Interview with Author Ryan Uytdewilligen

Happy Thursday Critters! Today we have an interview with a debut author, Ryan Uytdewilligen, to celebrate the release of his new book, THIS IS NOT MY STORY, illustrated by David Huyck, published by Kids Can Press in June. I’m a huge fan of meta picture books— especially ones that break the fourth wall, and this one does such a fantastic job! I’m thrilled to have Ryan and his wonderful new book with us today at Critter Lit.

So without further ado, please welcome Ryan Uytdewilligen!

Where do you live?

I live in York, Ontario, Canada – which is technically a part of Toronto! But it sounds fancier. 

When did you know you wanted to write picture books?

I’ve wanted to be a writer all my life. When I was six, I wanted to open my own bookstore called Pages and Pages and sell only my books! I had a lengthy journey coming around to the idea, working as a creative writer for a radio station, journalist, screenwriter, and finally novelist. But I always thought that the books that made me the happiest were the ones read to me as a kid. Fond memories. And I wanted to replicate that or provide others with that memory/connection. That would have only been about five or so years ago.

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

I had written and published fiction and non-fiction books beginning in 2015. I tried to write a children’s picture book at that time, but didn’t know the ins and outs. It rhymed and wasn’t very good to tell the truth. I matured and learned over the next three or four years and wrote This is Not My Story in 2018 while working in a bookstore. I sent it to a few publishers and finally KidsCan Press wrote back and said they loved it!

Can you share a bit about your process?

It’s different for every genre and project really, but children’s picture books are quite the challenge because you have to keep it entertaining for a young audience. You have to make every single word count. And above all, you have to be creative. That’s probably the best part is that creativity knows no boundaries when it comes to children’s picture books. So, all of my wackiest ideas sort of gravitate to that type to book.

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

I’m not one to not have ideas. I always have new ideas. Every day. Every hour. Are most good? Nope. But every now and then, I’ll perk up and one of those ideas will really grab me. Or I’ll circle back to it a few months or even years later. If that idea keeps popping up and sounding more and more attractive, I know that’s one I simply must do!

Anything you can’t live without while you write?

I’m a coffee guy. Coffee in the morning. Coffee at lunch. It feels wrong not to approach a blank page without a cup of warm coffee. Beyond that, I can write just about anywhere with just about anything.

Any authors and/or illustrators who inspire you?

Is it corny and too obvious to say Dr Seuss? I mean, that’s kind of like saying The Beatles is your favorite band. Its pretty much a given! But Seuss is a genius. Plain and simple. Roald Dahl also is a very creative mind that I find myself getting inspiration from. If anything, those two provide me with the drive to be as creative as I can possibly be. 

Dream project to work on?

That’s a tough one, but I’m a big Hanna Barbara nerd. To do stories with characters from The Flintstones, The Jetsons, or Scooby Doo would be absolutely incredible. I get a lot of my sense of humor from those cartoons. If they ever brought them back or published books with those characters, I’d love to be a part of that!

Tell us about your debut book.

An author and his hero embark on a genre-bending journey to find the right story. It starts with this captain of a tiny spaceship who is surrounded by flying saucers. He stops the story to inform the author that he belongs in a different story. Not sci-fi. The author considers this. Then he begins again, with a story about the quickest cattle wrangler in the West. It’s still not the protagonist’s story! Is he a dragon-slaying knight? A vampire’s next victim? There is a lot of fourth wall breaks that follow the two as they trying many different stories, ultimately teaching young readers the concept of genre.

What’s up next for you?

I’ve been bitten by the children’s book bug, so I have been writing down lots of ideas. I am a giant classic film fan and have been exploring ideas to introduce tween-age readers to older movies through books. 

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

The Cat in the Hat! He’s so sly and slick and wild! It’s every child’s dream to have a giant fancy cat show up and lead you in mischief. Heck! I would love for that to happen right now!

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Huge thank you to Ryan for stopping by Critter Lit today all the way from Canada! Congrats on your debut!

