Interview with Author Glenys Nellist

Happy Thursday Critters! Here at Critter Lit our goal is to share interviews with authors and illustrators representative of all picture book genres in publishing. Today’s interview is with an author who has published over 20 books in the Christian market in just six years! Originally this interview was supposed to run back in February when today’s author released her newest book, but we rescheduled to June. Her latest book is titled, LITTLE MOLE FINDS HOPE, illustrated by Sally Garland, and I can’t think of a more fitting title with everything that is going on in the world right now.

I’m thrilled to share her work with you today so without further ado, please welcome picture book author Glenys Nellist!

Where do you live?

I was born and raised in England, but for the past 20 years I've been living in Michigan, the Great Lakes State.

How many years have you been in publishing?

Six. My first book was published in 2014.

How did you first get published?

In 2011 I attended a Writers' Conference, where I pitched my first book proposal and manuscript to an editor. I waited a whole year before the publisher offered me a contract, and then another two years before the book was published. But the wait was worth it, because that book turned into a series.

Do you write full-time?

Yes. In addition to writing children's books, I also offer editing services to aspiring children's authors.

What inspires you to create picture books?

As a former elementary school teacher, I have always loved picture books and their ability to transport readers, of any age, to another time and place. 

What surprised you the most working as an author?

As an author, I'm constantly surprised by, and enthralled with, the creative process and where it takes me. So often, I find myself reading something I've written and being amazed at where the words came from.

What is your favorite thing about being an author?

My favorite thing has to be holding one of my books in my hands for the first time. It's like examining your brand-new baby from head to toe and marveling at every precious, minute detail.

What do you find difficult working as an author?

For me, edits are always hard. It's not easy to change or erase words you worked hard to create! But I have learned to trust my editors, and now it helps me to view editing as the haircut you never wanted. You don't like it at first, but after a week or so, you realize how much you needed it, and how much better it makes you look and feel.

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

When I get stuck in a rut, I try to go for a long walk! I love the great outdoors and find creative energy there.

Anything you are habitual about when it comes to creativity?

As a Christian writer, it's my habit to pause and pray before beginning any new project, or when I'm stuck in the middle of one.

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

I have found that authors in the Kidlit community really support each other and cheer each other on. I have the privilege of meeting a few times a year with three other Beaming Books authors and I love the creative energy and support that ensues from our conversations.To share publishing joys and frustrations with like-minded colleagues is a truly wonderful thing.

Recommended reading?

Anything by the wonderful Sally Lloyd-Jones, who writes for both the secular and Christian markets. She has a great sense of humor that shines through her writing. Her Jesus Storybook Bible is what inspired me to write. Also, I would recommend anything by the indomitable Roald Dahl. His work is not always politically correct, but as a Brit my family were raised reading his hilarious and fabulously penned tales, such as Fantastic Mr Fox, George's Marvelous Medicine and The Twits; along with perennial favorites like The BFG, The Witches and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

What has been the highlight of your career thus far?

The highlight of my career has to be publishing twenty books in the space of six years. That is incredible to me.

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

I wish I had known how wonderful a launch team is! It seems ridiculous, but this is something I only recently discovered. Even though my newest book, Little Mole Finds Hope, is my 20th published title, it was only for this book that I assembled my first, official launch team. For my previous titles, I always had the help of influencers, endorsers and bloggers, but assembling an official 'team' where members have expectations, and where they all work together to create momentum around release day really did help to launch the book. I'll never publish another book without the help of a launch team!

Can you tell us about your newest book?

Little Mole Finds Hope, published by Beaming Books, tells the story of a little mole who is feeling sad in his dark, underground home. Mama takes him on a journey to find hope and together, they find it, even when it’s hiding in the darkest place. This new picture book, written for children 3-6, has a spring theme and includes tips for parents to help a child who is feeling sad.

Interior spread from LITTLE MOLE FINDS HOPE, written by Glenys Nellist, illustrated by Sally Garland

What’s up next for you?

I'm looking forward to the next book in this series, which has a kindness/Christmas theme. Little Mole's Little Gift will be published in October this year, and in 2021 I'll have three new books published with Zonderkidz, so that's exciting!

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

When I was writing my first book (Love Letters from God) I became discouraged and gave up half-way though. I put the manuscript on the shelf, where it sat for over a year. If it hadn't been for my husband, who encouraged me, I would never have picked it up and finished it. And without that first book, I would never have written twenty more. I often think about all those half-written manuscripts, lying on dusty shelves in hope-robbed rooms. So, my advice to all aspiring authors would be.. don't give up!

