Author Allie Slocum discusses her Character Club series for middle grade readers. Each book features a different kid who participates in an after-school club, with each installment focusing on the children’s journeys as they learn various life skills—such as compassion and forgiveness, dealing with loneliness, respecting yourself and others, and accepting the consequences of lying. Allie’s goal is to write books about regular kids living regular lives, going through regular things that kids go through.

Author Stephen Watts (pen name S.R. Watts) and actor and narrator Preston Geer discuss their audio book collaboration for Stephen’s new novel, The Celestial Flame. This is book one in the Divine Saga, a 5-part sweeping epic that combines both fantasy and science fiction and is filled with familial dynasties, political drama and intergalactic war. Stephen wrote this novel hoping it help people find some relief from anxiety, depression and trauma, much like his favorite fantasy books (such as LOTR) did for him when he was young. And Preston Geer worked hard to bring The Celestial Flame to life in audiobook format.

Authors M.M. Downing and S.J. Waugh discuss their new middle grade series, The Adventures of the Flash Gang, about eleven-year-old boy named Lewis Carter who is orphaned and left to fend for himself during the Great Depression in 1930’s Pittsburgh. But Lewis has some physical challenges that make it difficult for him to pull off the same stunts as other streeter orphans. So, Lewis resorts to science to help him in his plight. He becomes so successful that people assume there is an entire gang at work, and he becomes the most notorious food thief in all of Pittsburgh. By the way, he foils a Nazi plot as well. Episode One: Exploding Experiment and Episode Two: Treasonous Tycoon are available now.