Happy TUESDAY Critters! This week we have TWO awesome interviews with THREE amazing creators. Today, we are celebrating the release of ALPHABEDTIME, written by Susanna Leonard Hill, illustrated by my friend and critique partner Betsy Snyder, and published by Nancy Paulsen Books! I’m thrilled to have both of these fabulous ladies with me today on their book birthday!

I was lucky enough to see the art for this book come together so it’s an honor to be featuring this book and interview as a bonus post this week.

So without further ado, please welcome Susanna Leonard Hill and Betsy Snyder!

It’s lovely to have you both here on Critter Lit!

Susanna: Thank you so much for having me on your blog today, Lindsay!

Betsy: It’s great to be here!

Where do you live?

Susanna: I live on Blueberry Hill in Unionvale, NY, a map dot so small it is like a well-kept secret

Betsy: Independence, Ohio

How many years have you been in publishing?

Susanna: My first book was published in November, 2002, so almost exactly twenty years.

Betsy: About 17 years.

How did you first get published?

Susanna: My daughter was starting kindergarten, and we had just moved to the area so she didn’t know anyone. I asked the school for a couple names of nearby classmates so we could arrange a playdate. The first person I called wasn’t home. The second was Liza Voges and she brought her son over to play a few days later. We talked while the kids played and I asked her if she was a SAHM or if she did something else. She said she was a children’s literary agent. I said, I write children’s books! She asked to see my work, but it took me 6 months to get up the nerve to show her. I was afraid she wouldn’t like it, and then things would be awkward at school get-togethers. I could just imagine myself trying to use my power of invisibility to avoid the embarrassment of facing her at the kindergarten Halloween party. But when I finally did show her a handful of manuscripts, she was enthusiastic. She became my agent, and she sold my first book to Simon & Schuster within the year. She has been my agent and friend for twenty years, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without her!

Betsy: Publishing a children’s book was on my career bucket list since studying Illustration in college (Go Flyers!), but I knew I needed to get more illustration experience (and benefits!) first. Following graduation with a degree in Visual Communication Design, I worked as a staff designer at a small publisher and later as both a designer and illustrator at American Greetings. Around 2005, just when I decided it was time to get serious about getting published, serendipity struck. Brian Cleary, a coworker, who also happened to be an accomplished children’s book author, approached me about the possibility of illustrating his new manuscript Peanut Butter and Jellyfishes: A Very Silly Alphabet Book. He connected me with his publisher Lerner Books, I sent them my portfolio, and they offered me my first book contract! That opportunity and a referral from a friend led me to my agent Lori Nowicki at Painted Words, and that soon led me to a 3-book (and later 5-book) contract with Random House writing my own books.

Do you write/illustrate full-time?

Susanna: I write as full-time as I can manage, between teaching writing, school and library visits, and a lot of time spent on family commitments.

Betsy: The hours I dedicate to work vary depending on my project load and my family’s needs (I have a 5yo, 8yo and crazy 5mo puppy-monster). Right now, I’m more part-time, but I fit work in whenever I can (during school days, puppy naps and in the wee hours after everyone else is asleep). But my mind never stops thinking about book ideas (ask my family!).

What inspires you to create picture books?

Susanna: When you get right down to it, are there any books better than picture books? I love the interplay of words and art. I love the age group for whom they are written, for whom all the world is new. I have 5 children and 3 grandchildren (plus, technically, I was a child myself once upon a time in the last millennium) and that is a constant source of inspiration – the funny things they say and do, their wishes and fears, their wonder and curiosity, the milestones they pass, the things they sometimes misunderstand because they’re young and everything is new, the challenges they face, the feelings that seem bigger than they are sometimes – it all inspires ideas for picture books. And there is something wonderful about reading picture books with little ones who are just learning about the world.

Betsy: I love creating characters and stories that spark imaginations. Some of my favorite memories as a young child are of my family reading to me, and getting lost in the pictures (like Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey). It’s such a gift to be able to make books that families can snuggle up with and read together.

What surprised you the most working as an author or illustrator?

