179 Author J. Elle

Middle Grade Ninja

J. Elle and I discuss her young adult fantasy novel, WINGS OF EBONY, and her new middle grade novel, A TASTE OF MAGIC. We talk about planning a series, worldbuilding, magic systems, tips for faster drafting, her time working as an intern for a literary agency, Twitter opportunities for writers, that time she wrote a book in nine days, and so much more.

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Buy A TASTE OF MAGIC by J. Elle: https://amzn.to/3QVDV3n

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J. Elle is a prolific Black author and advocate for marginalized voices in both publishing and her community. Her debut novel, Wings of Ebony, is book one in a YA fantasy duology about a Black girl from a poor neighborhood who learns she’s magical. Wings of Ebony is a lead title with Simon & Schuster, out February 23, 2021. Six months later Elle also sold rights, at auction, to Park Row Magic Academy, an MG contemporary magic school series about a Black girl who learns she’s a witch and fights to save her inner-city magic school with baking. A Taste of Magic is also a lead title on Bloomsbury’s 2022 list. From growing up poor to being a first-generation college student, Jess’s tenacity and passion for empowering others date back to her first career in education, teaching tweens and teens from traditionally underserved areas to fight for their dreams. More recently, as the founder of the Your Story Is Your Power, a creative writing workshop, she mentors high schoolers on the craft of writing and the importance of sharing stories from their perspective. Elle has a MA in Educational Administration and has worked as an Editorial Intern at P.S. Literary Agency and Gelfman / ICM Partners. She’s also served as a mentor for both Pitchwars and Author Mentor Match. Elle is the founder and co-host of #MondayMixer, a Twitter chat to engage writers on the platform. In her spare time, you’ll find her cooking up some dish true to her Texas and Louisiana roots, loving on her three littles, and traveling the country with her nomadic spouse.

http://www.middlegradeninja.com/

https://www.authorjelle.com/

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