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Ryan Uytdewilligen is a Canadian screenwriter, historian, author, editor, and journalist.

Born in Lethbridge, Alberta and raised on the family farm outside the town of Coaldale, Uytdewilligen studied Communication Arts with a major in Broadcast Journalism at Lethbridge College – leading to work as a radio news anchor, television reporter, and copywriter. 

He later studied Writing for Film and Television at Vancouver Film School where he wrote and produced the short films Tea Time and Even the Devil Swiped Right.

His first novel, Tractor, was published in 2016 by Sartoris Literary. Taking inspiration from Jack Kerouac and Larry McMurtry novels, the story follows a teenager in the early 1960s drive a tractor across the American south.

Uytdewilligen’s second novel, Akela, was published in 2019 by BHC Press – earning numerous accolades including a nomination for the Pushcart Prize. It followed the century-spanning life of an adventurous sea turtle that becomes entangled in historical events as he searches for his long-lost love.

He is also the author of numerous non-fiction works including the film history book 101 Most Influential Coming of Age Movies and The History of Lethbridge, a look at the unique story of his hometown. 

His latest non-fiction work, Killing John Wayne: The Making of The Conqueror, tells the story of how the worst movie ever made, a 1956 epic starring John Wayne and produced by Howard Hughes, became a deadly disaster. It was published by Rowman and Littlefield. 

Ryan’s third fiction novel, He’s No Angel, was released in July of 2022. It is an absurdist comedy book satirizing Hollywood and the afterlife.

His first children’s picture book, This is Not My Story, was published by KidsCan Press in June, 2023.

FOR MORE INFORMATION about Ryan or his books, click here or follow him on social media:

Twitter - @R_Uytdewilligen

Facebook – Ryan Uytdewilligen Author

Instagram – RyanUytdewilligen

ORDER THIS BOOK To order a copy of THIS IS NOT MY STORY, click here.

WIN A COPY! Want to win a copy of THIS IS NOT MY STORY!? Leave a COMMENT below or RETWEET this post on Twitter. One lucky winner will be announced on Thursday, July 13th!

Interview with Author Shachi Kaushik

Where do you live?

I’ve lived in Austin Texas for almost 10 years and currently I live in Vancouver, British Colombia. I love living in both parts of the world. 

When did you know you wanted to write picture books?

I volunteered at the Round Rock Public Library, where I hosted a bilingual Hindi-English Storytime.  I found very few books, with South Asian characters. Seeing that gap i wanted to fill that void with my work and wanted to bring stories with universal themes yet holding elements of my South Asian culture.

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

I had no idea of publishing, and I was convinced to self-publish.  But then I joined the Writing Barn class in 2019 and after my first class, the world of publishing just opened. I joined the writing communities like SCBWI and 12x12. Took classes, attended events, and continued to write.

I found my agent in 2020 and sold my book in 2021. 

Can you share a bit about your process?

I start off by answering a few questions –

Character and settings- What they want and why- The conflict- The solution. 

Ones I have clarity I start off with my first draft, get it critiqued and improvise (this is on repeat). I also do storyboard as it gives me a better picture of structure, page turns and flow.  

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

To get the rust off I go for walks, visit the library, bookstores, and the museums. I feel we are always surrounded by ideas; we just have to catch them. I’ve been more observant to the nature and my surroundings.

Anything you can’t live without while you write?

My notebook and my special magic pencil. 

Any authors and/or illustrators who inspire you?

I have so many authors and illustrators that I inspire, but if I had to pick one it would be Author Mitali Perkins and illustrator Kadir Nelson.

Dream project to work on?

Write a book series and develop a show. 

Tell us about your debut book.

Diwali In My New Home, illustrated by Aishwarya Tandon, is a story about Priya, who loves to celebrate Diwali, (an Indian holiday) with family and friends. But this year Priya and her parents are living in North America, and no one seems to know about the holiday. Priya misses the traditions in India. But as she strings lights outside and creates rangoli art, Priya introduces the festival of lights to her neighbors. And even though the celebration is different this year, it's still Diwali.

