The Book Deal

Jess Galatola: reaching young readers through writing books with heart

• The Book Deal • Season 2 • Episode 87

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0:00 | 50:17

Tina Strachan welcomes author and teacher Jess Galatola to The Book Deal podcast to discuss her upcoming children’s books: picture book The Witch Who Couldn’t Spell (launching 19 July) and graphic novel Seasons of Clementine (launching 4 July). Jess shares that The Witch Who Couldn’t Spell uses homophones and comedic chaos to encourage resilience, imperfection, and joy in language, praising debut illustrator Lou Baker’s Easter eggs. She explains Seasons of Clementine evolved from a picture book (The Cloud Collector) into a graphic novel after publisher feedback, and describes learning the format through Perenti Press workshops and the Perenti Prize. Jess recounts her “backwards” publication journey, writing Some Families Change during a 2020 separation, its 2024 release with EK Books, and her advice to remember your “why,” avoid comparison, build relationships, and persist through slush-pile submissions.

00:00 Podcast Introduction
00:56 Welcome Jess Galatola
01:43 The Witch Who Couldn't Spell Pitch
04:25 The Witch Who Couldn't Spell Message
06:24 Illustrator Magic
09:29 Seasons of Clementine Origins
13:45 Graphic Novel Craft
16:10 Perenti Workshops
20:19 Reading Kids Today
23:27 Why Reading Matters
23:56 Books as Escape
25:13 Representation Matters
26:03 Jess Origin Story
27:25 Writing Through Separation
29:38 Landing a Publisher
30:41 Finding Kidlit Community
33:41 Slush Pile Reality
35:12 Rejection and Resilience
39:48 Advice for Authors
44:25 Pitching and Conferences
47:45 Upcoming Launch Events
48:57 Final Thanks and Outro

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This is the Book Deal podcast where you will discover the inspiring stories behind your favorite books. We interview seasoned and debut authors, as well as publishing industry professionals to bring you the best tips and advice on how to get that elusive book deal. So no matter what stage of writing your at. We've got you covered. I'm Tina Strachan. I'm Madeleine Cleary. And I'm Natasha Rai. And join us as we pull back the curtain of published authors one deal at a time. The Book Deal podcast acknowledges the traditional owners of the land and waters, which it's recorded on and pays respect to their elders past, present, and emerging.

Tina Strachan

Jess Galatola, welcome to the Book Deal Podcast.

Jess Galatola

Thank you for having me, and it's awesome to be chatting to you today.

Tina Strachan

Oh, it's very exciting. I hope we get through this chat without that little bird coming and attacking you, on your balcony. Fingers crossed. Yeah. Your little, your little friend- Hope so that's, what was it again? Magpie lark that's out the front? I... I mean, it looks like that. Yeah. I'm gonna go with that. You're the expert. Um, he looked pretty cute. Um, Jess, so it's so great to have you on the pod. There is so much to talk about, and you've got so much coming up at, for you right now. Yes so two books, two new books out in June this year, and I want to hear, all about it and all about you, and I wanna hear about your publication journey and, and your books and why you wrote them. Because they all do have some really special messages, and so I'd really like to chat about that. But- Oh, thank you first, Jess, I do ask this of all my guests, and I like to put them on the spot and, ask for their one-liners. So you have a couple of books coming out, so let's, we'll go... Let's start with, The Witch Who Can't Spell, which is- Oh a picture book coming out in June. What date is it in June again?

Jess Galatola

Uh, she's actually gonna be out at the very start of July, so. Oh, July.

Tina Strachan

Yep.

Jess Galatola

Yeah, so, um, this one's about a little witch who's very bright but has a lot of problems with her spelling, and it leads to disaster and mayhem and a lot of fun and adventure. And she learns to become quite resilient and to give things a go, and to let go of trying to get it perfect and just embrace the chaos.

Tina Strachan

Mm, I love that. That's a great one-liner. I love that pitch. Thank you. That's awesome. I'm gonna ask you more about that soon as well. Great. Um, and, and then of course, you've got a graphic novel coming out soon too, which is really exciting, with Parenti Press. It is. Seasons

Jess Galatola

of Clementine. Tell us about that. So Seasons of Clementine centers around Clementine, who is a little dreamer who maps out the changing seasons of her life in her cloud journal. Mm-hmm. So she's a creative, and she's a lot of fun. Mm. That sounds beautiful. Um, do you keep a journal, Jess? I did as a kid. Yeah. Um, my problem with keeping a journal as an adult is I keep many and then I lose them. Mm. And then I have to start again, and then I lose them again. Yeah. Yeah, that happens. That's a real pattern with me. I know. I feel like we're a little bit busier now that

Tina Strachan

we're, um,

Jess Galatola

adults

Tina Strachan

with children,

Jess Galatola

aren't we? We certainly are, and if my children got hold of my journals, well, they'd probably be destroyed and, um- Yeah drawn in and- Yeah but I do keep poetry journals, and it's funny 'cause I've picked up this book to sort of jot down notes today and realized I've used it to write lots of angry poetry in, at another season of my life. Mm. So now it's also gonna have random notes.

Tina Strachan

Oh, no. Okay. I do like that, too. Keeping it all together. It doesn't matter. Like, it doesn't matter. Yeah. It's a bit of everything. Um, and there'll have to be a Seasons of Jess book, poetry book coming out soon maybe. So

Jess Galatola

many. Oh, gosh. That's a great idea. Oh, there you go. Oh, I'm gonna hire you as my publicist from this point forward.

Tina Strachan

Anytime. Uh, so Jess, both these books have very powerful messages, as does your first picture book, Some Families Change, which was out in 2025? Four. 2024. 24. That's right, yes. So and I feel like we'll cover Some Families Change, um, uh, when we talk about your publication journey.