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

My four children were all born in the 1980’s! When they were a little older, we had fun watching Ghostbusters, ET, and Back to the Future, with Marty McFly and Doc Brown!

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Thank you Glenys for stopping by Critter Lit today! Congratulations on all your publishing success!

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GLENYS NELLIST  is the author of multiple children's books, including the bestselling 'Twas the Evening of Christmas  and the popular series Love Letters from God  and Snuggle Time. Her writing reflects a deep passion for helping children discover joy in the world. Glenys lives in Michigan with her husband, David.

FOR MORE INFORMATION about Glenys, visit her online at glenysnellist.com.

BUY THIS BOOK To purchase a copy of any of Glenys Nellist’s books, click here.

WIN A COPY! Want to win a giveaway copy of LITTLE MOLE FINDS HOPE?! Leave a COMMENT below or RETWEET this post on Twitter. One lucky winner will be announced on Thursday, June 11th! US addresses only please.

Interview with Author Carole Gerber

Happy Thursday Critters! I’m so excited to be back— it’s been a while! Apologies for the time off, but I’ve been on maternity leave with baby number three so things have been a little hectic around our house. I’m thrilled to be back sharing interviews with lots of fabulously talented authors and illustrators with all of you. So let’s kick off December with author Carole Gerber and her new book THE GIFTS OF ANIMALS, beautifully illustrated by Yumi Shimokawara. Carole is an incredibly accomplished children’s book author with over eighteen picture books and many, many other publications under her belt. I’m happy to have her with us today to share her experience in the industry and tell you about her lovely new book.

So without further ado…please welcome CAROLE GERBER!

Where do you live?

I was born, raised and educated in Ohio. In August 2019, my husband and I became full-time residents of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, a suburb of Charleston. We live just a few miles from our younger daughter, Jess; her husband, Ben, and (the main attraction), our three-year-old granddaughter, Joanna.

How many years have you been in publishing?

My first book, The Golden Christmas Tree, was published in 1994 by Willowisp Press. The company is now out of business, but it was based in Columbus and put out many titles.

How did you first get published?

I graduated from Princeton High School in Cincinnati, where I had a wonderful creative writing teacher named John Engle. Through him, I (and other students) submitted poems and stories to various publications. My first poem was published in a weekly paper, The Millcreek Valley News. With my teacher’s help in placing my work, I continued to be published (and paid!) 

Do you write full-time?

I now write, or engage in writing-related research and emails, nearly every weekday. But I no longer put in the hours I did during the years when clients paid me to write. After earning an M.A. in journalism from OSU, I worked full-time for an ad agency, as a magazine editor, and then as a marketing director. After those in-house jobs I began freelancing for businesses, and gradually moved into writing elementary science and reading books for McGraw-Hill (for whom I had first free-lanced textbook ad copy) and other educational publishers. This winding path led me to write picture books.

What inspires you to create picture books?

Children love picture books! Unlike adults, they want to hear or read the same stories over and over again. And they love the authors who write them. I am sure you have experienced how excited kids are to meet you when you visit schools. “Are you the ARTHUR?” always cracks me up!  

What surprised you the most working as an author?

I continue to be shocked at how slow the process is. It usually takes a long time to even hear back on submissions, even though I have an agent. If a manuscript is eventually accepted, it usually takes two years before it is illustrated and published. 

What is your favorite thing about being an author?

I enjoy the creative process of coming up with and following through with an idea or a subject. Even if it doesn’t ultimately work out, there is a flow to this process that is satisfying. 

What do you find difficult working as an author?

It can be a lonely job in a field where rejections are far more common than acceptances. Unlike my previous writing jobs, I am not out and about interviewing people and gathering facts. I may send emails or talk on the phone, but it is all from my desk. I would love to swap and critique manuscripts with others who have my approximate level of experience, but most seem to already belong to established groups.  

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

I put aside manuscripts that aren’t working. I print them and keep them in a folder and weeks or months later, I look at them with fresh eyes. I also continually read books written by others. This gives me fresh perspectives and often influences my own writing of choices of what I’ll write.

Anything you are habitual about when it comes to creativity?

