Mark Oshiro (The Children's Book Podcast #465)

ANGER IS A GIFT

Mark Oshiro (@MarkDoesStuff) is the author of ANGER IS A GIFT, a young adult novel a boy named Moss, the tragic loss of a friend and more than that, and a school responding to student protest and security in a way all too real for many of our pre-adult students throughout the country. The novel also contains the line, "I will counter your doubts every single time", which is probably one of the most beautiful string of words a parent can say to a child ever. Mark narrates the audiobook for ANGER IS A GIFT and we talk a bit about how it feels to be reading your own story and, in part, reliving it just as you did when you were writing the story and seeing the characters through their suffering.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Moss Jeffries is many things—considerate student, devoted son, loyal friend and affectionate boyfriend, enthusiastic nerd.

But sometimes Moss still wishes he could be someone else—someone without panic attacks, someone whose father was still alive, someone who hadn’t become a rallying point for a community because of one horrible night.

And most of all, he wishes he didn’t feel so stuck.

Moss can’t even escape at school—he and his friends are subject to the lack of funds and crumbling infrastructure at West Oakland High, as well as constant intimidation by the resource officer stationed in their halls. That was even before the new regulations—it seems sometimes that the students are treated more like criminals.

Something will have to change—but who will listen to a group of teens?

When tensions hit a fever pitch and tragedy strikes again, Moss must face a difficult choice: give in to fear and hate or realize that anger can actually be a gift.

SHOW NOTES:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mark Oshiro is the Hugo finalist (in the Fan Writer category) creator of the online Mark Does Stuff universe (Mark Reads and Mark Watches), where he analyzes book and television series unspoiled. He was the nonfiction editor of Queers Destroy Science Fiction! and the co-editor of Speculative Fiction 2015 with Foz Meadows. He is the President of the Con or BustBoard of Directors. His first novel, Anger is a Gift, is a YA contemporary about queer friendship, love, and fighting police brutality, out now with Tor Teen. When he is not writing, crying on camera about fictional characters, or ruining lives at conventions, he is busy trying to fulfill his lifelong goal: to pet every dog in the world.

Learn more about Mark Oshiro at www.markoshiro.com

And purchase any one of Mark's books for you, your readers, a friend, or a library HERE.

*This post contains affiliate links. Any purchases made through these links will support the costs of maintaining the podcast, webcomic, and other materials associated with this site.

SHOUT OUT TO OUR PATRONS!

Thank you, JENNY SUE, AMY, KATE, DARSHANA, NOCOLE, JARRETT, MIKE, LINK, ANITRA, LYNN, CYNTHIA, DOUG, AMANDA, RUTH, LARA, JUDI, CORRINA, TERESA, ELAINE and the van load of others who are coming with me on this journey. You’re welcome to join us. Just visit Patreon.com/matthewcwinner and pick the support tier that’s right for you. All the hugs and high fives for all of the many, many ways all of out there listening support this show.

#podcast