Jess Galatola

Yeah.

Tina Strachan

But, I was hoping that you could tell us a little bit about the messaging behind... we'll start with, the... your... the witch book, The Witch Who Couldn't Spell. Um- Yeah

Jess Galatola

can you tell

Tina Strachan

us about the messaging, why it was important for you to write this book?

Jess Galatola

Yeah, absolutely. Well, I guess being a teacher but also now mom of two boys, 8 and 10, spelling comes up a lot, and I see kids get really frustrated when they get to words that do not make sense to them, and you've just gotta learn the rule, and you just have to explain, "Well, that's the English language. We've borrowed words from lots of languages, and that's just how it is, and you just have to learn it." And they get very, very frustrated and roll their eyes at me and make lots of different grunting sounds. Mm. And I thought, we've gotta embrace that the language we use every day is a bit crazy. It is a bit chaotic. Um, and the title popped into my head first actually. I got th- I said, "Oh, I've misspelled it again," and then I was having fun with saying the word misspelled, and then from that word came the idea of a little witch called Miss Spelled who, um, couldn't spell properly and couldn't get her words right, but it would be about homophones. It would be about those words that are spelled exactly the same. But mean really different things, 'cause those are the words that drive kids wild. Yeah. Like, they just Oh, they still drive me wild- Rain, rein a little bit too. There's a- Yeah Yeah, me too, right? Um, and yeah, so the, the book mainly focuses on homophones, and w- we follow Wanda through her journey of trying to write these beautiful spells that are well intentioned. She's such a well-meaning little witch. She wants to do beautiful things for her friends, but because she spells the incorrect version of the word, the wrong homophone, it actually leads to disaster. And she's so devastated by every disaster because she just meant so well, and it just leads to a lot of anguish. But it's hilarious in the same way, because Lou Baker, uh, is the illustrator, and she is a debut illustrator, and I cannot even express to you how her work jumps off the page- Mm. Mm and how she has elevated the story to the next level- Yeah beyond anything I could have ever really imagined she would bring to life. And, um, I had lots of little illustration notes, so it was great that she brought them to life, but then also added her own flavor.

Tina Strachan

Yeah.

Jess Galatola

And to give you an example, I think my favorite one is she writes a spell to end the whole school assembly, 'cause the witches are just out of their mind bored. Mm-hmm. So she writes hole, and spells the wrong hole, and then there's a sinkhole in the in the hall, and everybody just gets sucked into this hole. There's a cat on fire, someone's- Mm flying around on a broom screaming, and it's just chaos

Tina Strachan

Mm-hmm. There's a beauty in seeing what the illustrators come up with, isn't it, Lent? Oh, it's the best. You know, you don't wanna give them... You wanna... You certainly have written the page, I guess, with an idea in your mind of what it's going to look like, but you, you kinda don't wanna give them too much, do you? Because it's really important to see what they come up with and, um, and how they work with it, isn't it? It's fun. Yeah. Yeah. It's- It's a lot

Jess Galatola

of fun to see where a book lands up, and I think with this one too, Lou has hidden so many little Easter eggs in. Mm. There's, like, mice to be looking for in- Mm bookshelves and a million little witch familiar animals, and I just love it. I adore her work. Mm-hmm. I didn't realize she was a debut,

Tina Strachan

so that's, that's incredible too. Yeah. And, um, and she's done an incredible job, and kids love those, Easter eggs hidden in there everywhere, don't they?

Jess Galatola

They do. They do. My kids are constantly reading it now, trying to find the li- like extra little hidden things that they haven't seen the first time.

Tina Strachan

Yeah. Yep. Uh, well, very important book, very important message too, but you're making it fun while doing it, which is great, and I think the teachers are gonna love it as well. Do you think it's gonna be great in schools?

Jess Galatola

Yeah, I hope so. I think it's really sort of geared to the Australian curriculum, um, maybe two to five, in terms of where they'd be looking at homophones and playing with language and word play. And you've hit the nail on the head, Tina. It has to be fun- Mm-hmm because kids can smell a didactic message a mile away- Mm and then they'll just close the book on you- Mm-hmm and you're done.

Tina Strachan

Absolutely.

Jess Galatola

Um, and nobody wants to be fed language in a way that is painful or laborious or is just gonna take all the joy out of it- Mm when, uh, we as writers know there's so much joy to be had- Mm-hmm in the English language. So- Yeah just wanted to celebrate that.

Tina Strachan

Yeah, and I think you've done an incredible job. And of course, you're the perfect person to write it because you have been a teacher for a very long time, and now you write curriculum, so you- Yes yeah, so you- True. you know the perfect way of doing it, and I think you've nailed it. Such a fun book, and I'm sure- Oh, you're so kind teachers are going to love it.

Jess Galatola

Thank you. I really, really hope so. I think I just want it to, um, bring them a lot of joy in the classroom. Yeah,