Susanna: I was most surprised by how many people are involved in the creation of a book. When I was little, we didn’t have authors come visit our school. I thought of them as wise old hermit men (or women) – picture Merlin – who lived in isolated places like mountaintops, or hobbit holes in the woods, and wrote amazing books that were perfect straight out of the starting gate. I had no idea that they might have agents, or how much editors might help them improve their books before publication, or that there were separate art directors, or all the people involved with marketing and publicity. A traditionally published book isn’t something you do completely on your own. It really takes a village.

Betsy: When I entered publishing, I didn’t anticipate that I’d need to hone my public speaking skills for author events. I’m not a natural at being in the spotlight, so the idea of putting myself out there was intimidating at first, but I’ve grown to genuinely enjoy and embrace the more social side of being an author and connecting face to face with my audience.

What is your favorite thing about being an author, illustrator, or author/illustrator?

Susanna: If I can have a part in helping to entertain, educate, delight, inspire, comfort, reassure, or engage young readers in a way that brightens their day and invites them to love books and reading, I feel like that is the most fulfilling work I can do. And although it’s hard and requires effort, it doesn’t feel like work the way some things do because it is also such a pleasure. Is there a better job than getting to make up stories all day long?

Betsy: Definitely meeting my readers and sharing my books with others. Holding my published book in my hands for the first time is pretty special too.

What do you find difficult working as an author, or illustrator?

Susanna: For me, the difficult part of working as an author are all the extras. If I could only write, that would be great! But there are so many other things to do! Social media and maintaining an online presence. Arranging and doing school, library, festival, conference, and bookstore events. Doing what you can to publicize your books. Don’t get me wrong – it’s all important and I’m happy to do it. But those are not things I’m particularly comfortable with. I would rather talk up someone else’s books than my own. Twenty years in, I still get nervous any time I have to speak in public. And anything I know about marketing/publicity I’ve learned as I go, and I know I could be a lot better at it.

Betsy: Imposter Syndrome is no joke and self doubt can be paralyzing. When I find myself feeling stuck in a rut with a project and negativity creeps in, it has helped me to have a network of creative friends to reach out to, and in turn, to offer my support when they need it. This creative collaborating always fills my cup and gives me the confidence boost I need to get back at it.

What do you do to shake the rust off or get new ideas?

Susanna: One of my favorite things to do is write or type out someone else’s book – a book I love. There’s something about writing or typing it that helps get my creative wheels turning and gets me in the right mindset. If I haven’t written for a few days, or if ideas are slow to come, this can often be a way to get things rolling.

Betsy: I take a walk, play with words, think up catchy titles, get goofy with my kids, browse at the library or bookstore, start with a fun format, or dig up nuggets of ideas that I’ve set aside.

Anything you are habitual about when it comes to creativity?

Susanna: I always write my first drafts longhand – pen on paper. I just think better that way.

Betsy: I’m pretty prolific at collecting my ideas. I’m always typing notes into my phone—during showers, road trips, etc.—and emailing them to myself to tuck away into folders for revisiting later.

Also, at the beginning of every project, I do a brain dump to empty the clutter in my head and get to the good stuff. My problem is always TOO many ideas vs. a lack of ideas.

Can you share a positive experience you’ve had in the Kid Lit community?

Susanna: I’m not sure I can point to one single instance, but I find the Kid Lit community in general to be wonderfully friendly and supportive – a group of genuinely lovely people I’m deeply glad to be a part of.

Betsy: Having my artwork from Tons of Trucks (by Sue Fliess) accepted into the Society of Illustrators Original Art Show and attending the opening in NYC was an experience I’ll always remember. It was such an honor to be in the company of so much talent in one room.

Recommended reading?

Susanna: Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul, The Nuts & Bolts Guide to Writing Picture Books, by Linda Ashman, The Writer’s Guide to Crafting Stories for Children, by Nancy Lamb, picture books, picture books, and more picture books.

