Warm welcome, Storytellers!

If you’re looking for a super intimate space where you can meet fellow storytellers and experience what it’s like to be a part of our community, come hang out with us in our private Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/88cupsoftea. We check in with each other on the daily, and have weekly threads where you can update each other about your work-in-progress, along with swapping recommendations for books and tv shows, and there’s a whole lot more that happens in there. Join us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/88cupsoftea/!

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We are thrilled to announce we are beginning the process of building out 88 Cups of Tea’s volunteer positions and would love to hear from you if you’re passionate about 88 Cups of Tea and want to be a part of building out our future. Fill out our application here: https://88cupsoftea.com/volunteer/ 

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Tochi Onyebuchi is the author of Beasts Made of Night, its sequel Crown of Thunder, War Girls, Riot Baby, and its sequel and his newest novel Rebel Sisters. In our conversation, we explore Tochi's writing process, the ways it’s evolved over time, and how he continues to find joy in the process. Tochi shares how to cultivate a specific kind of confidence that enables us to bring our story ideas to life, and how to maintain that confidence to pave way for equity in publishing. Join us for a conversation filled with crafting advice from overcoming your writing fears to plotting intricate threads in your stories and much more.

Please say 'Hi' to Tochi on Twitter! https://twitter.com/tochitruestory

Head over to his shownotes page at : https://88cupsoftea.com/tochi-onyebuchi to download his writing prompt and to find the resources and books mentioned in his episode, tweetable quotes, and the timestamps of highlights throughout the entire conversation. 

Warm welcome to our new listeners, let's continue and build upon the momentum surrounding the active work to create a just and equitable system for the black community. Head over to our page of resources of recommended learning: https://88cupsoftea.com/learn/

If you’re looking for a super intimate space where you can meet fellow storytellers and experience what it’s like to be a part of our community, come hang out with us in our private Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/88cupsoftea. We check in with each other on the daily, and have weekly threads where you can update each other about your work-in-progress, along with swapping recommendations for books and tv shows, and there’s a whole lot more that happens in there. Join us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/88cupsoftea/!

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We are thrilled to announce we are beginning the process of building out 88 Cups of Tea’s volunteer positions and would love to hear from you if you’re passionate about 88 Cups of Tea and want to be a part of building out our future. Fill out our application here: https://88cupsoftea.com/volunteer/ 

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Stacey Lee is an award-winning author of historical and contemporary young adult fiction, including Outrun the Moon, Under a Painted Sky, The Secret of a Heart Note, and her most recent novel, The Downstairs Girl. In our conversation, Stacey reflects on how she cultivated her inner confidence as a storyteller at a young age and how it's continued to grow throughout her writing career. She opens up about the invaluable writing strategies she learned as a lawyer that helps her see the importance of every single word on the page and craft authenticity in her characters. Filled with crafting advice on detailed research processes, using metaphors to write strong protagonists, finding critique partners, and more, our conversation will be sure to spark inspiration and joy.

Please say 'Hi' to Stacey on Twitter! https://twitter.com/staceyleeauthor

Head over to her shownotes page at https://88cupsoftea.com/stacey-lee to find the resources and books mentioned in her episode, tweetable quotes, and the timestamps of highlights throughout the entire conversation. 

Warm welcome to our new listeners, let's continue and build upon the momentum surrounding the active work to create a just and equitable system for the black community. Head over to our page of resources of recommended learning: https://88cupsoftea.com/learn/

If you’re looking for a super intimate space where you can meet fellow storytellers and experience what it’s like to be a part of our community, come hang out with us in our private Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/88cupsoftea. We check in with each other on the daily, and have weekly threads where you can update each other about your work-in-progress, along with swapping recommendations for books and tv shows, and there’s a whole lot more that happens in there. Join us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/88cupsoftea/!

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We are thrilled to announce we are beginning the process of building out 88 Cups of Tea’s volunteer positions and would love to hear from you if you’re passionate about 88 Cups of Tea and want to be a part of building out our future. Fill out our application here: https://88cupsoftea.com/volunteer/ 

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Kat Cho is the international bestselling author of Wicked Fox and Vicious Spirits and the co-host of the Write or Die Podcast. In our conversation, we reflect on our experiences navigating the pandemic as a human, a creative, and an author. Kat shines a light on the act of writing as a transformative source of solace and joy in the most challenging of times as we discuss her journey moving through grief, and fleshing out her stories that emerged from the rawest heartbreak that evolved into the most powerful form of hope. In a conversation lined with transparency and vulnerability, Kat shares wisdom on the human experience beyond her years. 

Please say 'Hi' to Kat on Twitter! https://twitter.com/KatCho 

Head over to her shownotes page at https://88cupsoftea.com/kat-cho to find the resources and books mentioned in her episode, tweetable quotes, and the timestamps of highlights throughout the entire conversation. 