Tina Strachan

I'm sure it will. Uh, as will Seasons of

Jess Galatola

Clementine, which is really exciting. Yes. She's very special. Yeah. She is an exciting one. I was mentioning to you earlier that Seasons of Clementine actually began as a picture book- Mm called The Cloud Collector. Mm. And it was about a little girl who collected up clouds and, um, added them to her journal, and we saw different things happen in her family across, um, the seasons, and she would talk to that, uh, by using the clouds as a language to explore that. So it was a little bit lyrical and lovely, but it wasn't getting anywhere, and I thought, "So I really love the premise and the, the core idea, and I wanna play with it in a couple of different styles." So I submitted it as a early reader, and I started writing it, um, as a verse novel, and that was going- in a whole new direction, uh, where I was tapping into Greek mythology, and the Oceanids, and the gods of clouds, and things like that, and that was getting really, really cool. Um, but the publisher who I'd submitted it to as an early reader said, "I don't really think this is an early reader, but I think there's potential here, and would you consider writing it as a graphic novel?" And obviously, that was Rochelle from Parenti Press. Mm-hmm. And so I had a, a really good crack at turning everything I had into this new format, which I actually adore because, um, I've worked with a lot of playscripts and texts as a drama teacher, um, in high school. And so writing it as a graphic novel felt like writing a script. Mm. And that draws on my, um, weird need to add in a lot of, uh, illustration notes. 'Cause I know this is very bad in picture books, and you're not meant to do that, and smack me on the hand. I need to stop doing it. But I love to be able to control the idea of not just what you're saying, but that extra layer of what it's gonna look like. Mm. And I'm just really sad I don't have the skills to illustrate- Mm 'cause that would be so cool. Mm-hmm. Um, but writing it as a script, I was able to add in a lot of detail in the way that I was directing what I thought this would look like. And at one point, um, beautiful Bethany Loveridge said, "Jess, I need you to, um, just say what you need in the illustration notes and stop writing it in poetry." "We don't need that." 'Cause I was getting very carried away. Um, probably that verse novel influence. Mm-hmm. And so it landed as this, uh, new version of The Cloud Collector, which we ended up calling Seasons of Clementine. Mm-hmm. And I adore the new title- Mm because it really is more about her life and how it changes with the seasons, and what she learns as she develops and grows. It's very tweeny. Mm-hmm. It's very gentle. Um, there'd be nothing in there that's going to be triggering or upsetting for kids, which I think is important because sometimes you just want a little book of joy- Mm-hmm that you can recommend- Mm-hmm. Yeah um, when you wanna preserve that childhood innocence- Yeah for someone, you know? Like- Mm-hmm I know a lot of kids, uh, I live with a 10-year-old girl who, uh, is very into romance, and she's very interested in the Twilight stuff- Mm in the background. Yes. And I'm sort of pushing these things in front of her, saying, "Well, why don't you try this? Because I think-" Yeah you know, it might- Mm be a little bit more around your age and what you're looking for. Mm.

Tina Strachan

Yeah, yeah, because the kids are reading up. We've... I've chatted about it- They are before on the,, podcast, I think, with Amy Doak, who writes, um, YA. And yeah, how the kids are sort of, they seem to be skipping a whole- sort of s- age group of books and going to those YA books that aren't And 'cause YA is, is very broad. It is, yeah. So

Jess Galatola

sometimes not appropriate. And I totally get it, 'cause as a kid I did that. I read up, and I probably read a million things that weren't appropriate for me. Mm-hmm. Um, but I also had books put in front of me by Mum that were meant for me. Yeah. And so I got to tap into lots of the- Yeah that important early formational reading stuff- Mm-hmm that I probably needed.

Tina Strachan

Yeah. No, that's, that's really important. I So I find that really interesting what you were saying about, um, your illustration notes or your poetry notes n- that you had for the graphic novel, because, a- as with picture books,

Jess Galatola

the

Tina Strachan

illustrations are sup- you know, supposed to carry or carry a lot of the story, don't they? Yes. Like, you don't have to use as many words, which is hard when you're writing them. Yeah. I'm sure, you know- Yeah if you've done a lot of them, you get there and you just innately can do it, but it's hard to pare back on those words and just try and envision Especially if you're not the illustrator and you're like, "I have all these The, the illustration has to be a particular way to, to carry this part of the story if I want to not- Yeah include those words." So that's, that's a There's a fine line there, isn't it, of sort of

Jess Galatola

balancing that? Absolutely. And it's like sometimes the notes that I write are to allow the illustrator to get into my head, I guess. Like I, I think, well, the story is clear, but I might have this little sub story going. Yeah. But, um, at the same time, I've had illustration notes that weren't handed on and that, um, you know, I've had, uh, illustrators- Mm who probably didn't wanna look at them, and that's fine too. Yeah. There's a lot of there's lessons in being able to let go. Mm-hmm. Um, and Jasmine Berry, the beautiful illustrator of Seasons of Clementine, I think she appreciated the detail of the illo notes, but there's certainly stuff she would've let go too. Mm. There's things she would've used, but I know she mentioned she saw herself in Clementine. Like, she really identified with this character. Um, so she has brought the characters to life in a way I would not have. Mm-hmm. But they're so beautiful- Mm and so cool. Like, her vision is awesome. So, and that's a joy, because it is partly your baby, but it's the illustrator's baby too. Mm-hmm. And then it's something, it's alchemy. It's a whole new thing again. Mm-hmm. And I think that's awesome.

Tina Strachan

Yeah. No, it's beautiful. And, I think the cover and the illustrations are really gonna draw kids in when they see them. Um, but yeah, graphic novels, it's a whole It They're so big at the moment, aren't they? And it- They are it's a whole new way of, I guess, writing. I've never written one myself, but, Yeah, I do. I see that there's some, there's a fair bit of information online now about how you can, structure them. So I'm just thinking for anybody who's listening who's thinking, "I would love to do a graphic novel," but the structure and the way that you submit it- Yes is a lot different, isn't

