Happy Thursday Critters! I hope you are all doing well— staying healthy and safe. Today we have an interview with debut picture book author Rajani LaRocca! Although this is Rajani’s first picture book, her debut book, a middle grade novel, MIDSUMMER’S MAYHEM, came out last summer and received rave reviews, a starred Kirkus review, and was on many ‘best of 2019’ lists! Rajani’s debut picture book, SEVEN GOLDEN RINGS: A TALE OF MUSIC AND MATH, illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan, comes out with Lee & Low Books on October 20, 2020! Make sure to pre-order this one!
Here is the description of the book:
In this clever, convivial picture book, an Indian boy untangles a mathematical conundrum to win a place at the Rajah's court.
In ancient India, a boy named Bhagat travels to the Rajah's city, hoping to ensure his family's prosperity by winning a place at court as a singer. Bhagat carries his family's entire fortune--a single coin and a chain of seven golden rings--to pay for his lodging. But when the innkeeper demands one ring per night, and every link snipped costs one coin, how can Bhagat both break the chain and avoid overpaying? His inventive solution points the way to an unexpected triumph, and offers readers a friendly lesson in binary numbers--the root of all computing.
How wonderful does this book sound?! The story and art are fantastic! I’m so excited to be sharing Rajani’s work with you all today.
So without further ado, please welcome Rajani Larocca!
Where do you live?
I live in the beautiful (and literary) town of Concord, MA.
When did you know you wanted to write picture books?
When I started writing a few years ago, I didn’t intend to write picture books. I saw myself as a novelist. But then I took a workshop on different types of children’s literature at Grub Street, a creative writing center in Boston, where the instructor showed us some mind-blowing picture books, including The Jupiter Stone by Owen Paul Lewis. That book, and the intersection of words and pictures, blew my mind, and inspired me to write my very first picture book. I went on to write many more, and each one has brought its own special joy…including my debut picture book, SEVEN GOLDEN RINGS.
Tell us about your road to publication. What did that involve for you?
I’ve always loved books but spent a very long time away from writing while I went to medical school, residency, and started working as a physician. A few years ago, when my children were in school and I was established in my medical practice, I started taking writing classes online and in person. In about 2013, I got more serious about pursuing publication. After writing four to five picture books I thought were “ready,” I first started querying agents in 2015. I had some close calls but no offers, and in the meantime, I revised a middle grade novel and started querying it in 2017. When I received offers of representation, I also shared five picture books with the agents and got their feedback. I signed with my wonderful agent, Brent Taylor of Triada US, in November 2017. The past couple of years have been incredible, and I now have five picture books coming between 2020-2022!
What do you do to shake the rust off or get new ideas?
I feel like ideas are all around me if I allow myself to be open to them. Participating in Storystorm is super helpful to generate new ideas, and I sometimes jot notes in my phone when inspiration strikes. The idea for a book may come in the form of an image, a title, or a memory. I’m always inspired by my children and our sweet little dog. In fact, taking a walk in nature, especially with my dog, often gets the creative juices flowing.
Tell us about your debut book.
SEVEN GOLDEN RINGS is set in ancient India and tells the story of a boy named Bhagat who wants to save his family from poverty by earning a place at the Rajah’s court as a singer. He travels to the Rajah’s city with all the wealth he and his mother have left in the world: a single coin and seven tiny golden rings. But when he gets to an inn, and the innkeeper demands one ring per night and breaking a ring costs one coin, Bhagat must figure out a way to stay in the city while not wasting any of the rings. Bhagat succeeds in solving this mathematical conundrum, and the story introduces the concept of binary numbers—the basis of how computers work—in a fun and accessible way.
Interior Art from SEVEN GOLDEN RINGS: A TALE OF MUSIC AND MATH, written by Rajani Larocca!, illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan
And last but not least, your favorite 80s movie?
THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK!
Huge thank you to Rajani for stopping by Critter Lit today! Congrats on all your success! We can’t wait to see what story you share with us next.
RAJANI LAROCCA was born in India, raised in Kentucky, and now lives in the Boston area with her wonderful family and impossibly cute dog. After graduating from Harvard College and Harvard Medical School, she spends her time writing novels and picture books, practicing medicine, and baking too many sweet treats. Her middle grade debut, Midsummer’s Mayhem (Yellow Jacket/Little Bee Books 2019), is an Indian-American middle grade mashup of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and competitive baking. Her debut picture book, Seven Golden Rings (Lee & Low, 2020) introduces binary numbers through a story set in ancient India. She is also the author of Bracelets for Brothers (Charlesbridge, 2021), I’ll Go and Come Back (Candlewick, 2022), Where Three Oceans Meet (Abrams, 2022), and other forthcoming books.
For more information on Rajani, visit her online at www.rajanilarocca.com or follow her on social media:
Twitter and IG: @rajanilarocca, Facebook
BUY THIS BOOK To pre-order a copy of Rajani’s debut picture book, click here.
WIN A COPY! Want to win a copy of SEVEN GOLDEN RINGS: A TALE OF MUSIC AND MATH?! Leave a COMMENT below or RETWEET this post on Twitter. One lucky winner will be announced on Thursday, July 9th! US addresses only please.