Interview with Debut Author and Illustrator Annelouise Mahoney

Happy Thursday Critters! Today’s interview is a fellow author/illustrator at Two Lions, who shares the same editor with me (shout out to the fabulous Kelsey Skea!). I’m such a fan of the books Two Lions publishes and am thrilled to interview one of their newest author/illustrators and share her fantastic debut picture book!

So without further ado, please welcome Annelouise Mahoney!

Where do you live?

I live in Southern California.

When did you know you wanted to write/illustrate picture books?

I fell in love with picture books as a child but I didn't realize it was something I could do until I was in college. I was studying illustration at UMass Dartmouth and I was lucky enough to have Karen Klingon as an illustration professor, she suggested writing and illustrating for children to me and that is when the seed was planted.

Tell us about your road to publication, what did that involve for you?

I began with SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators). That is my number one recommendation to everyone who asks me where to start. When I was ready to dedicate myself to the craft of writing for children I enrolled in, Writing Picture Books For Children, with Sherry Shahan through UCLA Extension. I went on to take Intermediate Picture Book Writing with Terry Pierce.  My daughters were very young and the online classes made learning accessible to me. When I was ready to dive deeper, I enrolled in Art Center College of Design, Finding Your Voice evening class. That class was taught by Marla Frazee. She taught me to find the emotion in the story and to dig for the heartbeat and pull that thread through the book to tie it in the end. She taught me that it’s okay to be afraid and to feel vulnerable — and do the work anyway. With her encouragement, I began posting art on social media. While I was actively involved with SCBWI art challenges, such as DrawThis, Anna Olswanger reached out to me through email and asked if I might be interested in writing for children, seeking representation and if I had any work I could show her. Anna and I worked on revising JULIUS AND MACY for about a year until she felt it was ready for submission. I'm very grateful that during that submission process Kelsey Skea at Two Lions took a chance on me. I feel incredibly lucky. 

Can you share a bit about your process?

Sure. I'm still learning and growing but I found that waiting on the words and sticking with the pictures first is my way of finding the story. I'm very messy and experimental in the beginning of a story, my sketches are loose and not pretty. I'm very open to feedback and, as hard as revisions can be, I really enjoy them. It's a refocus and revision and reseeing that clarifies the story and I enjoy that digging part. 

When the story is forming and I can see it, I start cleaning up the illustrations a bit to focus on composition and expression. 

As for the illustration part of the process, I like to make small thumbnail color sketches of the book before painting the final art. The color sketches are there for me to work out my color palette, and to get a sense of light and shadow before I begin the final art. Once I have a sense of the color, I draw everything out in pencil then scan that into the computer.  I print out the illustration on watercolor paper, I do this because I get nervous about redrawing the illustration on a light table and it saves me some time too. The next step is painting in watercolor and scanning it back into the computer when it is dry. I can make adjustments in photoshop and make sure each spread is fitting in the template of the book.

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

To get new ideas flowing I need to play, and not be precious. I find that if I get too precious with a story, I freeze up and get stuck. It's like trying to make something perfect before it's had a chance to  grow. For myself I find the best kind of "shaking the rust off"  is loosely sketching, daydreaming, watching kids play or being out in nature. I find animals endlessly fascinating, spending time with our pets, a walk around town, a hike to see wildlife, all of that gets me inspired. 

Anything you can’t live without while you write/draw?

Hmm. My favorite thing is quiet, but during this past year and a half with everyone home...that is hard to come by. I do like to settle in and have coffee, water and snacks nearby. 

Any authors and/or illustrators who inspire you?

Oh my goodness, so many! Some of my favorites are Lisabeth Zwerger, Stephanie Graegin, Emily Winfield Martin, Holly Hobbie, and Marla Frazee.

Dream project to work on?

I feel JULIUS AND MACY was a dream project for me. Something I wanted to make so very much. I know the next book will be made with all the love and care I can give it and that will make it my next dream project.