Jess Galatola

it? It is. And to be honest, I had not played with this genre prior to Seasons of Clementine, so I went along to one of the Parenti, uh, workshops. Mm-hmm. That was so beautifully detailed about how to do it. Mm-hmm. Sometimes I find you go looking for this information, and you find bits and pieces, but you kind of have to bring it all together yourself and figure out the finished product. But they are able to tell you about writing for different age levels and what word counts would look like and how many spreads that might involve. Mm-hmm. And that was the stuff I needed- Mm-hmm because that's where you're designing really. You have to keep that in mind. Mm-hmm. Even though I'm not illustrating, I need to know where the text begins and ends across the pages, just like you'd map out in a picture book. Mm-hmm. Um, so I highly recommend, uh, the workshops that they, they do put forward, and those are often linked to their Parenti Prize- Mm-hmm um, as well. So if, uh They do this wonderful thing where if you'd like to submit something as a author only, you can do that through the Parenti Prize. And I had another crack. I wrote, um I turned a picture book I had called Dragon Brothers or Dragon Bros into a, um, graphic novel, and it got shortlisted- Mm-hmm um, which was really cool. But I also got this wonderful feedback, like really rich, thorough feedback at the end of the process. So important. Mm-hmm. Yeah, which meant I understood how to grow the story I had and how to maybe manipulate it so that it would be successful if I wanna submit again. Mm-hmm. So such a valuable, valuable thing that they offer, which I love.

Tina Strachan

Yeah.

Jess Galatola

Um, but yeah, a- again, as a drama teacher, having that understanding of how a script, uh, is put together with, you know, stage directions and instructions and sides and monologues, like, having that idea of a different way to present words was also helpful. Mm-hmm. Um, I was never into graphic novels as a kid. Uh, my best friend Stace actually got me into them as an adult. I've got one here called The Complete Maus- Mm-hmm which is a story, um, written about a man's experience in the Holocaust. Wow. And it's, it's really, like, intricate and beautiful. Mm-hmm. And I don't know if you've heard of the book Sapiens- Mm-hmm but they've created a graphic novel, and it's all about, like, the first man and- Wow and all about Yeah. So I got into graphic novels as an adult reading adult graphic novels. Yeah. And then, um, through Bethany, who is a friend of mine who I used to work with in curriculum, I was introduced to, um- Beautiful Brent Wilson- Mm-hmm who does the Frog Log and Dave series along with Trent Jensen, and some James Foley as well that the boys love. And I might be one of the few people who has every Parenti graphic novel now- Wow because I've got a copy of Clementine sitting here. Yeah. So it's, it's a genre now that I really adore. Mm-hmm. Um, and I actually think they're more complex than we imagine, because I was having this chat with someone the other day, they said, "I find it really hard to sit down and read a comic or read through a graphic novel and follow along." And that can be really true, because so much is just jumping out at you- Mm at once. And it takes a lot of time to sit and process and take things in, and sometimes I think if you're more visual and you get a lot out of that experience, then it's probably the right genre for you. Mm-hmm. Um, 'cause you're engaging that visual literacy as long a- as well as, you know, the, the literacy of reading. So there's a lot of parallel stuff happening as you take in a graphic novel, and I really love that- Mm 'cause you can come back to it, you can sit with it, you can pick it up at another time and see something that you've missed. Mm-hmm. And I just think that that is a way into reading for kids. Mm-hmm. Yeah, and it's- I think probably

Tina Strachan

like everything, like different genres and all those sorts of things, um, different styles of writing. E- everybody's different in their tastes, and there will certainly- Definitely be people that it appeals to and people that it doesn't. And, I've got a eight-year-old who is a non-fiction kid. Oh, okay. He's got, like, all the non-fiction bug books or, like, Star Wars books, and he loves all those sorts of things. So lots of, lots of pictures obviously. Yeah, beautiful. Not much of a, plot throughout it though for a lot of these books, but, that's just what he's drawn to. So I've had to... Which is hard, 'cause I keep pushing like all these other books onto him. I know. But I've found graphic novels are a good way to sort of b- be that bridge for him. Absolutely. So it's got lots to look at, and then, shorter bits of words. And, um, yeah, and but still a plot line the whole way through. Isn't

Jess Galatola

it? It's so difficult- Mm as a parent not to be a book pusher, because- Mm, mm-hmm if you are a lover of books, which we all are, and we want our kids to, you know, experience all the beautiful stuff that we love. But my children and their taste is so different from mine, and I have a 10-year-old who's dyslexic, so he actually really struggles with reading. Mm. But he loves books, because I've read them to him since he was a baby, and he loves to be read to. But sometimes if he's not feeling confident, I know at least if I leave a bunch of graphic novels- Mm lying around or like heavily illustrated junior fic or even middle grade as he's getting older, he's more likely to pick it up- Mm and have a little snoop and have a go on his own. Mm-hmm. You know, the importance of reading to kids even as they get older never goes away. I read something, a study done at Harvard the other day, and it was about if you read to your kid every day of their life from the first five years of their life, they have four million more words- Wow in their vocab. And, like, that's ridiculous. Yeah. But it's so important. If you can give them that head start by reading and making- Mm-hmm that a part of your routine, I just... I can't advocate it enough. Mm-hmm. It's, it's such a special thing that we do. I really love it. And they get really cross if we don't end- Mm the day with books before bed.

Tina Strachan

Yeah,

Jess Galatola

absolutely. 'Cause it's just part of that- Yeah that ritual.

Tina Strachan

Yeah. No, absolutely. I agree. We've always done that too. And, um, yeah, it's so important reading those words to them. And, um, but also just having the availability of those books around, uh, too, just in the house. And, uh, look, I don't have actual stats and figures or who I got this from, but I know it was an actual- study that was done not too long ago. And it was, um, you know, really... They were measuring, I guess, I don't know, s- success, and there was particular things that they measured. It wasn't just money or anything like that, you know. It was happiness- Yeah and all those sorts of things, um, uh, in adults is, um... can highly be attributed to the amount of books, like the number of books that were in the house when they were growing up. And I was like- No, I believe that that's... Yeah. And isn't that incredible? And I guess because the number of books you have, the more inclined you are to possibly read them or be, just be familiar with them. Uh, clearly then your parents are reading as well, right? So it's just- Absolutely it, it's an indicator of, yeah, having just words around you, um, so important because we've gotta keep, keep these kids reading, haven't we?