Warm welcome to our new listeners, you can follow us on Instagram @88CUPSOFTEA to keep up with our latest posts and Instagram stories where we announce new episodes and essays, feature our favorite quotes, and host Instagram Story takeovers by some of your favorite authors. And join our private Facebook group to experience the warmth and encouragement of our community first-hand! 

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In this special edition 88 Cups of Tea podcast episode, we feature National Book Award Finalist Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam of The Exonerated Five in conversation with 88 Cups of Tea guest-host Lelina Chang, an advocate whose work is focused on the intersection of racial equity and environmental justice.

In 1989, Dr. Yusef Salaam was just fifteen years old when he was tried and convicted in the “Central Park Jogger Case” along with four other Black and Latino boys. The Exonerated Five spent between seven to 13 years behind bars, until their sentences were overturned in 2002. Since then, they received a multi-million-dollar settlement from the City of New York for its injustice and were profiled in award-winning films, including The Central Park Five documentary from Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon and the award-winning Netflix limited series When They See Us, written and directed by Ava DuVernay.

In our podcast episode, Lelina interviews Yusef and Ibi about their newest co-authored novel in verse Punching the Air and how the book came to fruition. Yusef talks about the power of self-purpose and hope and how his spiritual journey was mirrored through the main character Amal while Ibi shares how she embraced and holistically weaved Yusef‘s stories and philosophies to craft a story told from a young Muslim, Black boy’s point of view. Further in, they break down and analyze two influential poems in the novel that speak to Yusef’s experience being boxed in with his thoughts and his own devices in his jail cell, and the power DNA has to tie individuals to the collective injustices of the past. Ibi shares how crafting her poems in different shapes and forms helps bring to life the meaning of the poems on the page. And later, they discuss what it means to bring about diversity with diversity and the crucial work that still needs to be done to create a holistic representation of communities of color in the literary world.

Please say 'Hi' to Yusef Salaam on Twitter! https://twitter.com/dr_yusefsalaam

Please say 'Hi' to Ibi Zoboi on Twitter! https://twitter.com/ibizoboi

Head over to their shownotes page at https://88cupsoftea.com/yusef-and-ibi/ to find the resources and books mentioned in their episode, tweetable quotes, and the timestamps of highlights throughout the entire conversation. 

Warm welcome to our new listeners, let's continue and build upon the momentum surrounding the active work to create a just and equitable system for the black community. Head over to our page of resources of recommended learning: https://88cupsoftea.com/learn/

You can follow us on Instagram @88CUPSOFTEA to keep up with our latest posts and Instagram stories where we announce new episodes and essays,  feature our favorite quotes, and host Instagram Story takeovers by some of your favorite authors. So make sure to head over to https://www.instagram.com/88cupsoftea/ so you don't miss out on the next takeover! 

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Curious to hear stories from our listeners about what 88 Cups of Tea means to them? Want to discover the exciting future of 88 Cups of Tea that involves becoming a nonprofit to better serve the storyteller community? Or the four big pillars we'll be implementing over the next five years? We talk about it all in our special 5-year anniversary episode.

We turned five years old this month! To celebrate this huge milestone, we held a zoom party with our storytellers to reminisce on all the good times we've had over the years, celebrate the accomplishments our community has made, and to share the exciting future 88 Cups of Tea has in store. So for today's episode, we're sharing the audio recording from that zoom party so you can join in on the festivities.

Throughout the episode, you'll hear my journey from when the idea of starting 88 Cups of Tea popped into my head, to interviewing my first few guests, to growing into a community full of sportive and inspiring creatives. You'll get a behind-the-scenes look of podcasting around the world and all the work that is done behind each episode. I share some of my most meaningful memories throughout the years and the special interactions I have been so lucky to have with our community and you'll hear messages directly from a few of our storytellers. And towards the end, I share 88 Cups of Tea's future of receiving a receiving 501(c)(3) status to better serve the community by launching new initiatives and increasing in-person and online engagement through mentoring, in-depth learning, and community-building.

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Win Prizes From Your Favorite Literary Agents

We've teamed up with three of your favorite and top most-requested literary agents Joanna Volpe, Suzie Townsend, and Holly Root for special prizes in honor of our milestone anniversary. We're thrilled to gift three winners from our community with a prize that leaves an inspiring impact on your storytelling journey. Prizes include:

To enter for a chance to win one of our 5-year anniversary prizes, visit https://88cupsoftea.com/fiveyears to find the link to fill out a submission form. 

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Volunteer with 88 Cups of Tea

Over the years, our storytellers have asked how they can help contribute to our podcast through writing, editing, and other creative and practical ways. We are thrilled to announce that we are now accepting volunteers to be a part of our team and to help grow 88 Cups of Tea! 