Tell us about your debut book.

My debut book, JULIUS AND MACY: A VERY BRAVE NIGHT, released on April 1, 2021 with Two Lions publishing. It's a woodland tale about bravery and friendship. My main characters, Julius and Macy, like to play heroes. Julius pretends he’s the defender of the forest, while Macy has a quieter strength. When their snack disappears one night, they decide to track down the only one who could have taken it—the Night Goblin. They both have to be brave in their own ways, and they ultimately discover that the real thief isn’t anything like they imagined.

Interior Art from JULIUS AND MACY: A VERY BRAVE NIGHT by Annelouise Mahoney, Published by Two Lions

With its endearing characters, this gently told tale reminds us that we each have courage within us and that kindness can make all the difference.

Interior Art from JULIUS AND MACY: A VERY BRAVE NIGHT by Annelouise Mahoney, Published by Two Lions

What’s up next for you?

I'm working on another picture book dummy, and continue to jot down ideas as they come. I'm excited to be a Spotlight Speaker at SCBWI CenCal Writer's Day this October and other literary events this fall. 

And last, but not least, favorite 80s movie?

Oh my gosh, that's a fun question. I have to say, The Princess Bride. I love that fairytale movie, and how it begins with the reading of the book.

Thank you for having me on Critter Lit today! It's wonderful to spend some time with you. 

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Huge thank you to Annalouise for stopping by Critter Lit today! Congrats on your debut!

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ANNELOUISE MAHONEY was born and raised in Massachusetts, where she spent her childhood playing pretend, making up stories, and drawing pictures. She moved to Los Angeles after college, where she worked in animation and comics. She loves to explore the forest, can’t resist a cave, and has a lot of love for all those named Julius in her life. Annelouise lives in Southern California with her family.

FOR MORE INFORMATION about Annelouise, visit her online: www.AnnelouiseMahoney.com

or follow her on social media: Twitter: @WoodlandAbbey | Instagram: @Annelouise_Mahoney

ORDER THIS BOOK To order a copy of JULIUS AND MACY: A VERY BRAVE NIGHT, click here.

WIN A COPY! Want to win a copy of JULIUS AND MACY: A VERY BRAVE NIGHT?! Leave a COMMENT below or RETWEET this post on Twitter. One lucky winner will be announced on Thursday, August 19th! US addresses only please.

Interview with Author and Illustrator Kyle Beckett

Happy Thursday Critters! I’m thrilled to be sharing today’s post with you all. It’s always lovely to have another illustrator stop by Critter Lit, especially one as talented as Kyle Beckett. I was first introduced to Kyle’s work through my husband, Frank Tupta. When Frank sold his first picture book manuscript, HOW TO BUILD A HAUNTED HOUSE, to Two Lions, I got a sneak peek into another side of the publishing process. Even after ten years in this business, I’d never seen the author-only perspective of making a picture book.

Two Lions shared Kyle’s work with Frank, and immediately both he and I knew it was a perfect fit. We were so impressed with his color palette and knew he’d be able to pull off a book set entirely at night— which I’ll be honest, as an illustrator, intimidated me about Frank’s manuscript. Frank loves all things spooky and Halloween so who ever was going to illustrate his text needed reflect that same enthusiasm in their work, which Kyle totally did!

There are so many wonderful details Kyle added into the art of HOW TO BUILD A HAUNTED HOUSE that don’t exist in the text— that’s the magic of a great match between author and illustrator. They both bring something to the table to really make the whole book sing. Personally, my favorite detail is the shrunken head wind chimes…classic!

So without further ado, please welcome Kyle Beckett!

Where do you live?

I live in Peachtree Corners, Georgia. It’s about 25 minutes away from downtown Atlanta, so I just say that most of the time.

How many years have you been in publishing?

I’ve been in publishing for about three years now. After a year and half of applying all around, the Bright Agency took me on as an illustrator!

