Marissa chats with Caris Avendaño Cruz about her debut middle grade fantasy - MARIKIT AND THE OCEAN OF STARS - as well as how to develop a more poetic writing voice; drawing on both folklore and real-life settings when it comes to building your fantasy world; tapping into big emotions, especially for younger characters (plus: a practical use for all your old journals!); how including non-English words can act as a bridge into a specific culture for kids all over the world; some of the major differences between "plotters" and "pantsers" - and a few pros and cons of each method; and having the courage (if not necessarily the confidence) to put your work out into the world.Books discussed in this episode can be purchased from your local independent bookstore or buy them online from the Happy Writer bookshop.org store (that benefits indie bookstores) at https://bookshop.org/shop/marissameyer Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/