Interior art from DIWALI IN MY NEW HOME by Shachi Kaushik, illustrated by Aishwarya Tandon

What’s up next for you?

More books to write, more shows to work on.  I just finished working on the YouTube original animated series ‘The Guava Juice Show’.  

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

Growing up in India, we had very limited access to Hollywood movies. The ones that were available became my favorite.  

Hollywood: Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. 

Bollywood: Mr. India

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Huge thank you to Shachi for stopping by Critter Lit!

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Shachi Kaushik is a bilingual Hindi-English children’s media enthusiast who is passionate about sharing stories. Part of the Children's Media Industry, she creates content for children that is entertaining, enlightening, and educational. Raised in India, Shachi currently lives in Vancouver with her husband. Shachi loves taking walks on the beach and eating gelato.

FOR MORE INFORMATION about Shachi or her book, visit her online or follow her on social media:

Website: storiesbyshachi.com

Twitter: @KaushikShachi

Instagram: @storiesbyshachi

LinkendIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shachi-kaushik/

ORDER THIS BOOK To order a copy of DIWALI IN MY NEW HOME, click here.

WIN A COPY! Want to win a copy of DIWALI IN MY NEW HOME Leave a COMMENT below or RETWEET this post on Twitter. One lucky winner will be announced on Thursday, September 29th! US addresses only please.

Interview with Debut Author Jess Hernandez

Happy Thursday Critters! I hope you are all enjoying the holiday season! Today, we have an interview picture book author Jess Hernandez. Her debut book, FIRST DAY OF UNICORN SCHOOL, illustrated by Mariano Epelbaum, releases with Capstone on January 1, 2021. I love that this book is a fresh take on a first day of school book— but with unicorns! It’s sure to be a big hit so make sure to check it out!

Without further ado, please welcome Jess Hernandez!

Where do you live?

I live in a little town in Western Washington. I grew up here, left, moved around, and wound up coming back.

When did you know you wanted to write picture books?

Growing up, I always liked writing, but I didn’t think I could make it a career. I’m diabetic, so health insurance was slightly more important than artistic fulfillment. But I grew to love picture books during my grad work in librarianship. There’s so much room for creativity within such a small space. When I got to a place in my life where I knew health insurance was taken care of, I let myself follow my passion.

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

My first attempt at writing for publication was a memoir. I worked on it for three years, then queried for another year. I racked up 140 rejections before I trunked it. I was devastated. So much time and work and agony for nothing! 

I wasn’t sure I could commit myself to a longer work like that again, so I turned to picture books. With two kids at home, it was what I read most anyway. I found a critique partner, read all the new picture books I could get my hands on, and followed writers on Twitter. Most of all, I kept writing and querying and getting better. But each time an agent requested more work, they would like this manuscript but not that one. It was super discouraging. 

Eventually another writer noticed my pitch on Pitmad and invited me to be in their critique group. That was the turning point for me. I found my people. I kept writing and querying, but I knew my stuff was leveling up. There were more agent requests, but still more rejections. I felt like I was going to spend my life being good, but not quite good enough. 

I decided to query the unicorn book to every agent on my list and then trunk it. One of those agents was Rena Rossner at the Deborah Harris Agency. I almost didn’t send her the unicorn query because she so seldom takes on picture book authors. Plus, she’s repped some really IMPORTANT BOOKS (New York Times Bestseller and multi-award winner Dear Martin by Nic Stone, for example) and I didn’t think she’d like my silly story about a donkey with imposter syndrome. But she was on my list, so I sent it any way. Two months later, she emailed asking to set up a call.

Even then, it was still a struggle. In the 18 months I’d spent querying the book, the market was flooded with unicorn stories. Every rejection we got from editors was some version of “nice, but we’ve already got one.” I was content to shelve it until unicorns stopped being the picture book version of YA vampire novels, but Rena was convinced it was different enough to sell. And thank heavens, she was right.