If you're interested in volunteering, be sure to fill out our volunteer application form over at https://88cupsoftea.com/fiveyears

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Head over to our shownotes page at https://88cupsoftea.com/fiveyears to find the resources and books mentioned in the episode, tweetable quotes, and the timestamps of highlights throughout the conversation.  

Warm welcome to our new listeners, let's continue and build upon the momentum surrounding the active work to create a just and equitable system for the black community. Head over to our page of resources of recommended learning: https://88cupsoftea.com/learn/

You can follow us on Instagram @88CUPSOFTEA to keep up with our latest posts and Instagram stories where we announce new episodes and essays,  feature our favorite quotes, and host Instagram Story takeovers by some of your favorite authors. So make sure to head over to https://www.instagram.com/88cupsoftea/ so you don't miss out on the next takeover! 

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Curious about the different roles of an editor? How they help authors transform their stories and make them come alive? How about the ways to break into the publishing industry as an editor or literary agent? Or tips for crafting a strong query letter and the value a literary agent will bring to your career? We talk about it all and more with Molly O'Neill.

Molly is a literary agent with Root Literary. Books that Molly has worked on have gone on to become #1 New York Times Bestsellers, have been made into major motion pictures, and received countless awards, honors, and accolades. Most recently, her clients’ books have been honored to receive National Book Awards longlist nomination, the William C. Morris YA Debut Award, the Asian/Pacific American Award for Young Adult Literature, the Schneider Family Book Award, and as ALA Odyssey Honors for Audiobooks and Goodreads Choice Awards nominees, among many others. 

In part 2 of our conversation, we discuss how she discovers and pursues new writing talent and matches them with the best editor to help their stories come alive. She shares how an author’s social media presence and writing competition victories can be a path to grabbing a literary agent’s attention but it’s not the only journey an aspiring author has to take and that spending your energy on making your writing the best it can be is the most important aspect.

Further in, Molly talks about the query letters that have stood out to her the most and tips for improving your own query letters. She lists helpful writing and publishing resources you won’t want to miss, how supporting and contributing to the publishing community will help you create connections and opportunities, and smart financial moves to make when you receive your first book advance. And later, we talk about how your relationship with writing can change when your writing hobby turns into your job, the role self-awareness plays as you’re trying to reach your writing goals, and strategies for finding inspiration and uncovering the story you've always been meant to tell.

Please say 'Hi' to Molly on Twitter! https://twitter.com/molly_oneill

Head over to her shownotes page at https://88cupsoftea.com/molly-oneill to find the resources and books mentioned in her episode, tweetable quotes, and the timestamps of highlights throughout the entire conversation. 

Warm welcome to our new listeners, let's continue and build upon the momentum surrounding the active work to create a just and equitable system for the black community. Head over to our page of resources of recommended learning: https://88cupsoftea.com/learn/

You can follow us on Instagram @88CUPSOFTEA to keep up with our latest posts and Instagram stories where we announce new episodes and essays,  feature our favorite quotes, and host Instagram Story takeovers by some of your favorite authors. So make sure to head over to https://www.instagram.com/88cupsoftea/ so you don't miss out on the next takeover! 

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Curious about the different roles of an editor? How they help authors transform their stories and make them come alive? How about the ways to break into the publishing industry as an editor or literary agent? We talk about it all and more with Molly O’Neill.

Molly is a literary agent with Root Literary. Books that Molly has worked on have gone on to become #1 New York Times Bestsellers, have been made into major motion pictures, and received countless awards, honors, and accolades. Most recently, her clients’ books have been honored to receive National Book Awards longlist nomination, the William C. Morris YA Debut Award, the Asian/Pacific American Award for Young Adult Literature, the Schneider Family Book Award, and as ALA Odyssey Honors for Audiobooks and Goodreads Choice Awards nominees, among many others. 

Molly shared so much wisdom, industry-knowledge, and publishing advice that we had to make her episode a two-parter! 

In the first part of our conversation, Molly talks about the power of story and how it helped created bonds between her and her loved ones. She talks about her love for children’s books, how the publishing industry helps establish relationships between stories and humans, and the steps she took to break into the publishing industry. Further in, she discusses how she became the editor for the Divergent Series and the importance of editing or representing books you love versus books that are on-trend. She gives us an in-depth look at the many roles editors hold like helping authors’ stories come alive on the page, acting as the book’s advocate to sales reps, and being an advocate for the readers so they have a great reading experience. And later, Molly begins to tell us how she moved from editor to literary agent!

Please say 'Hi' to Molly on Twitter! https://twitter.com/molly_oneill

Head over to her shownotes page at https://88cupsoftea.com/molly-oneill to find the resources and books mentioned in her episode, tweetable quotes, and the timestamps of highlights throughout the entire conversation. 

