I’m very excited to welcome two Austin authors who have both written middle grade books with a series second releasing this year. Meredith Davis is the author of The Minor Rescue (Waterbrook, May 2025), and Mari Mancusi wrote Dawn of the Dragons (Little Brown, Sept. 2, 2025), a prequel to New Dragon City (Little Brown, 2022), which made the Texas Bluebonnet and Florida Sunshine lists. They’re both authors who love creating stories for middle grade readers, and they generously shared their insights on a range of topics.
Was your first book sold as part of a series? Can you share how a second book developed and how writing the sequel/prequel differed from creating the first book?
Meredith: I submitted the full manuscript for The Minor Miracle and just a short pitch for book two, and got a two-book deal for the series—woohoo! While I worked on The Minor Miracle for years before submitting, I had less than a year to write and edit book two, The Minor Rescue.
Working with my editor, Bunmi Ishola, was kind of like bootcamp and prepared me to write the second book more quickly. She helped me identify what worked and what didn’t, and I learned a ton. It also helped to hold book one in my hand—beautiful with over fifty illustrations.
Knowing I had another one coming gave me a physical goal. Positive feedback from readers was another great motivator to get book two out fast. They were eager to hear more about these characters and find out what happened next. Their enthusiasm carried me on a wave of adrenaline and confidence. I had readers to satisfy and a deadline nipping at my heels, and I found I could write faster than I ever thought.
Mari: I wasn’t quite as lucky as Meredith with New Dragon City! I sold it in a one-book deal shortly after the pandemic pretty much tanked my previous dragon series, Dragon Ops (Little Brown, 2020), which came out (through no fault of its own!) May 2020 when there were no bookstores or schools open to promote it through. So I actually felt lucky to even be given a chance to bring this story into the world, and I promised myself I’d do everything I could to get that sequel after the fact.
However, it took a few years for the first book to really start taking off (thanks to the amazing librarians who selected it for the Texas Bluebonnet and Florida Sunshine State lists!) and by that time, I worried some readers wouldn’t remember the original story, if I went straight to a sequel.
The answer eventually came during a school visit to Mills Elementary in Austin when an eager young reader name Maisie raised her hand. “Can you write a prequel?” she asked. And thus, Dawn of the Dragons, the New Dragon City prequel was born.
Of course writing the prequel wasn’t easy. How do you end a book happily when it leads into a dragon apocalypse that destroys the world? So I had to really do some soul searching for what I wanted to say with this book. And then it hit me.
Sometimes you do the right thing, but bad things still happen.
That doesn’t mean that right thing wasn’t worth doing. I think that’s a message that kids need to hear now more than ever.
It can be so easy to feel helpless and overwhelmed with all that’s going on in the world. But you still have the power to change small things. And those small things can make a big difference.
How would you describe your collaboration with your editor? What does that partnership mean to you?
Meredith: My editor, Bunmi Ishola, starts big picture, challenging me on the need for certain scenes, chapters and characters. After the big picture pass, and revisions, we go into more and more detail, until we’re fine-tuning every line.
I say “we” because it really was a team effort. The amount of care and attention I got from Bunmi was incredible. She cared about this book deeply and has fiercely advocated for it.
Mari: I am so blessed to be working with Liz Kossnar at Little Brown Young Readers. She always pushes me to bring my books to the next level. While I tend to get caught up in the big action scenes and dramatic events, she reminds me to add struggle and heart to these characters who live in the story. For example, a book that, on the surface, is about a dragon apocalypse can also be a story about a family cracking open and finding ways to heal. And it’s that kind of thing that can make a book special. One you still think about after you set it down.
What’s worked for you in terms of book promotion–and what hasn’t?
Meredith: This is a great question. Sometimes things don’t work—proposals to conferences are rejected, festivals don’t invite me, or I don’t get a single like on a post. Writers know all about rejection, but the thing that got us our book contract is the thing that we can draw on when marketing. Grit.