Jess Galatola

We do. Mm-hmm. And the neuroscience behind it now, like, is fascinating. Mm. They talk about the fact that when you read a book, your brain processes the story as a memory. Mm. So you actually experience the book in your brain as if you've done that and lived that experience. Mm. And I think that is amazing. Mm. And it is true magic. And how powerful is it that no matter who you are, if you have access to reading, you can pick up a book, and you can escape. Like, you can- Mm go to a world that- Mm feels different, that could feel safe, that could feel- Mm adventurous. Mm. And you can do that in your brain- Mm by living that experience and making it all happen in the pictures in your mind. And, like, that's actually amazing.

Tina Strachan

That's the power of it. And especially, like, as adults, I think we probably read, um, fiction for,, escapism and for joy. But for children- Yeah also doing the same, but it just goes to show, with the neuroscience behind it, basically, changing the, your brain and how it's, your neurons and all those sorts of things, um, it goes to show how books with- Messaging, but not, not didactic like we were talking about, it'd be so incredibly helpful and pro- probably life-changing for a lot of children who, like you were saying, maybe even need that escape. Yeah. So there's gotta be some nervous system resetting there, you know? Absolutely. Depending, if you've got the appropriate book. But also when they're learning to build their skills, when they're learning their social skills, their, just how they tackle friendships, all those sorts of things. If they're reading about that, it's healthily being modeled in these books. That's right. Like you said, it's like they're actually doing, living it themselves, and so it's, it's equipping them with skills that they need when they head off to school again the next day, the battlefield for a lot of them.

Jess Galatola

Exactly what they need, and that's why we're all talking about representation in, in stories at the moment, because everybody deserves to see, you know, th- a version of themselves in a book to understand how they process life and, and practice empathy and resilience and strength of character. Like, those things, it's just at the heart of storytelling because stories are about people, so it makes sense that we're going to be exploring these things along the way through beautiful words.

Tina Strachan

Yeah. No, I agree, and beautiful words like in your books, Jess. Now- Aw, Tina we know how hard it is to get these... We know how hard it is to get published, right? We know how hard it is to get these books out there, so I wanna hear all about- Yes your journey, 'cause I, we love a good publication journey here, and it's so, it's so helpful for people to hear who are trying to be published. So can you take us all the way back to the beginning, Jess, from when you first started reading and writing, which I'm guessing was when you were a child? Oh, God.

Jess Galatola

Yes. So always loved reading and writing. Um, loved anything to do with, uh, all of that stuff, and then became a teenager and got really into the drama side of stuff, and then like most, a lot of authors say this, you know, never thought I could do that as a job. So moved away from writing for pleasure and got very serious about life and had to pick a career. I actually am one of those annoying kids who always knew what they wanted to do. Like, I remember looking at my grade three teacher going, "I could do this, and I'd really like to do this, 'cause I think you do this so well, and I appreciate what you're doing, and I wanna do that." And then when I decided on drama and English, it was all just keep moving forward from there. And I did, um, dabble as a drama teacher in thinking about writing some play texts just because I wanted work that was geared at the kids I was working with, and, and I was learning from them, and children are the best teachers. Like, they, they show you so much about the world. Mm. So I was playing around, but never, ever thinking of submitting anything. Um- And then I have a very weird publishing journey, Tina. I did it all backwards. I got to 2020, and life blew up for everybody- Mm-hmm in 2020. For me, that involved going through, um, a separation, and I had very little kids at the time. I had a two-year-old and a four-year-old, and I did not know how to explain what was coming. Like, I just I didn't have words for it. So one night I sat down and wrote a story, and it came out for me in poetry, 'cause that's how I process. So actually, this angry journal of poetry was probably from that time when I read back through it. Um, so it's I was healing myself through poetry, and I thought, "Well, I'll write a poem for the kids that might talk about what's happening with our family that they might be able to understand." And I turned it into a story, and I read it to them every night, and I asked their dad to read it to them every night, too, when he left the home, because I wanted us to be speaking about what was happening in the same way. Mm. I thought that was just super important that they got the same messaging that they needed, and that I had to look up. How do you talk to young, young people about this? And it was The advice was you have to say the thing truthfully, but in an age-appropriate way. Mm. So my best friend, who is a pusher of joy, said to me, "This is the best. This is such an amazing thing that you've done. You need to please go and turn it into a book." And I said, "Don't be silly. I don't know how to do that, and I can't draw." And she said, "Just go and try. Just do it." So I did. I did some research. I figured out eventually you don't have to have illustrations to go with your picture book. In fact, it's probably preferred that you don't. And I changed the story so that it became more open to everybody's experience of changing families, not just my very personal one, and I wanted it to be very inclusive and open to everybody. Um, so Some Families Change is that. It is a love letter to parents and kids that basically says everybody's family looks different. Every family can change, and it will, and that's okay, and you'll have some big feelings, and that's okay, too. Yes. But at the end, just remember you will have a family who love you, and that's just the message. Mm. And, um, I submitted it to three publishers, and I actually got, um, picked up by two. Like, I got a response from two, which I appreciate now is- Mm like, a miracle. It was a miracle. I think it was divine timing. I think it was We were going through COVID, and we were coming home into families, and things were tough. And so this was the right story at the right time. Mm-hmm. EK Books picked it up. I worked with a beautiful publisher called Anuschka Jones who described the book as a warm hug. And, um, she was very much about it, and from there I became obsessed with like, "All right, well, I'm making a picture book. I think I wanna do more of these because I have little kids, and I'm, I'm loving reading to them every night, and maybe I..." You know, quite classic, "Maybe I could do this." And that's when I realized how hard it is to write books. To get into the publishing world. Mm-hmm. Um, I started an author profile after I signed my contract, 'cause I didn't know anybody in the kid lit community. I had no idea how cool this community is, and I will say it over and over again, my favorite thing about being an author is belonging to this community. Mm. If that was the one gift I got out of it and had to walk away tomorrow, it would be that. Mm. Because it is amazing. The beautiful people that you meet- Mm-hmm who do what you do and are so like-minded, and, and kind, and supportive, and generous- Mm and giving, it's just been the best gift. It's, it's like I wrote Some Families Change and then got a family. Mm-hmm. Like, got this new family. That's how I describe it. That's beautiful. It gives me chills.

