Happy Thursday Critters! I hope you are all staying warm wherever you are— here in Ohio it is a whopping 12 degrees today! Sunny and beautiful, but frigid! Today we have an interview with Lisa Katzenberger to celebrate her newest book, IT WILL BE OKAY: A STORY OF EMPATHY, KINDNESS, AND FRIENDSHIP, illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett. The timing of this book could not be more relevant and I think we all need books that support this message in our lives right now. I’m thrilled to have Lisa with us today to share her journey in publishing and her fantastic new book!
So without further ado, please welcome Lisa Katzenberger!
Where do you live?
I live in La Grange, Illinois—a suburb of Chicago. It’s a suburban with a bit of an urban feel. We live within walking distance of La Grange’s downtown, elementary school, and most importantly library!
How many years have you been in publishing?
I had my first short story published in 2005. I didn’t get paid a thing, but I was super happy!
How did you first get published?
I started my writing career with short stories, and have had a handful published. But my first book was a Work For Hire project for Capstone, published for the school and library market. A friend referred me to her editor, who invited me to send her a couple picture book manuscripts. And while she didn’t pick those up, she did ask me to write Triceratops Would Not Be a Good Ninja. It was a good way to dip my toe into the publishing world.
Do you write full-time?
Oh I wish I could! I do freelance technical writing work from time to time, and am currently working with author Bethany Hegedus as her author assistant and helping run her Courage to Create program. Then I have my mom job to my 10-year-old twins, which requires a lot of time right now to help them through e-learning.
What inspires you to create picture books?
My kids. They have such a silly way of looking at the world. Maybe they say something funny or ask a question and it will spark an idea for me.
What surprised you the most working as an author?
How long the process takes to get a picture book published. I knew the writing and revising portion itself is long, but I didn’t understand how long the illustration process takes. So after a picture book manuscript is acquired, it can be 18-24 months before it’s published.
What is your favorite thing about being an author?
That I get to make things up! I can live in a world where anything goes. It’s very freeing!
What do you find difficult working as an author?
The writing process itself is difficult. So is the revising. And editing. And coming up with new ideas. To use art notes or not, that decision is tough too. It’s all really hard—but I absolutely love it!
What do you do to shake the rust off or get new ideas?
I like to go for walks (if it’s not a freezing Chicago winter day!) and listen to podcasts or music. The movement and the sounds get the quiet part of my brain moving.
Anything you are habitual about when it comes to creativity?
No, not really. I don’t write every day, or listen to music, or go through any type of routine. Sometimes I write when it hits me and sometimes I make myself get up out of bed early and think of it as work. I’m kind of all over the place!
Can you share a positive experience you’ve had in the Kid Lit community?
I love the community I’ve built through the SCBWI Illinois region. I’ve made really good friends (who I miss terribly during the pandemic!) who I can talk to about the writing journey. We meet for coffee or dinner and even have a kidlit book club. It’s so great to have friends who understand what you’re going through.
Recommended reading?
I am currently in love with I Am Every Good Thing written by Derrick Barnes and illustrated by Gordon C. James and Eyes That Kiss in the Corners written by Joanna Ho and illustrated by Dung Ho. I also adore everything Tammi Sauer writes.
What has been the highlight of your career thus far?
I think it’s been showing my kids that if you work hard and stick with it, you can make your dreams come true. They know I wanted to be a writer since I was a kid myself, and inspiring them is more meaningful than any book deal.
What is something you wish someone had told you when you first started writing?
That my life wouldn’t magically improve when I got an agent, or signed a contract, or saw my book in a store. I don’t know what I expected, but all these felt so regular and not so magical.
Can you tell us about your newest book?
IT WILL BE OK: A Story of Empathy, Kindness, and Friendship is about an anxious, overwhelmed giraffe and his loyal zebra friend whose patience and presence help him face his greatest fear head-on.
Interior art from IT WILL BE OKAY: A STORY OF EMPATHY, KINDNESS, AND FRIENDSHIP by Lisa Katzenberger, illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett
When Giraffe sees a spider, he climbs a tree to hide. His friend Zebra finds him, listens to his feelings, and stands by his side. It is beautifully illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett.
Interior art from IT WILL BE OKAY: A STORY OF EMPATHY, KINDNESS, AND FRIENDSHIP by Lisa Katzenberger, illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett
What’s up next for you?
I don’t know! More writing. I have a chapter book out on submission and will be going out on submission with another couple of picture book manuscripts over the next few months. Cross your fingers for me!
Anything else you’d like to share with aspiring authors and illustrators?
Keep going and don’t give up. It take A LOT of work to get published, but it is SO worth it. You will have hiccups along the way—and if you’re anything like me—feel like a fraud from time to time and that everything you created is crummy. But at least you created something, and that’s the first step. You can turn the crummy into incredible through hard work, solid critique partners, and passion.
And last, but not least, favorite 80s movie?
The Breakfast Club. I so wanted to be a glamorous Claire, but I was in fact a nerdy Brian.
Huge thank you to Lisa for stopping by Critter Lit today! Congrats on your new book!
LISA KATZENBERGER lives in La Grange, IL in a hundred-year-old Victorian house with sloping hardwood floors, glass doorknobs, and the tiniest bathroom you've ever seen. She lives with her husband and amazing boy-girl twins. Lisa’s an active member of SCBWI, where she volunteers as the Social Media Coordinator for the SCBWI-Illinois region. She works part-time as a technical writing consultant to fund her writing conference habit. Lisa is represented by Wendi Gu of Sanford J. Greenburger Associates.
FOR MORE INFORMATION about Lisa or her books, visit his website at www.lisakatzenberger.com or follow her on social media:
Twitter: FictionCity
Instagram: LisaKatz17
Pinterest: LisaKatzenbergerKidLit
ORDER THIS BOOK To order a copy of IT WILL BE OKAY, click here.
WIN A COPY! Want to win a copy of IT WILL BE OKAY?! Leave a COMMENT below or RETWEET this post on Twitter. One lucky winner will be announced on Thursday, February 24th! US addresses only please.