Sara A. Fajardo: Two PB Releases in 2025

Sara A. Fajardo: Two PB Releases in 2025


A Milestones Met Interview

Please share your exciting news (agent signing, book sale, etc.)!

I have two books coming out in 2025. Crack Goes the Cascarón illustrated by Rocio Arreola Mendoza and published by KNOPF will be out on February 18, and my picture book biography, Alberto Salas Plays Paka Paka con la Papa, illustrated by Caldecott honoree, Juana Martinez-Neal and published by Roaring Brook Press, will be out on March 18.

How long have you been writing/pursuing an agent/publishing deal and how has the Courage to Create program/tools served you in reaching this milestone?

I’ve been writing seriously since 2017 and spent three years cultivating my craft before querying or going out on submission. I didn’t want to send manuscripts before they were ready and was very intentional in building my skillset by taking courses and looking for opportunities to help deepen my craft.

Two of the things that shaped my path to publication were participating in a PB Chat mentorship where I worked with author Hannah Holt and connecting with the Writing Barn.

Taking a course with Rob Sanders on how to write a picture book biographies was an absolute game-changer. His teachings helped me to really look at writing in new ways and be more strategic in how I approach a story. It was while taking that course that I first wrote Alberto Salas Plays Paka Paka con la Papa, about Alberto, an intrepid Peruvian plant collector on a mission to safeguard potato crop biodiversity for future generations. That breakthrough manuscript coupled with my mentorship made me realize I was getting closer to my goal of publication. Still, I wasn’t quite ready to begin querying so I joined Write Submit Support (WSS) with Hannah Barnaby to become more disciplined and began setting tangible goals for when I’d go out. By the end of my mentorship and WSS I landed my agent and was out on submission two months later. Paka Paka was the first book that we sold.

When we reach a milestone, it means we may encounter new fears and challenges, as well as joys along the journey. How has being a part of the CTC community prepared you for both enjoying the celebration of a milestone reached and the work that is next to come?

I think celebration and enjoying my path is innate to who I am. Growing up Peruvian-American and seeing so little representation of the diversity within the Latine community is my driving force, so every goal met feels like a communal one. And when I see other underrepresented voices succeed I also feel like it’s a win for all children, all writers, all illustrators.

That is perhaps why I enjoy the Courage to Create community so much, because it embodies what is natural to me, uplifting one another by recognizing that we are on the same journey, and that each milestone met is a cause for us all to celebrate.

In the Courage to Create, we call on our Big Why as we engage in the ups and downs of the literary life? What’s your BIG WHY and how does it keep you motivated to keep working towards new milestones?

My big why is representation. I know firsthand how painful it can be to not see yourself in a book, a movie, or a cartoon, I grew up without books that showcased my full humanity. Working to reverse that now fading truth is my driving force.

It’s not easy to keep creating courage when it comes to our literary lives. Did you ever encounter a low point or period and did you lean on any of the CTC tools or practices? What did the no/not yets, or near misses/champagne rejections teach you in hindsight not that your YES is here?

I’m pretty resilient. I trust in the process and my ability to meditate on the weak points in my manuscripts and focus on developing them. I have dry spells, like anyone, but I know that through hard work, tenacious revisions that incorporate the insights provided by critique partners, my magical agent Nicole Geiger, and my editors I will meet my goals. Sometimes it takes months, sometimes years, but I’m too stubborn to not accomplish them.

But resilience is not developed in a vacuum, it’s developed in community. And that is what I appreciate most about CTC, this sense that we’re all in this together, that the rejections aren’t personal, and that you have a legion of like-minded creators championing you on. Every time I see another success story it motivates me even more. I know it’s possible. That my dreams are possible. But it also makes me aware of the long process it takes to get there, that it’s not overnight, it’s putting in the hard work.

As we celebrate your milestone reached, what thoughts can you share with other writers who may doubt they will reach their first or next milestone?

Your voice is singular. Trust in yourself to bring stories only you can bring to the page. There is a child out there who needs your story. Write for that child. Write for the child that you were who needed this story. Trust that you are meant to be doing this work. All else will fall into place as long as you do the work. And as we always say in Courage to Create, it takes the time it takes.

What is your favorite Courage to Create Belief?

We BELIEVE our books and careers into BEING.