Warm welcome to our new listeners, let's continue and build upon the momentum surrounding the active work to create a just and equitable system for the black community. Head over to our page of resources of recommended learning: https://88cupsoftea.com/learn/

You can follow us on Instagram @88CUPSOFTEA to keep up with our latest posts and Instagram stories where we announce new episodes and essays,  feature our favorite quotes, and host Instagram Story takeovers by some of your favorite authors. So make sure to head over to https://www.instagram.com/88cupsoftea/ so you don't miss out on the next takeover! 

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Want to learn experimental and playful ways to reinvent your writing process? How to confront your perfectionism when crafting your first draft? Or the ways building patterns can help you tap into your emotional needs? We talk about it all and more with Elizabeth Acevedo.

Elizabeth is the New York Times bestselling author of The Poet X, With the Fire on High, and Clap When You Land. Her critically-acclaimed debut novel, The Poet X, won the 2018 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. She is also the recipient of the Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Fiction, the CILIP Carnegie Medal, and the Boston Globe-Hornbook Award. She was also honored with the 2019 Pure Belpré Author Award for celebrating, affirming, and portraying Latinx culture and experience.  

In our conversation, we discuss the important role that routine plays in our writing process and how it can help us connect deeper with our characters. Elizabeth shares her experience rebuilding and relearning her own routine during this pandemic and how forgiveness, kindness, and focusing on what is in her control has helped her throughout this difficult time. We then talk about disrupting our priorities to give ourselves permission to slow down and rest. And later, we discuss strategies to help us confront our writing fears and push past perfectionism to allow us to see the beauty in the entire journey from the first draft to the finished piece.

Please say 'Hi' to Elizabeth on Twitter! https://twitter.com/AcevedoWrites

Head over to her shownotes page at https://88cupsoftea.com/elizabeth-acevedo to find the resources and books mentioned in her episode, tweetable quotes, and the timestamps of highlights throughout the entire conversation. 

Warm welcome to our new listeners, let's continue and build upon the momentum surrounding the active work to create a just and equitable system for the black community. Head over to our page of resources of recommended learning: https://88cupsoftea.com/learn/

You can follow us on Instagram @88CUPSOFTEA to keep up with our latest posts and Instagram stories where we announce new episodes and essays,  feature our favorite quotes, and host Instagram Story takeovers by some of your favorite authors. So make sure to head over to https://www.instagram.com/88cupsoftea/ so you don't miss out on the next takeover! 

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Curious to discover the best practices for character development and plotting when crafting a series? Or how to know when it’s time to start or stop writing your story? How about the important role inspirational research serves when trying to get to the heart of your story? We talk about it all and more with Daniel José Older.

Daniel is the New York Times bestselling author of the Middle-Grade historical fantasy series Dactyl Hill Squad, the Bone Street Rumba urban fantasy series, Star Wars: Last Shot, and the award-winning Young Adult series the Shadowshaper Cypher, which won the International Latino Book Award and was shortlisted for the Kirkus Prize in Young Readers’ Literature, the Andre Norton Award, the Locus, the Mythopoeic Award, and named one of Esquire’s 80 Books Every Person Should Read. 

We begin our conversation discussing how he discovered his creative voice at a young age through drawing, music, and storytelling. We learn about his college days and becoming an EMT to keep him financially stable while working on his craft. We have an honest conversation about the uncertainty of relying on your writing as your main source of income and the moments of instability that it can bring.  

Further in, Daniel talks about his path to becoming a published author, pushing past rejection, and the importance of mentorship and community during this time. He shares plotting and character development tips for writing a series and the important role inspirational research serves when crafting your stories. 

And later, we talk about how writing is about listening to yourself and to those around you, being intentional about knowing when to start and stop your story, and why it’s crucial to understand what’s most important in your story so you can be committed to the things that matter the most and be flexible to change other parts to ultimately get to the heart of your story. 

Please say 'Hi' to Daniel on Twitter! https://twitter.com/djolder

Head over to his shownotes page at https://88cupsoftea.com/daniel-jose-older to find the resources and books mentioned in his episode, tweetable quotes, and the timestamps of highlights throughout the entire conversation. 

Hi Storytellers, listen in on the latest episode split into two different segments. 

First segment, it's just you and me. Head over to our page of resources as mentioned in this segment: https://88cupsoftea.com/learn/

Second segment, we're pulling our conversation with Jacqueline Woodson out of the archives. 

Please say 'Hi' to Jacqueline on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/JackieWoodson

Head over to her shownotes page at https://88cupsoftea.com/jacqueline-woodson to find books mentioned in her episode, tweetable quotes, and the timestamps of highlights throughout the entire conversation.