Happy Thursday Critters! Well…since we last shared an interview in late February, the whole pandemic thing hadn’t really blown up yet, so needless to say things have changed quite a bit in the last few weeks. I hope you are all safe and well! Our household has become a little more chaotic now that we’ve got three kiddos at home and no school. Yet, even amidst all the crazy right now, if feels really good to sit down and do something positive, like sharing another fantastic debut author and their new book. So let’s keep it going, maintain our social distancing, and celebrate this week’s Critter Lit author…
…please welcome Elisa Boxer!
Where do you live?
I live in the southern Maine town of Scarborough. We have a foot of snow on the ground right now and just got our power back after an ice storm. Is it spring yet?
When did you know you wanted to write picture books?
As soon as I could hold a magic marker! Here are a few books from my younger years:
Tell us about your road to publication, what did that involve for you?
Even though I've loved writing children's book manuscripts for as long as I can remember, I never really considered making a career of it. I was always busy in the trenches of newspapers and then tv stations, churning out stories on daily deadline. After that, I became a journalism instructor at the University of Southern Maine. And then, a couple of years ago, I got sidelined with Lyme disease, which left me short of breath and energy. Some days it hurt to move. Most days I couldn't leave the house.
So I decided I would re-visit my childhood passion, and began querying agents with a picture book manuscript. A couple months later, I signed with the amazing Steven Chudney. And while that first manuscript was out on submission, he emailed me about the upcoming 2020 suffrage centennial, asking if I might like to write a book about it. I've always been drawn to stories about little-known figures in history, so I started researching unsung heroes in the women's suffrage movement. When I came across the story of Febb Burn, I knew hers was a story I wanted to tell.
It was going to be a tight turnaround to get this manuscript ready for submission and hopefully publication in time for the suffrage centennial. So I dove into the research, stayed up late and got up early to write, and a few weeks later we sent out the manuscript. It couldn't have found a more perfect editor than Sarah Rockett at Sleeping Bear Press. From the editing process, to seeing the initial sketches, to holding the book in my hand, to connecting with teachers, parents, bookstores and librarians, the process has been more delightful than I can even convey. It still seems surreal. With newspaper articles and tv stories, the work is kind of a one-and-done. But books last. They convey messages and feelings that children can hold in their hands and absorb again and again. It's a sacred process, and I am beyond grateful that I get to participate in it.
Can you share a bit about your process?
As a nonfiction writer and a journalist, I spend a lot of time researching. During this phase, I hole up and dig deep into my subject matter, mining for facts and threads to weave into a story. I write everything down in notebooks, on index cards, and on pieces of paper that I spread out over the floor and tack up on bulletin boards. During this phase, it's often hard to find an empty surface in the house. But while this process is going on, I am also thinking deeply about the heart of the story, and the emotional pull that drew me to it in the first place. I try to identify early on the messages and themes I want readers to take away from the book, and I keep those at the forefront throughout the writing process. In THE VOICE THAT WON THE VOTE, for example, the message is: Your voice matters. Important themes include courage and, more specifically, standing up for what you believe in even when it's unpopular.
What do you do to shake the rust off or get new ideas?
Whenever I hit a writing wall, I give my brain a rest and a treat by reading, doodling, or just sitting in stillness. Or eating chocolate. As for new ideas, the more I try to think of them, the less they come to me. Instead, they pop up while I'm driving, at the grocery store, or other times when I am least likely to be able to jot them down. And they generally first come up in terms of feelings, sensations and emotions, from which a research angle or a narrative arc will emerge.
Anything you can’t live without while you write?
My crystals. And dark chocolate. And apparently lots of clutter, because every time I try to clear it away, it comes back.
Any authors and/or illustrators who inspire you?
Oh, so many. I've always been inspired by Ruth Krauss' classic The Carrot Seed. My parents read it to me when I was young, and it was one of my favorites to read to my son when he was little. The message is ageless: Never give up on what you know to be true, regardless of what others are telling you. As for more contemporary books, I love anything by Kate Messner, Andrea Davis Pinkney, Jess Keating, Jacqueline Woodson, Gary Schmidt and Susan Hood. I'm inspired by all of the pre-published creators I see on social media, putting themselves out there and taking risks. I'm inspired by my fellow picture book creators in the Soaring 20s debut group, who have such a diverse range of talents and give their time and energy every day to help the collective.
Dream project to work on?
I'm working on it right now! So unfortunately I can't say what it is. Ack! Sorry. But it involves attempted silence and voices being heard against the odds...
Tell us about your debut book.
THE VOICE THAT WON THE VOTE: How One Woman's Words Made History, is published by Sleeping Bear Press, and tells the little-known story of the mother who saved suffrage. She did that by writing a letter to her son, who happened to be the swing vote in Tennessee, the battleground state that was deciding whether to give women the right to vote. Illustrator Vivien Mildenberger has done a phenomenal job bringing the characters and setting to life in a way that truly makes you feel like you're back in 1920! Since we're in the suffrage centennial this year, and also given the upcoming election, it's an exciting time to be releasing this book!
What’s up next for you?
I'm in the process of writing four more picture books and a middle grade.
And last, but not least, favorite 80s movie?
I love this question. And it's always fun to read how my colleagues answer it. For me, Molly Ringwald all the way! Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink... I remember feeling so much teenage angst in the 80s, and Molly's characters always seemed to validate it and reflect it back.
Huge thank you to Elisa for stopping by Critter Lit today. Congrats on your debut! We can’t wait to see what you write next!
ELISA BOXER is an Emmy-winning journalist and columnist whose work has appeared in publications including The New York Times, Inc. and Fast Company. She has been a newspaper, magazine and television reporter, and has been writing children's stories for as long as she can remember. Elisa is especially drawn to unsung heroes, like the ones in her first book: The Voice That Won the Vote: How One Woman's Words Made History.
FOR MORE INFORMATION on Elisa, follow her on social media:
website: http://elisaboxer.com/
twitter: https://twitter.com/eboxer
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boxerelisa/
BUY THIS BOOK To purchase Elisa’s book, click here.
TEACHER’S GUIDE To download a teacher’s guide for THE VOICE THAT WON THE VOTE: HOW ONE WOMAN’S WORDS MADE HISTORY, click here.
BOOK GIVEAWAY!
Want a chance to win a copy of THE VOICE THAT WON THE VOTE: HOW ONE WOMAN’S WORDS MADE HISTORY?! Comment on this post or share it on Twitter. One lucky winner will be selected Thursday, March 26th. US addresses only please.