Sara A. Fajardo is a Peruvian-American writer whose dad constantly reminded her that potatoes are from the Andes. So, she jumped at the chance to work as a consultant for the International Potato Center. Over the years she’s learned which potatoes help paint your lips the perfect shade of red, how to cure a sour stomach with potato, and how much we owe the farmers and plant scientists who care for our potatoes. She’s never met a potato she doesn’t love and wants the world to know that a sweetpotato and potatoes are not related. So please don’t tell her your favorite potato is a sweet potato. She is co-founder of LatinxPitch and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and two children.

Alison Marcotte: Signing with an Agent

Alison Marcotte: Signing with an Agent


A Milestones Met Interview

Please share your exciting news (agent signing, book sale, etc.)!

I’m now represented by Ashley Reisinger of Triada US!

How long have you been writing/pursuing an agent/publishing deal and how has the Courage to Create program/tools served you in reaching this milestone?

I’ve been writing my whole life, but I’ve been querying agents since 2019. Courage to Create gave me access to monthly agent/editor insight webinars and submission opportunities, which kept me focused and motivated. Even though I found my agent outside of a CtC submission opportunity, I was able to hone my pitches and stories through the process of submitting to CtC agents and editors.

When we reach a milestone, it means we may encounter new fears and challenges, as well as joys along the journey. How has being a part of the CTC community prepared you for both enjoying the celebration of a milestone reached and the work that is next to come?

I am always growing and learning from the CtC community. It is so comforting knowing that if I have a question on the business side of publishing or about a story I’m working on, I have that community I can lean on and the invaluable webinars to learn from.

In the Courage to Create, we call on our Big Why as we engage in the ups and downs of the literary life? What’s your BIG WHY and how does it keep you motivated to keep working towards new milestones?

I write because I want to make kids laugh, validate their experiences and emotions, and build their self-confidence. I write because I want to create the magic, adventure, and comfort that stories provided me growing up, and still do. I write because it makes feel creatively fulfilled and heard. My Big Why keeps me motivated because it reminds me that my stories can make other people feel seen, too. My stories can help them and take on a new, personal meaning for each reader.

It’s not easy to keep creating courage when it comes to our literary lives. Did you ever encounter a low point or period and did you lean on any of the CTC tools or practices? What did the no/not yets, or near misses/champagne rejections teach you in hindsight not that your YES is here?

I was at a creative low point when I first signed up for Courage to Create in December 2023. I’d been querying agents for 5 years, with many close calls and heartbreaking passes, and I was losing hope.

I had heard great things about CtC from fellow writers. On the CtC website, it said to join if “you want intimate industry connections instead of the crush of conferences and the frenzy of online pitch events” and “you are willing to work with your creative resistances, answering questions to deepen your work and sharpen your passion and purpose.” That was exactly what I needed.

Courage to Create gave me the creative recharge and structure I needed to keep persevering. Not only did CtC give me access to more agent/editor submission opportunities, but it helped me remember why I loved to write in the first place.

In August 2024, the hard work paid off. I had The Call and signed with my agent, Ashley Reisinger of Triada US!

The nos, near misses, and champagne rejections taught me in hindsight that it’s so important to have an agent who truly champions and believes in your work. Ashley and I had the same editorial vision for the work I sent her, and she was so enthusiastic and encouraging. I’m so grateful for her support and expertise!

As we celebrate your milestone reached, what thoughts can you share with other writers who may doubt they will reach their first or next milestone?

There’s so much out of our control in this industry. Try to focus on what you can control, such as working on new stories, meeting with your critique group, and making new connections (and friendships!). Publishing is a marathon and has its twists and turns. Try to enjoy the journey (always easier said than done!).

What is your favorite Courage to Create Belief?

Shame and silence are creativity killers. We process the passes, and reject rejection, knowing nos will come ON THE WAY to our YESes!


Alison Marcotte is a Chicago-based children’s book author. Her debut picture book SEEKING BEST FRIEND, illustrated by Diane Ewen and published by Beaming Books, came out in 2022. She was one of the winners of Vivian Kirkfield’s 2024 #50PreciousWords contest. Alison is a member of the 12 x 12 Picture Book Writing Challenge, Courage to Create, SCBWI, Author’s Guild, and Chicago Writers Association, and a freelance writer for American Library Association’s American Libraries magazine.

You’ll encounter many obstacles on the way to your yes, but you can take certain time-tested actions to stay inspired and resilient along the way.

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