09 Sep Melissa Stoller HAZEL, MABEL TWO HEARTS APART plus a Giveaway!

Happy Tuesday, everyone! As an old radio DJ used to say, “The hits keep on coming!”  So many wonderful books are being released lately. I am thrilled to welcome my long-time friend and critique buddy, Melissa Stoller, to talk about her newest book, HAZEL AND MABEL: TWO HEARTS APART, beautifully illustrated by Anita Bagdi and published by Gnome Road Publishing (September 30, 20225). 

This is a sweet friendship story with a bit of a twist. From the opening pages, readers are immersed in Hazel and Mabel’s friendship and can feel the joy of their strong connection…even when Mabel moves away.  Stoller’s lovely text pairs with Bagdi’s whimsical illustrations to create a charming story that reminds readers that people grow and change, and although the friendship may look different, if the bond is strong, the love remains, and the friendship can flourish.

EL: Welcome, Melissa!  Please tell us a little about yourself and what you do when you’re not writing. 

MS: Thanks for hosting me on your blog, Ellen! I am so happy we are long-time critique partners, writing pals, and real-life friends! I am happy to be here chatting about HAZEL AND MABEL: TWO HEARTS APART.  The theme of HAZEL AND MABEL is friendship, so you are the perfect person to be asking these questions!

I live in New York City with my family (husband, three grown daughters, and a puppy!). When not writing, I love spending time with friends and family, especially exploring museums, theatre, travel, and walks in Central Park or at any beach! In another chapter of my life, I practiced as an attorney and also as a legal writing instructor, and I currently serve on the Board of Trustees for a non-profit theater, the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center. My work as an attorney and writing instructor definitely prepared me in terms of communication, research, writing, and analysis, all skills I use when pursuing the craft of picture book writing!

EL: As you said, Hazel and Mabel is a book about friends. Have you ever had to deal with a friend moving away or you moving away from a friend?

MS: Absolutely! I have had so many friends move away over the years. And I have watched my three children deal with shifting relationships when a friend moves away and the friendship isn’t exactly the same after that. There are lots of picture books about moving day, but I really wanted to focus on what happens when a friend leaves, and then returns for a visit. Now what? I think we have all navigated this situation in one way or another, and I hope children (and their adults!) will identify with Hazel and Mabel, who use their creativity to keep their friendship and connection strong. I was thrilled that Gnome Road Publishing acquired this story, and that illustrator Anita Bagdi brought the characters and the heart of the story to life. Her illustrations are so charming, and she offers so many magical details throughout, including beautiful heart imagery! I hope children will want to read this story again and again, to spend time in the magical world where Hazel and Mabel are two best friends, forever!

EL: How important do you think they are writing groups or critique groups are? 

MS: I am so lucky that we have been long-time critique partners, and we are still in an amazing group together with Ann Koffsky, Danya Vasquez David, Belinda Brock, and Celina Kamler. I also work with other writers and groups – they are all amazing, and I am grateful for all my writing friends. My writing partners definitely provide support, friendship, critiquing expertise, advice and guidance, and so much more. We all need to find our people who become our community throughout the writing and publishing process.

EL: I certainly agree! What inspires you?

MS: I definitely find inspiration in everyday events and situations, conversations, and observations. I always have a pad or my phone handy to jot down bits of dialogue I hear, observations in nature, relationships, wordplay and puns, and more. I keep a notebook of inspiration and refer back to it often for ideas. For this book, I was inspired by the idea that although friendships can change, friends can still find a way to stay connected even during challenging times.

EL: Do you have any words of advice for aspiring kidlit writers/illustrators?

MS: I always advise aspiring kidlit writers to read widely in their genre. I read as many current picture books as I can, and I truly study them, looking at themes, plot, word choice, pacing, story arc, connection between the text and illustrations, back matter, and more. I also try to be involved in writing challenges, courses, and critique groups, and I read blogs like yours to stay current on books and authors. Being part of the writing community is a huge joy for me – it’s the most generous and wonderful community and I am thankful to be involved!

EL: Do you have anything else in the pipeline that you can talk about?

MS: I am so excited that Kar-Ben Publishing just announced they acquired STELLA’S SPECIAL RECIPE, illustrated by Valerya Milovanova, releasing Fall 2026. It’s about a girl who cooks her family’s Rosh Hashanah holiday recipe, and tries to figure out what special twist she could add. It’s sprinkled with heart, family tradition, and love, and the back matter includes a recipe! I am absolutely thrilled to be working with Kar-Ben on this project!

EL: Lucky me for getting to see early drafts of that story! I love it. Do you have anything else you’d like readers to know?

MS: Please connect with me at www.MelissaStoller.com

Stay tuned for a complimentary curriculum guide, coming soon!

Thank you very much, Ellen!

EL: Thank YOU so much for speaking with us, and congratulations on both books!

Find out more about Melissa here.

https://www.MelissaStoller.com
https://www.MelissaStoller.com/blog 
http://www.facebook.com/MelissaStoller
www.twitter.com/melissastoller
www.instagram.com/Melissa_Stoller
www.pinterest.com/melissa_Stoller
@MelissaStoller.bsky.social

Pre-Order for HAZEL AND MABEL: TWO HEARTS APART is available:

https://bookshop.org/p/books/hazel-and-mabel-two-hearts-apart-melissa-stoller/960a747616a2c234?ean=9781957655574&next=t&next=t

https://www.amazon.com/Hazel-Mabel-Two-Hearts-Apart/dp/1957655577/

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hazel-and-mabel-melissa-stoller/1146882184?ean=9781957655574

And now for a

Melissa is happy to offer a signed copy of HAZEL AND MABEL: TWO HEARTS APART, plus book swag to one lucky winner. US addresses only, please! To get in the running, please comment on this post and let me know if you’re a subscriber or if you have shared this post to get an extra chance to win.

Until next time,

Ellen 

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On a personal note, I’m currently scheduling school author visits for the 2025-2026 school year. I’d love to visit YOU or a school near you! Please check out

 https://ellenleventhal.com/school-visits/

One review: Ellen Leventhal is an amazing presenter who tailors her presentations to meet the needs of all students and age levels.  I am amazed at how she can talk about her love of writing, how to become a writer, encouraging students to do what they love and how we can all be kind into a 45 minute presentation. A school visit from Ellen Leventhal is a treat for everyone!  Suzanne Ritchey:  Carroll T Welch Elementary School Clint, TX