I’ve also had proposals accepted, invites to festivals, and lots of likes on posts. I’ve discovered that as long as whatever I’m doing feels authentic to who I am as a person and a writer, it’s worth a try, and I’ve tried a lot of things, from making reels and designing posts on Canva, to writing articles and speaking on podcasts.
It’s a bit like throwing noodles on the wall and seeing what sticks. I say “yes” as often as I can, try to stay open to learning new things (even though tech kills me sometimes) and stay thankful every day that I have a book to promote. This changes my posture from being on my knees and begging people to buy my book, to a place of playfulness and curiosity.
The thing that’s felt most authentic and has gotten the biggest response is to reach out to people directly, linking arms because we are more powerful together. The Minor Rescue is about the power of connecting with people, and that has been my greatest superpower when it comes to marketing.
Mari: I find school visits really work best for me. Being in front of my target audience, speaking to hundreds of kids in a single day and getting them excited about books and reading—there’s nothing better!
At the end of the visit, I provide each student with a postcard about the book I’m promoting. This way they can find out more about the book when they get home. I always see a huge uptick in sales after a week of school visiting. And bonus—I usually get paid for these visits, which helps me subsidize other promotions like preorder campaigns.
Preorder campaigns aren’t easy for middle grade authors. It’s not like when I’m writing for Disney and can just do a TikTok live and gets dozens of one-clicks from it. So I have to be more strategic. On my website, I have an offer where readers get a free poster and signed bookplate if they preorder Dawn of the Dragons. And for schools, I’m offering a free author Zoom visit if you preorder 20 or more copies for your book club.
I also constantly stress the importance of preorders on my social media channels. Because I truly don’t believe people understand that a preorder can make or break a series. Someone told me recently that I’ve been “vulnerable” online talking about this kind of thing. But I would rather be vulnerable than have my series cancelled.
I would also rather be honest than try to pretend I’m a rockstar all the time. I find most people want to support you but sometimes they don’t know how much you need that support! By being honest, you show them that you’re a real person, with hopes and dreams for your story. And you allow them to become a part of that story.
What role does community play in promoting your work or championing others?
Meredith: Community is what it’s all about! I was recently at a book festival with fellow writers, and it was a blast to hear each other speak, take photos for each other to share for socials, and sit side by side to sign books and catch up. I had the privilege of sitting next to Mari at TLA this year on a panel, and I loved hearing some of the backstory for New Dragon City. Mari also blurbed The Minor Rescue, for which I’m so grateful.
We’re all so connected, and so are our stories! And then there’s the teachers, librarians and parents who get our books into reader’s hands. And my friends and family who help me get the word out about the book. My marketing wouldn’t be nearly as powerful or as fun without them.
Mari: What Meredith said! We are so fortunate to be a part of the Austin writing community. There are so many amazing authors doing amazing things here. and I love that we’re able to lift one another up and share each other’s stories. And the teachers and librarians at our local schools have been over the top supportive to me and my books. I consider myself very lucky to live in such a community and try to give back as much.
Is there a creative approach to connecting with readers that’s brought you unexpected joy?
Meredith: I was hoping you’d ask this question! As I was thinking about how to promote The Minor Rescue back in February, preparing to ask for reviews, preorders, and help in getting the word out, I had an idea. I was still getting texts from people who had liked my Christmas letter that year. I’ve been sending letters for almost thirty years and my list has grown to around 250 people. I consider them my first readers long before I had a book published, and they’ve been enthusiastic supporters, so why not ask if they’d help?
So, I sent them all real letters in the mail from Gravitas, the top-secret organization in my book. They were sealed with wax, the emblem of the earth pressed into each one (the Gravitas symbol), and there was a top-priority QR code they could scan if they wanted to join Operation Mobilize. I hoped for forty people, and ninety-five signed up! It’s been a blast. I sent another letter from Saul, Gravitas’s most wanted, sealed with a full moon pressed into wax, telling them to “ignore all communications from Gravitas.” I took video melting wax over a candle in a metal spoon that I posted on socials. I sent out cards with the book cover on it and a QR code to a book giveaway and asked “agents” to hide them. It’s been a game, and marketing, and it’s been so much fun.