Can you share a bit about your process?

My story ideas always come in chunks – there’s a character but no story. A mood but nothing else. I try to stay open to these story blips and write them down as they come. Sometimes it takes years for the rest of the story to materialize, but it’s almost always worth the wait. Once it comes, I can usually draft the whole picture book in one go. With longer things, I write scenes out of order as they come to me and try to connect the dots later.

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

I take a walk, talk to my kids, or take a shower. Sometimes I need those quiet moments to let my brain do its thing and come up with whatever crazy idea or plot hole solution it wants. Other times, interacting with my kids really helps me get on their level and see the world through new eyes. 

Anything you can’t live without while you write?

I’m all about those cheap composition notebooks you get on sale in September. Every stupid idea, every plot hole fix, every genius line I have to write before I forget it goes in the notebook. It’s a mess and nobody would understand it but me, but I can’t function without it.

Any authors and/or illustrators who inspire you?

There are SO MANY. Jacqueline Woodson is a genius and every single one of her books has changed my life in some way. I love Ame Dyckman’s work. She’s so effortlessly funny and has such a quirky way of looking at the world. I’m also a huge fan of Tara Lazar, both of her books and the work she does to lift other authors. Yuyi Morales is super talented. Julie Falatko is another that I really respect. She’s super funny and real. Traci Sorell’s books are all really poetic and beautiful. There’s more but I’ll stop there.

Dream project to work on?

I would love to branch out and try writing middle grade and YA. Right now, the one I’m dying to do is a middle grade about a group of girls having a sleepover when a crop circle appears in the field next door – something that actually happened in my town when I was 13.

 Tell us about your debut book.

FIRST DAY OF UNICORN SCHOOL is the story of Milly, a donkey with dreams of attending the prestigious unicorn school. With a few creative photos in her application, she’s accepted and must make it through the school without anyone realizing what she really is: a donkey in a party hat.

What’s up next for you?

I have two picture books on sub right now, and I’m drafting a picture book about a little girl with sensory processing disorder who is obsessed with pirates. I also have an adult SFF short story coming out in the anthology DON’T TOUCH THAT!: An Anthology of Parenthood in Science Fiction and Fantasy, edited by Jaymee Goh.

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

I love Princess Bride (though I wish Buttercup’s character wasn’t interchangeable with a lamp).

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Huge thank you to Jess for stopping by Critter Lit today! Congrats on all your success!

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JESS HERNANDEZ is a writer, librarian, teacher and all-around word girl. When not being used as a human canvas for baby food art, she writes books for kids. Her debut book, FIRST DAY OF UNICORN SCHOOL, illustrated by Mariano Epelbaum, comes out in Spring 2021 from Capstone. Sometimes she writes essays, poems, and short stories for grown-ups, too. Jess lives in a very small, very LOUD house in Washington with her husband, their three children, a blind Labrador, and seven chickens.

FOR MORE INFORMATION about Jess or her work, visit her online, or follow her on social media:

Twitter @FinkHernandez

ORDER THIS BOOK To order a copy of FIRST DAY OF UNICORN SCHOOL, click here.

WIN A COPY! Want to win a copy of FIRST DAY OF UNICORN SCHOOL?! Leave a COMMENT below or RETWEET this post on Twitter. One lucky winner will be announced on Thursday, December 10th! US addresses only please.

Interview with Debut Author Lindsay H. Metcalf

Happy Thursday Critters! Today we have an interview with a debut picture book author that has not one, not two, BUT THREE picture books coming out this year! What a debut year! I’m thrilled to have today’s author with us and I can’t wait for you to read about her fantastic lineup of books this year.

So without further ado, please welcome Lindsay Metcalf!

Where do you live?

I live in rural Kansas, just three miles from the wheat, corn, and soybean farm where I grew up. My whole family lives here now, so my kids are blessed with abundant grandparent and cousin time. 

