] Welcoming Ciera Burch[00:50] Finch House Ciera shares some details about her book and the inspiration behind it.[01:11] Finch House  A young girl named Micah, an old Victorian house, and family secrets.Inspiration from her grandfather's spooky basement. Origins of the book's characters, particularly how Micah and Ciera connect.[03:43] Balancing SpookinessFinding the right balance of spookiness in a middle-grade book to appeal to young readers without being too scary. [04:19] Open-Ended EndingHints about the open-ended nature of Finch House  and the possibility of more adventures for Micah.[05:26] Reading an ExcerptCiera reads a passage from "Finch House" (Chapter 6) that highlights the characters' curiosity and sense of adventure. [07:58] Book Birthday Debut at Politics and Prose Ciera shares her experience working with Kwame Alexander and his imprint, highlighting his personable nature and insightful questions.[08:54] Adventures in Learning (reading, writing, and mom) [11:32] Impact of Education [14:13] Working in Publishing[15:27] Upcoming Book: Something Kindred (2024) [16:07] RecurringTheme of Ghosts in Ciera's Books[16:35] Influential Childhood BooksBooks that influenced her as a child, including Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, the Percy Jackson series, and Bridge to Terabithia[18:10]  Diverse Voices in LiteratureThe importance of diverse representation in children's literature and the concept of "windows and mirrors."[19:55] Writing with Diverse CharactersCiera shares her motivation for including black or brown main characters in her stories and emphasizes the importance of creating relatable, human characters. [20:42] Joys of Being a Writer[22:45] Hopes for the FutureSupport the Show.Read the full show notes, visit the website, and check out my on-demand virtual course. Continue the adventure at LinkedIn or Instagram. *Disclosure: I am a Bookshop.org. affiliate.