Tina Strachan

Yeah. Yeah. It, it's so true, isn't it? Of, uh... All writers are just great, especially kid lit writers- They are and the community. Yeah, that's pretty incredible. I was, I, I was pretty much the same I think, and I guess that's how we met, through the kid lit community. Yeah. And, I was so sh- sort of shy to be part of that, and I kind of felt, like, walking into this group where everyone sort of, like, already knows everyone, and everyone's already an author, and how is this... You know, how do I fit in? And yeah, no one cares. They just open up their arms and welcome you in, and you're a part of it. Yeah.

Jess Galatola

Like a peer on, on a, on the same level. Mm-hmm. And it's, it's amazing, um, and I'm glad I found the community. Mm-hmm. Um, but yeah, the publishing stuff is actually much harder than I thought. So a- after getting that first contract I was like, "Cool, I'll just write a whole heap of other books." Oh, yeah. And then it was like- Yeah "Oh, no, it's not actually that easy- Yeah at all." Um, but I did have... A- Anuska was beautiful, and sh- I think she really fostered, um, my understanding of picture books and the way to put them together, 'cause I submitted a lot of stuff to her. Mm-hmm. And I got to sign quite a few picture books with EK, which is, which is awesome. Mm. And I think it's because their motto is, "Books from the heart on issues that matter." Mm. And it spoke to me as a teacher with young children- Mm but who ha- who dealt with kids every day- Mm knowing that it's those heart stories that get to them. Mm-hmm. And it's the heart stories that are needed. So yeah, that's sort of probably where the most growth happened in those early years, and I wrote that book in 2020, submitted it in 2021. I think I signed at the end of 2021, and then we published in 2024. Mm-hmm. And so that's where I'm learning, I started learning about the publishing industry- Fair wind takes and, and the speed of which it moves. And sometimes feels like a lot of waiting and not a lot of knowing. Uh-huh. Um, and then this beautiful surprise at the end that everyone loves to unbox because it's glorious.

Tina Strachan

Mm-hmm. It is, yeah, and it feels like it takes a really long time, then all of a sudden it's here. Yes. Like everything, I suppose. Yes, exactly. So was that- So- Did you submit that to slush, le- sorry, slush- Yeah slash a- opportunity piles? What a treasure chest- I did or whatever they're called.

Jess Galatola

Ooh, opportunity pile. I like that. Yes. Straight into the slush. Um- Wow I kinda like the word slush in terms of- Yeah, I do too. Yeah uh, yeah, so it's, it really does feel like a miracle and divine timing that it was picked up. It was just, like, that's such a huge part of my story, and it's, it's so fun to celebrate, and it's special to my kids, too. Mm. Yeah. Um- That makes

Tina Strachan

it even just more incredible, doesn't

Jess Galatola

it? Yeah. It's just a really cool chapter of our life that we shared and got through and, and turned into something beautiful. Mm. Um, so slush pile for that one, and then obviously I was able to submit directly to Anika from there. Mm-hmm. Um, but most of my publishing success has come through a slush. Mm. That's cool. Which is, uh, which is testimony to keep going, like- Absolutely just keep trying. And that they do get read. They do. They do. They do. And there is some,

Tina Strachan

some absolute treasures in there, but that is often the only way, especially when you're a debut, to get in front of a publisher, is to send it. And yeah, look, it can take a really long time, but I'm sure they do get through them eventually. and it is about right timing and all those sorts of things and what someone's looking at at that particular point in time, but it also means that it was a great, you know, manuscript that they got in front of them, Jess. Yeah. And, and but then likewise, if they don't accept it, it doesn't mean that it wasn't a great manuscript. It's just that it wasn't what they were looking for at that time because-

Jess Galatola

Exactly, and I think that's... it's so important to note that, that not being published is not a reflection of your work. It's just that there's so much to take into account in terms of what publishers are looking for. Mm-hmm. And there's a broad list and, and then sometimes we get frustrated 'cause it comes down to, "Well, I'll know it when I see it." Mm. And, and it... I understand that in a way because your- One person looking at books and deciding what speaks to you, and that's your experience as one publisher Mm-hmm and other people are gonna find other golden gems. Um, and so it's not necessarily about your work if you don't get picked up, which is why I love a good reject- rejection letter that- Mm actually lets you know, "We've seen your work, and thank you." Yeah. "Not this time, it's not for us, but keep going." Mm-hmm. Mm. I love those ones because you feel really validated and seen in, in that process, too.

Tina Strachan

Yeah.

Jess Galatola

Um, but I, I kind of... I feel quite resilient about this stuff, Tina. Like, it sort of... I just let the rejection bounce off and just keep going, and I think you miss all of the opportunities you don't go for.

Tina Strachan

That's absolutely true.

Jess Galatola

And so I just keep... I just persist. Mm-hmm. I'm annoying, and some publishers have received so many submissions from me, and I'll just keep going because- Mm-hmm eventually I'll hit the right note. Yep.