When did you know you wanted to write picture books?

I knew the day my youngest went to preschool and I finally had a few hours to myself. I had left my job as a newspaper reporter and editor a few years earlier to be a stay-at-home mom. In those early years caring for my sons, we read together constantly. The irreverent, funny new picture books we found surprised and delighted me. I wanted to try writing one, especially for my oldest, who was born with microtia/atresia—a malformed ear and no ear canal. I wanted him to see himself in a book. The day my youngest son went to preschool, I snuggled up with my Cavalier King Charles puppy in a cozy armchair and drafted the picture book of my heart, which spilled out way too long, descriptive, and didactic. But I couldn’t stop scratching the itch to write. I read up on how the heck people got published, and later that fall, in 2015, I found SCBWI and my first critique partners. The rest is herstory.

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

Because I had been writing daily for many years, I hoped my trajectory would be shorter than others who had less experience in writing. Ha. Pretty pompous, eh? Picture books spare no one, and my learning curve was steep!

I submitted that first story to all the editors and agents on faculty at my first regional SCBWI conference in 2015. Of course I submitted waaaay too soon. Fortunately, all those rejections included glimmers of kindness and encouragement. I began to understand what I had to do: attend more conferences and small, craft-focused workshops; collect critique partners; and devour craft books such as Ann Whitford Paul’s Writing Picture Books. I learned the basics in Susanna Hill’s Making Picture Book Magic course, began to thread nonfiction narratives in Kristen Fulton’s Nonfiction Archaeology course (which is no longer offered, unfortunately), and refined my craft in Renee LaTulippe’s Lyrical Language Lab. In the meantime I signed up educational webinars and participated in ReFoReMo, Storystorm (which was called PiBoIdMo at the time), KidLit Summer School, and other free craft challenges. I subscribed to newsletters such as KidLit 411 and joined writer-focused Facebook groups such as Sub It Club while following every kidlit blog I could find. 

Then in 2017, on the same day I won a mentorship through Tara Luebbe and Becky Cattie’s Writing with the Stars contest, I had “the call” with my agent. That was probably the best day of my kidlit career thus far. It took another year and a half to sell my first book. 

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

I get a lot of my ideas from reading the news. I subscribe to four newspapers — two local ones as well as the digital editions of the New York Times and the Washington Post. Email newsletters are also essential for nonfiction ideas. My favorites include the Smithsonian, JSTOR, Library of Congress, and the National Archives. I shake off the rust by playing with my kids. Whenever they say something clever, I sneak away to record it on my phone.

Tell us about your debut books.

I have three nonfiction picture books coming out in fall 2020. I consider all of them my debuts, so I hope you don’t mind if I tell you about all three.

BEATRIX POTTER, SCIENTIST, illustrated by Junyi Wu (September 1, 2020, Albert Whitman & Company), is a picture-book biography focused on the interplay between the author's foundational love of science and burgeoning talent as an artist. As a child, Beatrix kept a meticulous cabinet of labeled and pinned insect specimens, and even boiled her pets after they died so she could articulate and study their bones. Then, as she traveled northern England and Scotland as a young woman, she fell in love with fungi and fell down a decade-long rabbit hole of obsession that ended with her breakthrough science on spore germination being presented to the Linnean Society, which wouldn’t allow her to attend because she was a woman. 

NO VOICE TOO SMALL: Fourteen Young Americans Making History (September 22, 2020, Charlesbridge) is a picture-book poetry anthology co-edited by me, Keila V. Dawson (THE KING CAKE BABY) and Jeanette Bradley (LOVE, MAMA), and illustrated by Bradley. It features short biographies about contemporary young activists who are taking the lead where grown-ups aren’t moving fast enough. Subjects include literacy activist Marley Dias, water protector Jasilyn Charger, Scout for Equality founder Zach Wahls, and immigration reformer Viridiana Sanchez Santos. Contributors include Nikki Grimes, Joseph Bruchac, Lesléa Newman, Guadalupe García McCall, Carole Boston Weatherford, Traci Sorell, Hena Khan, G. Neri, and more. You can find a complete list of our amazing contributors at the link above. 