Ha! Yes! It’s an expensive habit, but every morning I feel the need for a Starbucks chai latte to sip when I sit down at my desk. When feeling unmotivated, I buy a grande; otherwise, a tall is enough of a stimulus (or more precisely, stimulant.) I have been doing this for 15 years and shudder to think what it adds up to!

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

Kid Lit writers are usually kind, generous and helpful. I met two picture book writers I bonded with at a conference in 2015 and, across the miles, we continue to offer one another encouragement and support.  

Recommended reading?

Critter Lit, of course! And Celebrate Picture Books, as well as Writing and Illustrating, Picture Books Heal, Will Write for Cookies, Perfect Picture Book Friday, and other blogs and sites for writers. There are also many books about story structure and other basics. To see what’s available, I suggest using “writing picture books” as a search term on Amazon. Check the reader reviews and choose based on how useful the books have been to others. 

What has been the highlight of your career thus far? 

I was selected for inclusion last year in a reference called Something About the Author, a print and digital resource published by Gale/Cengage Learning. Each entry includes a personal/career overview (hometown, education, family, awards, hobbies, professional background) and a bibliography. The editors “follow” my career and will update it annually with reviews of my new books.

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

Don’t take it personally! Manuscripts are rejected for many reasons, many of which writers can’t control. Editors may have one on a similar topic in production. Or it may be something as simple as they don’t like the subject. I had one rejected by an editor who commented, “This is sweet but I don’t like cats.” Another editor who had published one of my books, rejected the next one submitted because she didn’t like stories about fairies. And then there are the cases where editors championed my manuscript but the acquisitions committee rejected it.

Can you tell us about your newest book?

The idea for The Gifts of the Animals came to me after I stumbled over a reference to a 12th Latin hymn (translated into French and later into English) called “The Animal Carol.” Another title was “The Friendly Beasts.”  Here are a couple of the verses:

Jesus, our brother, kind and good, was humbly born in a stable rude;
and the friendly beasts around Him stood. Jesus, our brother, kind and good.

"I," said the Cow, all white and red, "I gave Him my manger for His bed;
I gave Him my hay to pillow His head." I," said the Cow, all white and red.

"I," said the Sheep, with the curly horn, "I gave Him my wool for His blanket warm;
He wore my coat on Christmas morn. "I," said the Sheep, with the curly horn.

My story sounds nothing like this (thank goodness!), but does feature some of the same animals. 

This is one of my favorite books because the illustrations are incredible! Illustrator Yumi Shimokawara lives in Japan and was discovered two years ago by the art director for my book at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. He worked with her through a translator and there were some funny miscommunications. For example, her first baby Jesus had fair skin and blonde hair. She quickly corrected this and a few other small issues, and the book is spectacular! I am hoping an illustrator’s agent in the U.S. will want to represent her. She was named “Illustrator of the Year” in 2016 by the Japan Illustrators’ Association. 

Spread from THE GIFTS OF ANIMALS by Carole Gerber, Illustrated by Yumi Shimokawara

Spread from THE GIFTS OF ANIMALS by Carole Gerber, Illustrated by Yumi Shimokawara

Spread from THE GIFTS OF ANIMALS by Carole Gerber, Illustrated by Yumi Shimokawara

What’s up next for you?

My agent recently sold a manuscript very dear to my heart titled, How You Came to Be. It’s about a mother’s love for her unborn child and the sweet, funny month-by-month overview about how the child developed in her womb.  

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

Publishing is a tough business run by very nice people. Don’t give up!

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

ET. He is the cutest Extra Terrestrial ever!

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Thanks for stopping by Critter Lit today Carole! We are so excited about your new book and look forward to the next! Congrats!

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CAROLE GERBER has written 18 picture books, three chapter books, and more than one hundred elementary science and reading texts for major publishers. Her most picture recent book, A Band of Babies, was named a 2017 Best Book for Children by Amazon editors. She holds a BS in English education and an MA in journalism from Ohio State, and has taught middle school and high school English as well as college newswriting and factual writing at OSU. Learn more at www.carolegerber.com.

BOOK GIVEAWAY!

Want a chance to win a copy of THE GIFTS OF ANIMALS?! Comment on this post or share it on Twitter. One lucky winner will be selected Thursday, December 12th. US addresses only please.

Interview with Debut Author Özgen Halil

Happy Thursday Critters! Today we have debut author Özgen Halil, who recently self-published her first book, HENRIETTA HEN IN TROUBLE AGAIN. I’m thrilled to have Özgen with us today to offer some insight into the self-publish side of publishing and what that process looks like. So without further ado…please welcome Özgen Halil!