Tina Strachan

No, absolutely. That's, that's great advice, and we all hear those stories about, you know, these big name authors who have had... just collect r- you know- Yeah rejection letters, don't they? And, uh, I think we need to change the word rejection letter because that just sounds so harsh. It's more of a- Mm just a pass at this point in time I think would be- Yeah would be lovely. Um, yeah, because it is for many other reasons. Um, yeah, and even if the publisher does really want it, they do have to think. You know, they have so many other things to think of, like marketing and finance- Mm-hmm and what's the rest of the team- Mm gonna think with this, and what else have we signed recently? There's just so much to consider there, isn't it? So- There is,

Jess Galatola

ab- absolutely. I was gonna say, I feel like I got maybe, maybe 10 stories in total to the, um, final meeting at EK with sales. Wow. Mm-hmm. And, um, Anuska would never take anything until it was... She would get me to perfect it first. Mm-hmm. I didn't... I very rarely did the editing afterwards. Mm-hmm. She'd say, "It's not ready yet," because she knew she had to get it... she had to sell it. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Um, and there's a huge process that happens there, and if you can't get the whole team on board- Mm-hmm then it's a pass at that time. Mm-hmm. And yeah, even though I had success, I had a lot of, um, passes as well. Mm-hmm. And that's okay. It just means they have a whole criteria they need to tick. Mm-hmm. Yeah. You know? And, um, The Cloud Collector was one I did present to them, and they said, "Oh, sorry, but we, we have a book that we're publishing soon that is very similar-" Mm that's about the clouds." And so that's when I thought- Mm "Well, okay, maybe I need to try it in a different way."

Tina Strachan

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And the Pa- and so Clementine and with Parenti was at Slush Pile as well?

Jess Galatola

Uh, it was out of one slush pile, an, an opportunity into another. Yes So it was a no over at Wombat for something I'd submitted. Yes. But there was a glimmer of an idea, I guess, that Rochelle sent- Mm "Would you like to try and develop that?" Mm-hmm. "And then we'll see how we go from there."

Tina Strachan

Yeah, yeah. And that's great. That's even more special when you have a publisher that recog- sees something in you, and so it's not just a simple yes or no. They see something in you- Yeah and they wanna work with you. That's even more special. It's glorious. Yeah. I

Jess Galatola

know, it's so cool. That's wonderful. Well, why wouldn't they? And they... Well, also, they are beautiful publishers to work with- Mm-hmm I have to say, so supportive. And, um, it's, uh, working with Bethany, uh, she's really wanted... She's treated the story as her own, um, as well as Rochelle, and so the final product is just a joy. And my story about reading it for the first time is I was on my way to Sydney with my niece for her birthday, and so I read this book in the clouds on the plane. Aw. And I was just so emotional 'cause it was so cool. Aw. And so lovely to read it for the first time up high in the heavens. Mm-hmm,

Tina Strachan

that's beautiful. Oh- Very sweet that's incredible. Oh, so many wonderful stories there, Jess, and so much inspiration, but what, what is your main advice for authors, then, who are trying to be published, especially picture book authors, because it sounds like a very tricky space to try and infiltrate. It's so much competition. I think a lot of people think- Mm that picture books are easy to do when- Oh I have to say, trying to fit a whole story with a message that's not didactic, with trying to be f- keep the kids entertained, um, all those sorts of things, in usually less than 600 words, is incredibly hard.

Jess Galatola

It is, and, um, I have two of the hardest critics, too, because they lose interest very quickly, and they'll just shut the book up on me, or they will say, "No, I don't wanna read that." Yeah. Um, so they're actually very helpful, but I guess the thing that I have had to remind myself on this journey, going from the back end in, in terms of having some success initially, and then realizing this is very hard, this is a difficult thing to do, and then joining the community and seeing all the celebrated success, remember your why, so remember why you write, and then do it your own way. And ignore all of the stories around you. Support, embrace, hold up, applaud, but don't compare yourself to those journeys because it's... You're never going to achieve something in the same way someone else has, and we've talked about that. Timing and luck and relationships and, um, that's really important, is building up your relationships in the industry. I think that's led to success for me, and that where going along to, um, an opportunity where you can meet a publisher face-to-face often ends up in more success than you might find in the slush pile. Mm. Because publishers are not just going to invest in your story, they're going to invest in you as a person- Mm-hmm and what you stand for and how you present, and how you speak about this craft that's so important, especially writing for kids. They need to know that you like kids and that you have, um, all of the right motivators at the heart of what you're doing. Mm-hmm. So do it your own way, remember why you love to do it, and then present that in the most authentic way you can when you are meeting professionals in the industry, and I think you're gonna have success if you can do those things. Mm-hmm. And there's a few ways- And s- Sorry, keep going. You were gonna hit on that. Okay. I was gonna say, and success looks different. It doesn't just look like a published book.

Tina Strachan

Yeah, no, that's right. That's right. As... And, this is why we,, do this podcast too. I mean, apart from the fact that we love just chatting with people, it gives us a good excuse to, to chat with other authors, but, it is just a real demonstration, and all these case studies that we're presenting, of just all the different ways that it can happen and all the different ways that you can do it. And, yeah, and you're right, success for one person is making the New York Times bestsellers list. That could be- Mm-hmm what they want. And success for another person is getting this, very personal, important message out to other children, like what you've done with, with your books. Yeah, it's different. Or, being able to go and talk to kids, in schools and, and those sorts of things. So it is, it's different for everyone,, and it's your own journey, isn't it? Like, you can't copy anyone else's. It is. Yeah.