Betsy: Some of our family favorites are Swashby and the Sea (Beth Ferry and Juana Martinez-Neal), Bob, Not Bob! (Liz Garton Scanlon, Audrey Vernick, Matthew Cordell), The Wolf, the Duck, and the Mouse (by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen), We Don’t Eat Our Classmates (by Ryan T. Higgins), and Sophie’s Squash (by Pat Zietlow Miller and Anne Wilsdorf)…and there are SO many more.

What has been the highlight of your career thus far?

Susanna: The highlight of my career thus far has been when kids light up when they recognize one of my books and tell me they have it, or they’ve read it, and they love it. A close second is when I get emails, sometimes including photos or videos, from parents or grandparents telling me one of my books is their little one’s favorite and gets read every night, or drawings or thank you notes from kids. Also, becoming a New York Times Bestseller was pretty amazing and not something I ever thought would be on my resume! That was an honor I never expected.

Betsy: It’s a 3-way tie between landing my first contract to both write and illustrate my own books with Random House (beginning with Haiku Baby), having my work accepted into the Society of Illustrators Original Art Show, and publishing a 4-book novelty series with Chronicle Books (I Can Dance, I Can Play, I Can Dream, I Can Explore).

What is something you wish someone had told you when you first started writing/illustrating?

Susanna: Writing can be isolating, even for introverts who are pretty happy on their own, and it was hard in the beginning not having anyone to talk to who understood the writing life. So, I wish someone had told me when I first started that the internet was coming, and that communication, critique partners, support, the opportunity to further my writing education through webinars and online classes, and most importantly friendship with other writers was about to become so much more possible. The internet is a double-edged sword, but it’s worth it for the connection to other writers. I have met so many wonderful people online, and it is a joy when I get to meet them in person at conferences.

Betsy: Just because it feels hard doesn’t mean you aren’t good at it or that you aren’t meant to do it. Making a book is hard work every time, even for experienced authors and illustrators. Every book presents a new challenge to solve that is difficult in its own way and needs its own unique solution. There is no road map, and sometimes you have to go down many paths, and even backtrack, to find the right one. This process is not easy for anyone, but when you see it through to the other side, it’s so worth it.

Can you tell us about your newest book?

Susanna: My newest book is ALPHABEDTIME, illustrated by the amazingly talented Betsy Snyder, and published by Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. In case you couldn’t tell from the title, it’s a book about putting the alphabet to bed ☺ It is written in rhyme, and is (I hope!) lively and fun, while also being an opportunity for young readers to practice the alphabet and feel the safety and security of being part of a large, rambunctious, and happy family. I am proud of the text, but Betsy’s art really takes it to the next level. She put so much thought and care into creating it. It is clever, bright, and energetic, and filled with details that make looking at the pictures so much fun! Every single character has multiple things associated with it which begin with his or her letter. B alone has at least 8! The dog and the cat appear on every page and are fun to look for. And after M appears, there are bunnies to find, too. I feel so lucky that Betsy was the one to illustrate this book. She really brought it to life in the best possible way!

Betsy: Here’s a sneak peek…

*Interior Art from ALPHABEDTIME by Susanna Leonard Hill, Illustrated by Betsy Snyder, Published by Nancy Paulsen Books*

Betsy: The book begins with all the letters plus Mom and Dad at the dinner table (but none of the letters are revealed yet).

Betsy: From here, Alpha Mom announces “TIME FOR BED!” and we meet each of the letters in order and follow them through the book as they scramble and ready for bed.

Betsy: But even once the alphababies are rounded up and put to bed, there are surprises. Can you guess what happens next?!

Betsy: Fi-nally, the alpha babies are all tucked in again—almost. (This is the part where you have to read the book to find out how it ends!)

What inspired this story/art?

Susanna: This book wasn’t exactly inspired. I was having a hard time thinking up something to write about one cold winter morning – you know the feeling, where you stare at the wall and consider that doing your taxes would be more fun than facing that blank page – and I just decided to write an alphabet book. Of course, there are many very good ones out there already, so I had to think of something that hadn’t been done yet. It took me a fair amount of playing around, experimenting with bad (some very bad ☺) ideas before, in an effort to just feel like I was writing something, anything, I wrote alphabet alphabet alphabet across my page. When I read it out loud to myself, it started to sound like “alphabed”, and that made me think of bedtime, and suddenly, EUREKA! I thought, ALPHABEDTIME! I’ll write a book about putting the alphabet to bed.

