Writing Worlds Where Readers Find Friends with Claribel A. Ortega

Podcast: Shifting Schools: Conversations for K12 Educators · Jeff Utecht & Tricia Friedman

Opublikowano: 2026-10-19

What happens when a reader's first friends are characters in a book? Author Claribel A. Ortega joins Tricia to talk about the Witchlings series and the connections readers build through stories. She shares how gaming shaped her worldbuilding, why fantasy gives us room to explore frightening questions, and what young readers have taught her about loneliness, anger, and belonging. The conversation also explores the creative work that happens away from the page: making playlists, walking the dog, spending time in nature, and giving an idea space to grow. Claribel reflects on crediting illustrators, designing playful...