Jess Galatola

And it's hard. You, you do, like- Do they say comparison is the thief of joy? Mm-hmm. I really do think that, and something happens to me when I get a contract. Um, I think, "Okay, when's the next thing?" And then I get really mad at myself- Mm for not just being present in the moment. Mm-hmm. And, and looking at this important thing that happened- Mm-hmm and just embracing it. Mm-hmm. Not, not needing to want more straight away. Like, I'm really trying to now find the joy in, in every win. Mm-hmm. Yeah. No- no matter what that looks like.

Tina Strachan

Mm-hmm. Yeah, there's human nature, playing a bit of a part in that, isn't it? Yeah. Like, we just keep shifting our goal posts, but if we do that, we'll never... But yeah, be truly happy because, like you said, we've got to celebrate all those wins, you know? Yeah. Bit of positive feedback from a publisher, all those sorts of, all those sorts of things. Yeah.

Jess Galatola

And that goes back to the why. I say, "Well, why, why are you even doing this?" Mm. And it's like, well, I didn't ever do it for that. Mm. I did it because it was feeding something in me that I needed to do. And- Mm-hmm and I do it because it's part of my identity now. Like, it's part of what just fuels me. Mm-hmm. So remember the why. It is important. Mm-hmm. Yes,

Tina Strachan

certainly. And so getting in front of a publisher, super important. Um, and there's a few ways that we can do that, isn't there?

Jess Galatola

Absolutely. Yeah. So you could go along to a conference. So, um, I'm a member of a beautiful writers group, Stan's also a member of Write Links- Mm in, um, Brisbane, and they do a BSAV event every two years where you can go along, and a bunch of publishers will be there, and you can pitch in a couple of different ways. You can submit work that's considered, um, in an assessment, or you can verbally pitch. Uh, they even do this cool thing where they read the first page, um, a blind reading. Mm. And, uh, the publisher- Sounds horrifying. Ah, everybody is horrified by it, but I kind of love the idea that it is a blind reading. And so- Yeah, I love seeing everyone

Tina Strachan

else do it, but it sounds horrifying if I were to do it.

Jess Galatola

I have no filter, so it doesn't worry me. But yeah, it is fun. Um, that is actually where The Witch Who Couldn't Spell came to, uh, some success because I- No way yeah, it is. So two years ago when I went along and had an assessment with James and Denni from Larrikin, I had submitted Misspelled, which is what it was then, and, um, James had said, "I don't like that title. Why don't you just call it The Witch Who Couldn't Spell?" Mm. And I said, "Well, that's clever." Mm. "And I will call it whatever you like if you wanna publish it." Yeah. Um, yeah, so they got me to, to make a few changes, and then we went from there. So it's definitely a worthwhile experience for me, but also just to learn at those, um, those big conferences too. Uh, and then going to people's launches and celebrating- All of your friends in the community, you meet publishers along the way at some of the launches as well. Mm-hmm. Um, and I don't know, through the slush as well, when you get a response, it's another way to be chatting to a publisher. They're just people. Mm. It's hard to r- to remember that, that they're just people like you and me. We sort of elevate them to this, like, oh, rock star status because we all sort of want something from them, but sometimes they just love to be able to have a chat with you. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. You know, to get a sense of what your journey is and what you love about books. Yeah. So just remember to be a person. I have to remind myself. I put it on my hand, "Be a person today." Be a person.

Tina Strachan

But it's so true when you go to these conferences and, the publishers are there, and I think there's a little bit of that... Yeah, they probably, hope that someone just comes up and talks to them like a person instead of just a nervous, you know- Wreck Yeah, a nervous wreck, like trying to start up a conversation with a publisher, and it's, it is nerve-wracking. But yeah, through all those assessments, and there's lots of conferences, ASA does, pitch sessions, and, Yes Kid Lit Vic does a lot as well. So there's a few different ones out there, but they are really nice. And yeah, it... I think it's probably one of those things you just have to do one or two, get over the nerves, and to realize all these things that we've just said is that, they are just normal people, and, just there for a chat, and they love books and so do you. So yeah, it's, a great way to start a connection, so great advice, Jess. Thank you so much for- No worries for coming on the pod and telling us all about your new books. Do you have any events coming up to celebrate? Oh, I

Jess Galatola

do, yes. Can you tell us about them? Absolutely. Thank you for reminding me. Um, on the 4th of July, I have my Seasons of Clementine launch at Harry Hartog at Carindale. Mm-hmm. Uh, and on the 19th of July, I am launching The Witch Who Couldn't Spell at Quick Brown Fox with the beautiful Anna and Teresa. Mm-hmm. And, um, I'm also gonna be running some library workshops across Brisbane City Libraries in the school holidays. Great. So you can probably... I'm gonna put all of this sort of stuff onto socials, so the best place to find anything that I do is on Instagram, um, 'cause that's probably where I share the most, but also on my website, and I have a Facebook page too. Um, and my big thing this year is, is wanting to get out into more schools and, um, you know, work with kids, 'cause I... That's my joy, and I, I miss that. We were talking about I've been sort of out of the classroom for a little bit, and I do miss those connections. Um, but all my local bookshops, Mad Hatter's Bookshop, The Little Gnome in Wynnum, like, I'll be doing events there too, so. Awesome. Watch this

Tina Strachan

space. Definitely. Gonna be some good ones there to check out. Can't wait. Thank you so much, Jess. It was so fun talking to you today.

Jess Galatola

I loved talking to you. Thank you. I'll talk to you any day. Awesome.

Tina Strachan

Thanks, Tina. Love to have you back.

Jess Galatola

Thanks, Jess. Good luck with your new books. Thanks. Bye. Thank you. Bye.

Speaker 5

Thank you for listening to another episode of The Book Deal Podcast. If you are enjoying the pod, we'd really appreciate you following or sharing the show in your podcast directory, checking us out on Instagram and Facebook, or supporting us through our Patreon community at patreon.com/thebookdealpodcast