Yay! For Middle Grade Books: Interview With Meg Eden Kuyatt!

Hi, everyone! Today I'm happy to present an interview with Meg Eden Kuyatt, the author of Good Different, which is out now!

Would you please tell us a little about your book, Good Different?

 

Good Different is a middle grade novel in verse about an autistic girl named Selah who learns to advocate for her needs and accommodations through writing poems. Her special interest is dragons, and she wishes she was powerful like a dragon, as her sensory needs often make her feel so powerless. But as she finds a voice through poems, sensory tools, and allies, Selah learns she doesn’t have to be a dragon to feel empowered. 

 

 Did you always want to be a writer?

 

No! My mom used to have to pay me to read! But I started writing poems because “all my friends were doing it” (ha!) and began to fall in love with it as I practiced, especially when my eighth grade history teacher told me I was a good writer. As I wrote, I realized it was a great space to process and communicate my thoughts. 

 

Random Question! What’s your favorite TV show?

 

Ooof, hard question! A few of my favorites are Bojack Horseman, Avatar the Last Airbender, Legend of Korra, and Crazy ExGirlfriend. I always love learning how tv shows effectively tell stories and how I can apply that to my writing.

 

If you’re able to talk about it, what are you currently working on?

 

I’m drafting a new middle grade novel in verse, and have a couple things in the pipeline I’d love to see on shelves, but we’ll see. So much of this process is completely out of my control. The main thing I can do is write the next thing and be patient. Stay tuned on my website for any updates!

 

What are some of your favorite MG books you've read recently? And what are some that you're looking forward to reading? And what are some you’re looking forward to reading?

 

Just finished Worst-Case Collin which was great. I’m reading lots of novels in verse. Currently reading Dear Mothman which is beautiful and heartbreaking in the best way possible. I’m really excited to dive into The Fire, The Water and Maudie McGinn (though that’s YA), Tethered to Other Stars and Peril at Price Manor.

Thank you so much to Meg Eden Kuyatt for participating in this event!

Author Bio: Meg Eden Kuyatt teaches creative writing at colleges and writing centers. She is the author of the 2021 Towson Prize for Literature winning poetry collection Drowning in the Floating World (Press 53, 2020) and children’s novels, most recently Good Different, a JLG Gold Standard selection (Scholastic, 2023). Find her online at https://linktr.ee/medenauthor.

Here Are A Few Links:

Her Website

Her Twitter

Her Instagram