FARMERS UNITE! Planting a Protest for Fair Prices (November 10, 2020, Calkins Creek) will be illustrated with archival photos and targeted toward more of a middle-grade audience. In the late 1970s, grain prices had tanked, farm auction notices filled newspapers, and people had forgotten that food didn’t grow in grocery stores. So, on February 5, 1979, thousands of tractors from all parts of the US took to the highways and flooded Washington, DC, in protest. Farmers wanted fair prices for their products and demanded action from Congress. After police corralled the tractors on the National Mall, the farmers and their tractors stayed through a snowstorm and dug out the city. Americans were now convinced they needed farmers, but the law took longer. I grew up on a Kansas farm, so this rarely told story of grassroots perseverance and economic justice hits home for me. I wrote it imagining that it would be illustrated traditionally and reach an audience of children about age 5-9. My editor, Carolyn Yoder, saw the potential for a 9-12 audience using photos, and although my manuscript hasn’t changed fundamentally, the book now spreads over 64 pages! It’s strange how these three are all coalescing at the same time. I started writing FARMERS in October 2016 as part of the Nonfiction Archaeology class. That story has been through thirty-plus major revisions. I began researching BEATRIX a year later. NO VOICE TOO SMALL sold first, though—on proposal in a whirlwind collaboration in 2018 that began in a private Facebook group for #kidlitwomen. 

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

Eighties me would say it’s a toss-up between “Mannequin” and “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” These were my go-to sleepover flicks. My friends and I would fantasize about winning a TV dance contest or being a time-traveling mannequin while we played on a three-in-one pool, table tennis, and air hockey table and ate greasy pizza.

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Huge thank you to Lindsay for stopping by Critter Lit today! Congratulations on your THREE debuts! We can’t wait to see what you write next!

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LINDSAY H. METCALF is a journalist and author of nonfiction picture books: Beatrix Potter, Scientist; Farmers Unite! Planting a Protest for Fair Prices; and No Voice Too Small, her co-edited poetry anthology about young change-makers. Lindsay lives in north-central Kansas with her husband, two sons, and a variety of pets. You can reach her at lindsayhmetcalf.com.

FOLLOW LINDSAY ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Twitter and Instagram: @lindsayhmetcalf

Subscribe for updates: lindsayhmetcalf.com/newsletter

BUY THIS BOOK To order a copies of Lindsay’s new books, click here.

WIN A COPY! Want to win a copy of BEATRIX POTTER, SCIENTIST?! Leave a COMMENT below or RETWEET this post on Twitter. One lucky winner will be announced on Thursday, September 10th! US addresses only please.

Interview with Debut Author Carrie Finison

Happy Thursday Critters! Today we have an interview with Carrie Finison, whose debut picture book is one I’ve been excited about all year, DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS, illustrated by Brianne Farley! It’s got math, it’s got animals, it’s got rhyme, AND it’s got DOUGHNUTS— one of my absolute favorite treats (seriously, they were the favors at my wedding, that’s how much I love them)! What more could you ask for?! I’m thrilled to have her stop by Critter Lit today to talk about her road to publication, process, and upcoming books. So without further ado, please welcome Carrie Finison!

Where do you live?

I live in Arlington, Massachusetts. The town’s former name is Menotomy, which the teenagers snarkily call Monotony. But it’s actually a fun and interesting town filled with fun and interesting people. Especially the teenagers.

When did you know you wanted to write picture books?

I think I always thought writing picture books would be a really cool thing to do, but kind of in the same way that you think of climbing Mount Everest or going to the moon as a really cool thing to do. It was probably around 2010 that I started to think I could actually try to write picture books and maybe even get one published. I was already writing for children on a work-for-hire basis for educational publishers at that point, and I was reading TONS of picture books with my own two kids. I think the combination of those two factors made it feel slightly possible — or at least slightly *more* possible than climbing Everest or going to the moon.