Where do you live?

I now live in a village called Weavering in Maidstone which is in Kent (The Garden Of England) in the UK. We moved here just over a year ago but mostly I have lived in South East London/UK and spent a couple of years in Sydney Australia when I was a child.

Özgen with her brother— circa 1970s

When did you know you wanted to write picture books? 

I always loved writing a story, whether it was at school or just at home - I love being creative. My first memory of that was when I around 6 years old and I remember writing a really funny story about my brother with illustrations just to make him laugh. As children, we were really close and still are as adults. It’s always been on my mind to do this but it wasn’t until last year that I had the opportunity to finally put things into action and I wrote Henrietta Hen In Trouble Again.  

Illustration from HENRIETTA HEN IN TROUBLE AGAIN written by Özgen Halil, Illustrated by Sarah-Leigh Wills

Can you tell us more about your decision to self-publish and what that process has looked like for you?

Honestly, I don’t think that I actually sat down and thought about which route I should go in. It just felt natural for me to do it myself. As a person, I have always been very independent from a young age and my attitude in life has always been “If you want something - YOU have to go out there and get it!” I am a real grafter and always work hard and do my best. Besides, I don’t think I would know where to start to get a publisher.

Can you share a bit about your process?

My instinct was to go on a self-publishing course to see what the process would be. Apart from writing the story, I had to find the right illustrator for the book (my own illustration abilities are work-in-progress) so that took a little bit of time searching and speaking to various illustrators. Once I instructed my illustrator (Sarah-Leigh Wills - who did such an amazing job with the illustrations), I then searched and found printers and got together a launch team in readiness of the release and in between, I got my website together and social media accounts set up. Each step of the way has been very important and at times quite hard and now that the book is ready, I have my marketing hat on, to the next level of promoting the book, getting the story out there and scheduling school and library visits. It's full on.

Illustration from HENRIETTA HEN IN TROUBLE AGAIN written by Özgen Halil, Illustrated by Sarah-Leigh Wills

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

If I have an “off-day” I just leave it alone and come back to it later. I get away from my desk and do something different or I just go out for a walk. If it’s not happening that day, I won’t force it. As for new ideas, I don’t have any special strategies in place - I guess it also depends on what sort of mood I am in - some days I am more productive than others. I can say that the story comes first, that’s my starting point, and then I map out the characters. Usually I have an idea of how I want the characters to look like. For example, I wanted Dotty Donkey to have goofy teeth and Henrietta Hen to have a handbag and a necklace. I think of ideas all the time.

Anything you can't live without while you write?

My desktop computer. I spent years typing documents in my previous jobs and at speeds of at least 80 words per minute so it’s just easier and quicker for me to type. I prefer a desktop computer to a laptop or anything else. 

Illustration from HENRIETTA HEN IN TROUBLE AGAIN written by Özgen Halil, Illustrated by Sarah-Leigh Wills

Any authors and/or illustrators who inspire you?

Awww there’s lots, but one that really stood out for me is Oliver Jeffers. I used to read his books to my younger son and I loved them just as much as he did. His style is simple but really effective and the stories are so cute. I really admire him -  he’s very talented.

Dream project to work on?

I’m a newbie so my first children’s picture book - Henrietta Hen In Trouble Again, has been a dream project to work on. However, it would also be a dream to work on projects that enables me to give to the community, especially vulnerable children and to make their lives better in any way - I would love that.

 Tell us about your debut book.

Henrietta Hen In Trouble Again is about a Hen and her best friend Dotty Donkey, together they go berry picking in the woods only to find themselves in some danger. There is a happy ending - because we just love happy endings. The book promotes friendships, kindness and sharing and is suitable for the ages between 4-8 years old. I have based Henrietta Hen’s character on my mother’s personality. She is my mother all over!

What's up next for you?

I have already written Chi Chi And The Birthday Surprise and hope to write further children’s picture books in the coming year. I will release information about that book in early 2020. Also in the pipeline is The Evil Eye Quartet starting off with “White Wings” and these books will be suitable for young adults.

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

Hmmm.…it’s between E.T. and Top Gun (only because I used to fancy Tom Cruise)…ok its E.T.— I loved that film so much and I had the lunchbox, keyring and the toy - what an amazing film!