How did you first get published?

There are actually two answers here! Before I started working with Bright, I self-published a book called A Lovely Day for a Drive on Amazon. It was just something to do so that I could show people I can make a book. 

After that, I got a few books published with Bright.

Do you write/illustrate full-time?

I do! Or perhaps it’s best to say that I am trying too. Right now, it’s all I do for work. There are some days it seems like a mountain I’ll never be able to climb. But so far I am making it work, in no small part due to my fiancée’s support. 

What inspires you to create picture books?

It all started with an instructor I met in college; his name is Regan Dunnick. The class was called ‘Children’s Book Illustration’ and I figured it would be a fun and easy class. By the time the semester ended, though, I was full-force into picture books. While studying for the class, I remember reading the book Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen and thinking to myself, ‘yep, that’s how it’s supposed to be done.’

Beyond that, I’m inspired daily by other picture book makers. Abner Graboff, Benji Davies and Jon Klassen in particular got me into this form of storytelling. 

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

The most surprising thing for me is definitely how collaborative it can be! Before I graduated from college, I made all of my art quite personally. There were critiques and discussions in class, but for the most part I was drawing into the late hours of the night all alone by the light of a single desk lamp.

Now that I am a working professional, I’ve started working with authors and illustrators and agents and designers. It’s more than just me making these books now, and my work is all the better for it.

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

I love getting lost in research. I think my favorite part of making books is the beginning stages where there are no wrong answers and you’re just throwing everything you can possibly think of down onto the paper. It’s like being an explorer without ever leaving the house.

What do you find difficult working as a author/illustrator?

The mental side of being a storyteller is really difficult, even terrifying. There are days you get up, knowing you have to work, but not quite knowing where to start. It’s easy enough to tell yourself you’re going to write a book, but it’s another thing altogether to actually do it.

For me, that’s the most difficult thing; trying not to worry about tomorrow and focus on the task at hand today.

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

New ideas can come from anywhere. The trick, for me, is to keep your creative engine running at all times. Even in the grocery store, I might see something and make a mental note of it for later.

That being said, sometimes you need to distract yourself to ‘hit the reset button’ so to speak. To hit my reset button, I read books and I run a whole lot. Your reset button can be anything at all; meditation, TV, baking, whatever works. 

Anything you are habitual about when it comes to creativity?

Reading! I think one of the best ways to come up with ideas consistently is to be experiencing other people’s ideas as much as possible. For me, reading books does the trick. Watching a good movie will work too, but you have to be engaging with it, not just watching it to entertain yourself.

I try to think of creativity as a combination of different experiences or stories. The more you experience, the more you have to combine.

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

There are so many. The first one that comes to mind is from back when I was living in my hometown in Illinois. I had just self-published my book A Lovely Day for a Drive when my old grade school asked if I would come in and read for the kindergartners. 

I agreed, somewhat reluctantly, because I get very anxious if people are looking at me. I showed up on the day, and they took me to the gym and gave me a microphone. 

“Will I really be needing this?” I asked. “I think the kindergartners will be able to hear me just fine.”

“We want to make sure everyone can hear you,” they replied.

That was when I realized that I would be reading my book and doing a live drawing in front of the entire 300 person school.

Obviously I was nervous. But when the time came to start talking, it just happened. I read my book, did some drawings and answered a few questions. I wasn’t nervous at all. In the end, I realized that as long as I was talking about something that I truly loved, there was no reason to be scared. That’s when I knew I was on the right path.

Recommended reading?

That’s a good question! There are lots of picture books I would suggest; The Flight of Mister Finch by Thomas Baas, or Billy Twitters and his Blue Whale Problem by Mac Barnett and Adam Rex. If you’re into the oldies like me, I would suggest A Fresh Look at Cats by Abner Graboff.

As far as middle grade or young adult books go, I love The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (anything by Mr. Gaiman, really), and The Doctor Dolittle Series by Hugh Lofting is quite incredible.