Mari: I love that promotion, Meredith! It’s so creative and fun! For me, I created Dragon Apocalypse Survival kits that I’ve been giving out to librarians who championed New Dragon City with their young readers. They’re full of everything you need to survive a dragon apocalypse (Burn cream! Compass! Emergency Water Rations!) as well as promotional materials for the upcoming Dawn of the Dragons, including a thumb drive with assets from the book like a first chapter, deleted scenes from book 1, and a book talking video. They were really fun to put together and librarians have had a blast opening them and sharing their contents with the kids.
What do you love most about writing for middle grade readers?
Meredith: I love getting into schools to speak to this age—the sweet spot being 8-12—but I’ve spoken to kindergartners and high schoolers, too. They are surprising, funny, smart and inspiring. My favorite part of these visits is the Q&A, where we get to really connect. I also love middle grade books. The stories are void of extra fluff, there are no descriptions that aren’t needed, they can be funny (venturing into potty humor, also my jam) and the best ones end with hope.
Mari: I agree—I love going into schools and talking with the actual readers, especially when they’ve read the book beforehand—they have so many fascinating questions! My interactions with them have definitely made me a better writer for the age group. I learn what excites them, what they’re curious about, etc. And then I can put that knowledge to use in the next book to make it even more appealing to them.
What are you most proud of offering them through your work?
Meredith: I am proud to write books for middle schoolers that are both fun and have depth. My books leave readers with something to chew on, something to talk about in a classroom or book club. Readers will connect to my characters through universal emotions and experiences. I work hard to make sure there’s that connecting thread that will tie readers to my narrative and keep them engaged until the end.
Mari: When doing school visits, I tell students that I write what I like. And then I show some examples of things that I like and they’re usually quite surprised to realize they are things they like as well.
Yes, I’m an adult, but I still love dragons and video games, and theme parks. And so those are the things I put in my books. Yes, the books might have lessons, too. But I never want to hit someone over the head with a message.
My first job is to entertain them. To offer them an escape from every day life If they learn something at the end of the book, o much the better. But first and foremost, reading should be fun! Otherwise, why do it?
Cynsational Notes
Meredith Davis is the author of The Minor Miracle and The Minor Rescue, books one and two in The Amazing Adventures Of Noah Minor series (Waterbrook, 2024/25) and co-author of Her Own Two Feet: A Rwandan Girl’s Brave Fight To Walk (Scholastic, 2019).
She once worked at an independent children’s bookstore, started the Austin Chapter of SCBWI, and earned her Masters of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her superpowers include reading, grandmothering, and finding ways to fit more books in her Austin, Texas home.
Mari Mancusi is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty sci-fi/fantasy books for kids, teens and adults and an Emmy award winning former TV news producer. Her series have been selected for major state reading lists as well as the Scholastic Book Fairs and have been honored by the American Library Association as “Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers.”
In addition to writing, Mari loves to travel, watch horror movies and play video games. She lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and their teenage daughter.
Gayleen Rabakukk holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts and is currently a student in the Library Science Master’s program at the University of North Texas. She also has an undergraduate degree in Journalism from the University of Central Oklahoma. She has published numerous newspaper and magazine articles, and two regional interest books for adults. She is represented by Terrie Wolf of AKA Literary Management.
She is a member of Lago Vista’s Friends of the Library and also leads a book club for young readers at the library. She teaches creative writing workshops and is a bookseller at Paper Bark Birch Books in Cedar Park, Texas. She loves inspiring curiosity in young readers through stories of hope and adventure. Follow her on Instagram and Bluesky.