed animals and toys to fill two huge vans. Just before June 4th (Cancer Survivor’s Day), we delivered those toys to Cincinnati Children’s, for Child Life to give to patients and their siblings. Just before that, Cassidy had an MRI which showed her tumor to be stable. And just after that (this week), we saw her oncologist, who gave us great news. If she remains symptom-free, we don’t need to come back for another YEAR. For someone with Cassidy’s diagnosis, this is the best you can achieve. She will always have her tumor, so she will always have to go back for at least annual scans and labs. But we have now reached that pinnacle. Honestly, that all feels like the best way anyone could ever celebrate being a survivor.

Thanks so much for sharing Cassidy's and your story with us! This has been truly inspiring. Our hearts and well wishes go out to her, her friends, and your family.

Q: Would you like to leave a tip or treat for the readers?

A: A treat! I'd love to gift a copy of Warrior to one lucky winner!

Wow, thanks so much, Shannon!

Giveaway Instructions: Readers, to enter this giveaway please 1) leave a comment below and let Shannon know why you can't wait to check out her inspiring and heartfelt book and 2) Please share this post on social media, too.

The giveaway winner will be drawn and announced on or about 7/8.

Note: Books will be shipped in the US only. Winners must have a US address.

Thanks again for stopping by Shannon! We had a great time connecting with you.

About Shannon Stocker:

Shannon lives in Louisville, KY, with her best friend and husband of 20+ years (Greg) and their two beautiful miracles, Cassidy and Tye. They have a chatty parrot named Prozac ('Zac'), a service dog named Sophie (Cassidy is a brain cancer warrior), a mini Aussie named Copper, a rescue kitty named Nugget, and a bearded dragon named Pepper. She is fully aware that she harbors too many animals. Outside of writing, she's a singer, songwriter, pianist, guitarist, and actress.  Shannon is represented by Allison Remcheck of Stimola Literary Studio.

For More About Shannon, visit the following links:

X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/iwriteforkidz

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shannonstockerauthor/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/iwriteforkidz/

Website: shannonstocker.com

To purchase Shannon's books on Amazon or to leave a review for them, click here.

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