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Huge thank you to Özgen for stopping by Critter Lit today! Thank you for sharing your work with us and best of luck on all your future projects!

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ÖZGEN HALIL’S love for children’s picture books started from as young as 4 years old. Her mother read stories to her and her brother and she would tell them funny stories about where she came from (which was a small village in Cyprus) to keep them entertained. Later on at primary school, Özgen often visited the local library to borrow books such as The Cat In The Hat by Dr Suess, The Adventures Of Tin Tin by Hergé and the Asterix series by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo which she loved reading. As an adult, she spent over 25 years in the corporate world as a Legal PA/EA, and finally plucked up the courage to publish her first children’s picture book called Henrietta Hen In Trouble Again as a self-publishing author. She loves animals but hates spiders (after one crawled up her leg when she was 3 years old). Her goal as an author is to be able to bring happiness into children's lives and contribute in making their lives better.

FOR MORE INFORMATION about Özgen Halil visit her online or follow her on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ozgenhalilbooks/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ozgenbhalil/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dearozgen

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/ozgen5382/

TO DOWNLOAD A FREE COPY of Özgen’s book, click here. To purchase a paperback copy of Özgen’s book, click here. A portion of each sale goes to the children's charity Demelza.

BOOK GIVEAWAY!

Want a chance to win a paperback copy of HENRIETTA HEN IN TROUBLE AGAIN?! Comment on this post or share it on Twitter. One lucky winner will be selected Thursday, October 10th! US addresses only please.

Interview with Author and Illustrator Susan Reagan

Happy Thursday Critters! Today I’m very excited to be sharing the work of one of my dear friends and critique partners, Susan Reagan! Sue is an incredibly talented illustrator and writer and I’m thrilled to have her with us on Critter Lit. Her newest board book, SIMON SAYS OPEN THE BOOK, written by Emilia Zebrowska, published with Creative Company this month. Her work is stunning and I can’t wait to share it with you all!

So without further ado, please welcome the fantastically talented Susan Reagan!

Where do you live?

I live in Tremont, a neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. Our neighborhood was once called the Southside. We sit directly between Cleveland’s Downtown and the Steelyards that once fueled the economy and life of the neighborhood. I love living in a city neighborhood!  It’s full of history and diversity and is my greatest inspiration as an artist. 

How many years have you been in publishing?

Quite a few. The first books I illustrated were for Christian publishers. But it wasn’t my primary source of work, I worked for American Greetings as an illustrator for the first half of my career. I still freelance for them; it’s my bread and butter work.

How did you first get published?

I had a brief stint with an agent back in the mid 90’s who got me my first book. It was MY LITTLE BOOK OF BIG BIBLE PROMISES. But it wasn’t a leap into publishing. I stayed with American Greetings for a while after that.

Do you write/illustrate full-time?

I have always illustrated full-time but for many markets. It’s only over the past five years that I have decided to dedicate myself mostly to publishing and picture books (I still have bills to pay so I do some other freelance too). I am working on my writing. I have a couple of manuscripts just about ready to share with my agent. They have been in the works for years. Writing is much more challenging for me than illustrating but I love to push myself. I have also started teaching illustration as adjunct faculty at the Cleveland Institute of Art. I’m loving it! 

What inspires you to create picture books?

My own manuscripts are based on visual puns or a funny phrase. I like silliness but the books I love to illustrate are more serious or complex. My drawing style is more observational and less character design driven. I love the use of line and I love a subtle limited color palette.

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

I guess what surprised me most is just how involved the process is and how different it is from the other types of illustration I’ve done. It’s a slower paced business and it took some time for me to adjust it. I‘m accustomed  to a quick turn around on assignments. But I love how much time I get to spend with a book while illustrating it. I love having time to really think things over.

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

I draw, design, paint, concept, every day!

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

The toughest part is sending out finished work and waiting. Even when you know the work is good there is something about waiting to hear from a creative director or an editor that makes most artist anxious. Most of us are naturally tough on ourselves. We don’t do this work just for ourselves. We want to hear that it worked; that we created something acceptable, beautiful, funny, touching, informative, whatever the goal. Also, I feel the weight of illustrating someone else’s story. I want to do right by them. I know how hard they worked to create their beautiful writing.