And then there are the more adult novels and comics as well; I have been really into H.P. Lovecraft lately, as well as the Barsoom novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Headlopper by Andrew Maclean is a great comic, and so is Tale of Sand by Jim Henson and Ramón K. Pérez.

What has been the highlight of your career thus far?

I have loved every minute of being in this industry so far, but I think the greatest experience has been seeing How to Build a Haunted House all wrapped up and bound together for the first time. It really felt great to have that story in my hands.

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

I wish I was told how much of the experience of making a book really feels strange. Most mornings it takes me an hour or so to settle down and stop asking myself, ‘wait, am I doing this right?’ 

It’s something I’ve come to accept now. If you feel like you’re doing it right, you might not be trying hard enough. It’s easy to slip into a ‘comfort zone’ when you’re working, and I wish someone had told me to keep pushing harder.

Dust Jacket from HOW TO BUILD A HAUNTED HOUSE written by Frank Tupta, Illustrated by Kyle Beckett

Can you tell us about your newest book?

I would love to! My newest book was written by Frank Tupta, and it’s called How to Build a Haunted House. It’s a fun, nighttime tale about some not-so-scary monsters trying to build a house for some displaced vampires. The whole thing is told with incredible rhymes that make you practically want to sing through the whole thing. 

Interior spread from HOW TO BUILD A HAUNTED HOUSE written by Frank Tupta, Illustrated by Kyle Beckett

My goal for this book was to have the illustrations really create a unique mood. I wanted it to feel dark and spooky but super light-hearted at the same time.

Interior spread from HOW TO BUILD A HAUNTED HOUSE written by Frank Tupta, Illustrated by Kyle Beckett

What’s up next for you?

I have another book coming out later this year, called The Knight Who Might by Lou Treleaven, as well as a book I wrote and illustrated called The Dog Ate My Homework that is publishing in simplified Chinese. I’m excited to see those two books in print.

Interior art from THE KNIGHT WHO MIGHT written by Lou Treleaven, illustrated by Kyle Beckett

Jacket from THE DOG ATE MY HOMEWORK by Kyle Beckett

Besides those books, I am working every day to write and illustrate new stories and get them published! There are loads of picture books I want to get out there, and even a middle grade book I’m trying to write.

Interior art from MY DOG ATE MY HOMEWORK

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

The only advice I feel qualified to give is to make sure you’re making the stories you want to make. I tell myself everyday that the stories in my head aren’t hiding anywhere else, and only I can get them out. 

Even if they aren’t perfect, keep telling stories.

And last, but not least, favorite 80s movie?

This is Spinal Tap. No question! Without a doubt! (Don’t tell the Ghostbusters I said that)

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Huge thank you to Kyle for stopping by Critter Lit today! Needless to say, Frank and I love the illustrations you did for Frank’s text and we can’t wait to pick up your next book!

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In the third grade, KYLE BECKETT sold a drawing of a bluebird in sunglasses for a chocolate chip cookie at lunch. From that first commission, he was hooked. He knew he wanted to be an illustrator. 

He grew up in Rockford, Illinois, and later moved to Sarasota, Florida, to study illustration at Ringling College of Art and Design. He previously published A Lovely Day for a Drive, which he both wrote and illustrated, and he has more books forthcoming. He currently lives in Atlanta with his fiancée, Lauren, and his dog, Goose. They spend most of their time hiding behind doors to scare each other.

Follow him on Instagram @kylebeckett

PRE-ORDER THIS BOOK To pre-order a copy of HOW TO BUILD A HAUNTED HOUSE or THE KNIGHT WHO MIGHT, click here.

WIN A COPY! Want to win a copy of HOW TO BUILD A HAUNTED HOUSE?! Leave a COMMENT below or RETWEET this post on Twitter. One lucky winner will be announced on Thursday, October 1st! US addresses only please.