Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (HarperCollins)
Genre: Middle Grade | $19.99 hardcover | $10.99 ebook
Release date: Feb. 14, 2023
Janae Marks has a BA in English literature from Tufts University and an MFA in writing for children from the New School; she is also part of Black Creators HQ and Renegades of Middle Grade. She grew up in the New York suburbs and currently lives in Connecticut with her husband, daughter, and miniature schnauzer named Cookie.
Janae is the author of three middle grade novels as well as an anthology short story. Her debut novel, From the Desk of Zoe Washington, won the Tassy Walden Award for New Voices in Children’s Literature in the middle grade category. On Air with Zoe Washington is the second book in the Zoe Washington series and was recognized as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection.
In On Air, Zoe’s birth father, Marcus, has finally been released from prison after Zoe helped to clear his name for a crime he didn’t commit. He shares his dream of opening his own restaurant with Zoe, and she is eager to help him accomplish it, with her as the pastry chef! However, opening a restaurant—and adjusting to a new life after prison—proves more difficult than either of them expected.
But Zoe knows the power of using her voice. Determined to find a way to gain the financial support they need to start the restaurant, Zoe starts a podcast to tell about the exoneree’s experiences. With public interest in their story waning, will anyone listen?
When asked what contributed to her book landing on the New York Times bestseller list, Marks said: “On Air with Zoe Washington is the sequel to my debut novel, From the Desk of Zoe Washington, which has sold well over the years and found a dedicated audience. Zoe Washington fans were eager for a sequel, and they showed their support through pre-ordering and purchasing a copy during its first couple of weeks on sale. I think it also helped that my book was published on Valentine’s Day, a day that not a lot of other middle grade books came out.”
To keep readers notified of the upcoming release, Marks started sending a monthly newsletter a few months before the book came out. While her list is small (since she just started it), she has greater reach on social media, including Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Her publisher also promoted the release with ads and giveaways.
She added, “I was honestly pretty surprised that my book made the NYT list, because the middle grade list is filled with books that have been on it for dozens of weeks. What certainly helped me was having a fanbase who was excited to buy my next novel. So, my advice for other authors is to write the best book you can and then find ways to connect with your readers! I do this through social media, bookstore events, festivals, and school visits.”
Emily Wenstrom is a freelance writer and platforming expert and writes award-winning speculative fiction for teens and adults as E. J. Wenstrom.
E. J. Wenstrom believes in complicated heroes, horrifying monsters, purple hair dye and standing to the right on escalators so the left side can walk. She writes dark speculative fiction for adults and teens, including her new release, a young adult dystopian novel titled Departures (August 10, 2021). When she isn’t writing fiction, E. J. Wenstrom is a regular contributor to DIY MFA and BookRiot, and co-hosts the Fantasy+Girl Podcast. Learn more at her website.