Betsy: I’m lucky that I had an already-amazing manuscript to inspire my art (since all Susanna had was a blank page!). It was love at first read for me. My inspiration was part what Susanna put into her writing—the skillful rhyme, bouncy cadence and playful pacing—and part what she left out. The manuscript had an openness that allowed me the freedom to explore a strong visual narrative and weave in fun alphabet references along the way.

In terms of the characters (26 kids, 2 parents, and 11 pets—PHEW!), I wanted the entire alpha family to be colorful, diverse and quirky with lots of personality and alphabet details. My own kids loved playing “art director” and offering up their ideas and opinions along the way, and my real art director Marikka Tamura with designer Cindy De La Cruz helped me wrangle all those kiddos onto the pages in the very best way.

What’s up next for you?

Susanna: I have a couple other books coming out in December – WHAT LITTLE GIRLS ARE MADE OF and WHAT LITTLE BOYS ARE MADE OF – and one coming out next summer – YOU’RE THE STAR IN MY SKY – all for Sourcebooks. And I’m in the middle of contest season on my blog, where I run the Halloweensie, Holiday, and Valentiny Contests for Children’s Writers.

Betsy: More books! I’m about to jump back to working on some new ideas that I am pretty excited about.

Anything else you’d like to share with aspiring authors and illustrators?

Susanna: Try to love what you do. Try not to get caught up in what’s trendy, or what you think will sell. Write for yourself. Write what you love. If you feel passionate about what you’re writing, that will come through in your work and make it shine. And whether you sell it or not, you will have written something that’s meaningful to you. It might be something that really doesn’t turn out well but that you learn a lot from writing. Whether it’s good or not so good, every manuscript you write makes you a better writer.

Betsy: There is no one roadmap to get published—every artist’s journey is unique. Seek opportunities, like stepping stones, that get you closer to your goals. Looking forward, you cannot always see how one thing will lead to another, but it inevitably will.

And last, but not least, who is your favorite children’s book character?

Susanna: That’s like asking who your favorite child is! It’s impossible to pick just one! But, if I had to pick just one, (er, per age group) I guess I’d say, for picture books, Frances, from Russell Hoban’s series, for middle grade Anne of Green Gables, and for YA, Karou from The Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy. (That was practically only one!)

Betsy: Lola from the Charlie and Lola book series by Lauren Child.

Huge thank you to you both for stopping by Critter Lit today! Happy Book Birthday to ALPHABEDTIME!

Susanna L. Hill (susannahill.com) is the author of three New York Times bestsellers, including Moon's First Friends: One Giant Leap for Friendship, and the award-winning author of over twenty-five more books for children, including Punxsutawney Phyllis, Can't Sleep Without Sheep, and the popular When Your Lion Needs a Bath series. Her books have been translated into French, Dutch, German, Japanese, Chinese, and Thai. She does frequent school and library visits, teaches picture book writing, and has a popular picture book blog. Susanna lives in New York's Mid-Hudson Valley where she practices the alphabet with her children and two rescue dogs.

Author-illustrator Betsy Snyder's smile-inducing art can be found on everything from social expressions products, board games, plush, decor, fabric, wallpaper, and of course—books! Since making her publishing debut, Betsy has illustrated and/or authored over twenty books. Betsy lives in northeast Ohio, where she enjoys cozying up to doodle with her art-loving family of four (plus one furball puppy), and venturing out to schools and libraries to encourage kids (and even grown-ups) to share their stories and chase their dreams. Learn more about Betsy and her books at www.betsysnyder.com.

BUY THIS BOOK To purchase a copy of ALPHABEDTIME, click here.

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Interview with Author Susanna Leonard Hill and Illustrator Betsy Snyder

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