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

I was feeling a bit rusty a few years back. I got so caught up in the business of illustrating and creativity that I got a little lost. I went back to my first love of drawing people. I participated in The 100 Day Project on Instagram and made a drawing a day of people I observed. It really energized me. I loosened up my line work and started trusting my instincts again. I made so many discoveries that are now a part of my illustration style.

Anything you are habitual about when it comes to creativity?

Coffee is important. I think better when using my iPad and sitting in my living room than I do anywhere else. Also I like quiet when I am thinking so no music or background noise. If the windows are open and it’s a cool day— that’s the best!

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

My critique group without question! For over five years now I have benefited knowing these very talented women, one of which is the writer of this blog. Lindsay Ward, Betsy Snyder, Kellie DuBay Gillis, and Alissa McGough. Each one so smart, honest and talented! We give each other honest feedback and support each other’s successes and dreams. I have learned so much from this amazing group!

Recommended reading?

I’m reading THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD by Colton Whitehead. I would highly recommend it!

What has been the highlight of your career thus far?

Last January I signed with Stephanie Fretwell-Hill at Red Fox Literary. I have already signed on to illustrate a book by Beth Anderson, who has visited this blog. She’s an amazing writer. I love AN INCONVENIENT ALPHABET and I can’t wait to get my copy of LIZZIE DEMANDS A SEAT. The title I will be working on is PRUDENCE WRIGHT AND THE MINUTE WOMEN, about Prudence Cummings Wright and the ways that women used their skills and ingenuity to contribute to the American Revolution. I’m just getting started!

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

Take the work seriously but don’t take yourself too seriously. Actually I have probably been told that a 100 times, I need to listen better.

Tell us about your newest book.

SIMON SAYS OPEN THE BOOK, written by Emilia Zebrowska, from Creative Editions just released this month. It’s a sweet little bed time board book  in which one last game of Simon Says turns into a fantastical journey into the night and off to dreamland.

Another recent release is YOU AND ME, another board book from Creative Editions, written by Rebecca Kai Dotlich. It made the American Library Association’s list of Notable Children’s Books for 2019. I was pretty happy about that.

What’s up next for you?

I just turned in LIGHTS OUT. I am very excited about this book! It’s a wonderful story written by Marsha Diane Arnold, published by Creative Editions, about the disruption that happens in nature and animal behaviors from too much light. It releases next fall. Here’s a sneak peek:

Sneak peek from LIGHTS OUT! written by Marsha Diane Arnold, Illustrated by Susan Reagan

Sneak peek from LIGHTS OUT! written by Marsha Diane Arnold, Illustrated by Susan Reagan

Sneak peek from LIGHTS OUT! written by Marsha Diane Arnold, Illustrated by Susan Reagan

Sneak peek from LIGHTS OUT! written by Marsha Diane Arnold, Illustrated by Susan Reagan

I’ll have another board book Creative Editions titled READY OR NOT. And then as mentioned above, PRUDENCE WRIGHT AND THE MINUTE WOMEN IN 2022.

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

I would say to remember that sometimes it can take a while to have the breakthrough you are looking for. Work on what you love and seek good critiques and don’t be afraid of an honest opinion. 

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

I don’t necessarily have a favorite but I remember laughing so hard at A Fish Called Wanda and Raising Arizona that I thought my sides would split. Wonder what I would think now?

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Huge thank you to Susan Reagan for stopping by Critter Lit today! We can’t wait to see all the fantastic books you have coming out!

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SUSAN REAGAN’S picture books include YOU & ME by Rebecca Kai Dotlich (Creative Company, 2018), SIMON SAYS OPEN THE BOOK by Emilia Zebrowska (Creative Company, 2019), and LIGHTS OUT! by Marsha Diane Arnold(Creative Company, 2020). She is currently illustrating PRUDENCE WRIGHT AND THE MINUTE WOMEN by Beth Anderson (Calkins Creek, 2022). Susan graduated with a BFA in Illustration from the Columbus College of Art and Design. She teaches illustration techniques as adjunct faculty at The Cleveland Institute of Art. Susan lives with her husband and three “mangy mutts” in Tremont, a historical neighborhood of her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio.

FOR MORE INFORMATION about Susan Reagan visit her online or follow her on social media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susan_reagan/

TO ORDER Susan’s books, ring up your local bookstore or click here.

BOOK GIVEAWAY!

Want a chance to win a copy of SIMON SAYS OPEN THE BOOK?! Comment on this post or share it on Twitter. One lucky winner will be selected Thursday, September 5th! US addresses only please.