Paper Trail

The Paper Trail Podcast

A monthly writing and publishing podcast featuring a rotating roundtable of children's book authors.

35 Episodes

Episode 35: Right Idea, Wrong Time
10/19/2026
1:04:00
The one where we chat with author Yamile Saied Méndez about the benefits of time, reveal the story we don't feel quite ready to write...yet, and discuss channeling a higher power through writing by hand.Connect with Yamile Saied Méndez online:Website | Instagram | Buy Yamile's booksConnect with Mariko Turk online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Mariko's books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Andrea Beatriz Arango online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Andrea's books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Laekan Zea Kemp online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Laekan's books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Jasminne Mendez online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠| ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Jasminne's books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Episode 34: Publishing's AI Hypocrisy
9/21/2026
54:34
The one where we discuss AI in publishing, whether or not we could/would want to "prove" our work is original and authentic, and the importance of resetting your nervous system and slowing your way back into a writing routine after a summer break.Connect with Jasminne Mendez online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠| ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Jasminne's books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Mariko Turk online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Mariko's books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Andrea Beatriz Arango online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Andrea's books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Laekan Zea Kemp online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Laekan's books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Don't miss an episode of “Paper Trail” and subscribe to it in the GetPodcast app.
Episode 33: How Pet Projects Can Stave Off Burnout (And Why The Bridge to Terabithia Doesn't Exactly Hold Up)
8/24/2026
1:11:16
The one where we lament being back on deadline, discuss the pros and cons of considering publishing trends, and try to determine when enough is enough in regards to promoting our books.Connect with Mariko Turk online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Mariko's books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Andrea Beatriz Arango online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Andrea's books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Laekan Zea Kemp online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Laekan's books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Jasminne Mendez online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠| ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Jasminne's books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Episode 32: What Publishing and Your Toxic Ex-boyfriend Have in Common
7/27/2026
1:09:52
The one where we discuss the importance of taking breaks, the toxic power dynamics that exist in publishing, and how we continue to hone our craft.Connect with Andrea Beatriz Arango online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Andrea's books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Laekan Zea Kemp online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Laekan's books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Jasminne Mendez online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠| ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Jasminne's books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Mariko Turk online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Mariko's books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Episode 31: How to Be a Good Literary Citizen (and no, it's not by calling your colleagues' books "crud")
6/29/2026
1:04:08
The one where we talk about what it takes to keep a creative community alive, why reaching "flow state" with a manuscript is actually a privilege, and how to be a good literary citizen.Connect with Laekan Zea Kemp online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Laekan's books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Jasminne Mendez online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠| ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Jasminne's books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Mariko Turk online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Mariko's books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Andrea Beatriz Arango online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Andrea's books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Episode 30: We're Not Meant to Labor Like This
6/1/2026
1:07:03
The one where we talk about writing the best book we possibly can within a specific timeline, discuss how accessible to readers we allow ourselves to be, and ask ourselves what we can do to foster the next generation of book lovers.Connect with Jasminne Mendez online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠| ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Jasminne's books⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Mariko Turk online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Mariko's books⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Andrea Beatriz Arango online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Andrea's books⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Laekan Zea Kemp online:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Laekan's books⁠⁠⁠⁠
Episode 29: Are We There Yet? (Or What Does it Mean to Truly Make it in Publishing)
5/4/2026
58:29
The one where we fantasize about financial security and a regulated nervous system, unpack TLA 2026, and celebrate the opening of Charity Alyse's indie bookstore!Donate to Charity's GoFundMeConnect with Mariko Turk online:⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Mariko's books⁠⁠⁠Connect with Andrea Beatriz Arango online:⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Andrea's books⁠⁠⁠Connect with Laekan Zea Kemp online:⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Laekan's books⁠⁠⁠Connect with Jasminne Mendez online:⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠| ⁠⁠⁠Buy Jasminne's books⁠⁠⁠
Episode 28: On Becoming Less Ambitious (and Remembering to Touch Grass)
4/6/2026
1:10:42
The one where we chat about the realities of going out of print, community as a path towards hope, and writing for your Id.Connect with Andrea Beatriz Arango:⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Buy Andrea's books⁠⁠Connect with Laekan Zea Kemp online:⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Buy Laekan's books⁠⁠Connect with Jasminne Mendez online:⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠| ⁠⁠Buy Jasminne's books⁠⁠Connect with Mariko Turk online:⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Buy Mariko's books⁠⁠
Episode 27: The Dreaded Demotion and the Power of Not Yet
3/9/2026
59:18
The one where we learn new and disappointing things about the publishing industry, discuss how our writing routines have changed over time, and adopt the mindset of “not yet.” Connect with Laekan Zea Kemp online:⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Buy Laekan's books⁠Connect with Jasminne Mendez online:⁠Website⁠ | ⁠Instagram ⁠| ⁠Buy Jasminne's books⁠Connect with Mariko Turk online:⁠Website⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Buy Mariko's books⁠Connect with Andrea Beatriz Arango:⁠Website⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Buy Andrea's books⁠
Episode 26: Creative Resets (and Say Hello to Your Season 3 Round Table!)
2/9/2026
58:38
The one where we reflect on an especially difficult 2025, discuss our hopes and goals for the year ahead, and commit to fighting for our creative joy.Connect with Jasminne Mendez online:Website | Instagram | Buy Jasminne's booksConnect with Mariko Turk online:Website | Instagram | Buy Mariko's booksConnect with Andrea Beatriz Arango:Website | Instagram | Buy Andrea's booksConnect with Laekan Zea Kemp online:Website | Instagram | Buy Laekan's books

More Episodes

Get the whole world of podcasts with the free GetPodcast app.

Subscribe to your favorite podcasts, listen to episodes offline and get thrilling recommendations.

A company from

Paper Trail

The Paper Trail Podcast

35 Episodes

Episode 35: Right Idea, Wrong Time

Episode 34: Publishing's AI Hypocrisy

Episode 33: How Pet Projects Can Stave Off Burnout (And Why The Bridge to Terabithia Doesn't Exactly Hold Up)

Episode 32: What Publishing and Your Toxic Ex-boyfriend Have in Common

Episode 31: How to Be a Good Literary Citizen (and no, it's not by calling your colleagues' books "crud")

Episode 30: We're Not Meant to Labor Like This

Episode 29: Are We There Yet? (Or What Does it Mean to Truly Make it in Publishing)

Episode 28: On Becoming Less Ambitious (and Remembering to Touch Grass)

Episode 27: The Dreaded Demotion and the Power of Not Yet

Episode 26: Creative Resets (and Say Hello to Your Season 3 Round Table!)