Katherine PatersonEvery podcast appearance, updated as new ones drop

There is a relationship between grief and transcendence that may not be immediately recognizable. But it’s one often expressed within art and in particular, children’s literature. Whether it’s Lewis’s wardrobe to Narnia, Dorothy’s house transported by cyclone to Oz or a bridge to Terabithia built across a chasm of loss. Grief has a way of transporting us to a fantastical world of imagination where we can more easily grapple with the difficulties of loss and even find closure to the trauma that sent us looking for relief. In this episode, Makers & Mystics host Stephen Roach talks with children's book author Katherine Paterson about the motivations behind her writing and why she feels it is important to create a safe space through art and literature for young adults to work through difficult emotions and experiences. Katherine Paterson is the author of more than 40 books, including 18 novels for children and young people. She has twice won the Newbery Medal, for Bridge to Terabithia in 1978 and Jacob Have I Loved in 1981. Katherine Paterson’s Website Join the Makers and Mystics Creative Collective Make a one time donation to support our work of advocating for the arts. This conversation was recorded at the Hope Words Writer’s Conference 2023. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Sign Up for Our Newsletter! http://eepurl.com/g49Ks1 Connect with Makers & Mystics Website: https://makersandmystics.com Patreon: https://patreon.com/makersandmystics Instagram: https://instagram.com/makersandmystics

Katherine has been Customer Director at Hobbycraft for eight and a half years and is accountable for marketing and brand, the Hobbycraft Club and its ecommerce business. She studied at Glasgow Uni, where she intended to study English, but came out with an economics and management degree - which is a story of her career. He first role was at Mars, Pedigree Masterfoods, where she did a rotation of two years in lots of different functions. It was really challenging, but you are assigned a mentor, and given a safety net to try things and understand the benefit of taking risks. Katherine joined Hobbycraft from B&Q, where she was Executive Marketing Director for two years, and, prior to that, spent nine years at ASDA in a variety of roles including Marketing Director and Ecommerce Director. She loves working for entrepreneurial businesses that have a strong brand and connection with their customers. Culture is really important to her. When she joined Mars you felt like you were all colleagues one team. Anyone who joins you can learn from, peer to peer or from your manager or you to them. Usually you were doubling something, or halving the cost - which set you up for a growth plan, the culture gave you confidence to try, with a support structure around you. Katherine has been reflecting recently on the benefits that remote working brought to the workplace, but thinks you can't replace face-to-face coaching, being in the room together, or walking the store together. Helping people join the organisation remotely has been a challenge. Sat on Zoom on your own, you may be conscious of constantly asking questions. Whereas in the office or in store you can observe but also have an ongoing chat. The bit she loves about her job is filling in the insight gaps that you can glean from data with conversations with colleagues and customers in stores. I asked what piece of advice she would give her younger self - she says she wouldn't change much. Always be ambitious, ask for help along the way, try to be the best you can be rather than focus on a particular role, always put yourself forward, just go for it. She believes you need to set out your point of difference and go for it. She picks out people that were a positive influence on her in her career, Rick Bendel, David Cheesewright, Angela Spindler and Rebecca Rees - who treated Katherine and her partner Stephen to go out for dinner on the company when she managed to hit her target - it didn't cost the company much but it left a lasting impact on her, and is something she likes to do now for others. She also tells the story about Tony Lowe who Katherine was presenting to in a big meeting in her early career, she could tell he was waiting to say something. When she asked what it was, he told her he was waiting for her to get off the fence. From that moment on she never held back from making a decision. Send us Fan Mail 🎧 Please consider sharing Coach Class with someone who’d enjoy it — and leaving a review on your podcast platform. It genuinely helps more people find the show.

Katherine Paterson, the author of Bridge to Terabithia , The Great Gilly Hopkins and other beloved books, joins Vermont Humanities Executive Director Christopher Kaufman Ilstrup to talk about her trips to Cuba and her 2017 Young Adult novel, My Brigadista Year . This talk is part of our Fall Conference: Democracy 20/20 . View the list of free upcoming conference sessions .

Have you ever wanted to learn about writing from an extremely successful author herself? Well this is your opportunity! Katherine tells us so much about her personal story, how writing found her, how writers block isn’t real, and so much more! If you want to follow Mrs. Paterson, you can do so on her Facebook page and at her website which is Katherinepaterson.com!

We may be former kids, but sometimes, it takes a little imagination to remind us what it was like to be a child. Find yourself a secret place as we discuss the unique power of imagination and The Secret Garden. On the show, we'll talk to Katherine Paterson about how The Secret Garden actually inspired her to write Bridge to Terabithia. We'll also talk to Sara Pennypacker, author of Pax and Here in the Real World, about her own secret places as a child. To learn more about The Secret Garden, visit https://bit.ly/3eGBuiZ Do you have a story about how a classic book changed your life? Tweet @readingpod or email us at readingpod@harpercollins.com. Learn more at rememberreading.com. Until next time!

Life is unpredictable, and if you've ever read Katherine Paterson's popular children's book, Bridge to Terabithia, you may still feel a lingering grief from this tragically beautiful tale. On today's show, Lindsay talks to Katherine Paterson about the book's creation and its lasting effect on readers. Katherine walks us through the shockingly true and emotional story behind this story. Authors Laurel Snyder (Orphan Island) and Margaret Peterson Haddix (The Greystone Secrets) will discuss what the book means to them, personally and professionally, and how they've brought their own personal experiences into their stories. They'll also talk about the importance of reading books that scare you, no matter your age. Intercut with audio excerpts from the book, this episode will take you on an emotional journey through a book's important history, its cultural impact, and how we cope with life's great big unknowns. To learn more about Bridge to Terabithia, visit bit.ly/RRTerabithia Do you have a story about how a classic book changed your life? Tweet @readingpod or email us at readingpod@harpercollins.com. Learn more at rememberreading.com. Until next time!

Attend the Circle with Sarah Online Retreat on August 7-8 , and Sarah will help you become the peace-filled, joyful mom you’re called to be. I think it’s fair to say this is my favorite episode of the podcast we’ve ever done. You probably know Katherine Paterson as the author of books like Bridge to Terabithia , Jacob Have I Loved and the Great Gilly Hopkins , but if you’re not familiar with her essays about writing for children, you’re about to have your socks knocked off. The way Ms. Paterson thinks about reading and writing books for kids blows me away. I’m in awe. In this episode, you’ll hear: what she really thinks when she hears that parents/teachers are using books to improve or help their kids how to figure out what a book actually “means” how reading allows us a unique privilege to ‘eavesdrop on the soul’ Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/81/ .