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

It’s been a long and bumpy road. I took my first picture book writing class in 2010. I had been doing work-for-hire writing as I mentioned above, and also had some success getting acceptances with children’s magazines so it felt like a natural next step. I joined a few writing groups including SCBWI, and took more classes like Susanna Hill’s Making Picture Book Magic. I started going to conferences. I joined several critique groups. I kept writing, sending a few manuscripts to editors, but set my sights on landing an agent. I was honored to win the Barbara Karlin Work-in-Progress grant from SCBWI in 2014. I thought for sure that manuscript would sell and, while it came very close at several houses, it didn’t. It wasn’t until 2017 that my agent was able to sell the first manuscript — one that I never thought would be my debut — and DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS was on its way to publication.

Can you share a bit about your process?

I tend to write in spurts, so once I have an idea I’m off to the races with a rough draft. Then I share with my critique groups for feedback, revise, share again, and so on. At some point I usually get stuck and then it goes in a drawer for anywhere from 2-6 months so I can look at it with fresh eyes later.

Also, even though I’m a writer-only, I always make a dummy book by folding together half-sheets of paper and taping my cut-up manuscript to them. Sometimes I draw little stick-figure pictures on each page, or just pencil in a written description of what I think could appear there. I carry this little mini-book around with me for several weeks so that whenever I’m sitting around at a kid’s soccer game or dentist appointment, I can take it out and page through it, making edits to the text as they occur to me.

Since I often write in rhyme, a big part of my process involved staring off into space trying to come up with different ways to say the same thing, and combing through Rhymezone.com and other rhyming dictionaries to come up with interesting rhymes. I also ask other people to read the manuscript aloud to me so I can hear it in someone else’s voice. My family is very patient!

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

There’s an exercise that Ann Whitford Paul mentions in her book Writing Picture Books, that I do quite often. Her recommendation is to type out the text of an already-published picture book in order to study the page turns, how much text is on each page, and so on. I find it valuable for that kind of study, but also to ease myself into the writing mood — just the act of typing sentences written by someone else gets my ear, voice, and fingers ready to do my own writing.

Anything you can’t live without while you write?

Rhymezone.com for sure, if I’m writing in rhyme! 

I also like to make myself a cup of decaf coffee or tea, take a few sips, and then let it go stone cold while I get absorbed in what I’m doing. Then I reheat it in the microwave, but forget that I have done so and rediscover it around dinner time. It’s all part of the process.

Any authors and/or illustrators who inspire you?

There are so many! 

Picture book authors: I love Ame Dyckman’s work. It’s always clever and unexpected. Pat Zietlow Miller gets heart on every page. Laura Gehl is an incredible writer with great language, and her humor really appeals to me.

Illustrators: Oge Mora is my favorite author/illustrator at the moment. I loved Saturday and Thank You, Omu, and her illustrations for Rita Lorraine Hubbard’s The Oldest Student were brilliant. Ekua Holmes’s work in The Stuff of Stars by Marion Dane Bauer blew me away, and I was equally starry-eyed over Diana Sudyka’s illustrations in Hayley Barrett’s gorgeous book, What Miss Mitchell Saw.

All genres: I always look for anything new by Grace Lin, in any genre. I also love Kelly Starling Lyons’s work. Linda Sue Park blew me away equally with her picture book Xander’s Panda Party (rhyme I can aspire to) and the middle-grade A Long Walk to Water. Cece Bell cracks me up, always.

SOMEBODY STOP ME!!! Really, I could go on all day.

Dream project to work on?

I don’t know that I’ve dreamed it up yet! I tend to get very enthusiastic about whatever I’m working on currently, which actually makes the inevitable rejections that roll in a little easier to take. My advice to picture book writers is, always be so in love with your current project that rejections on your older projects don’t sting so badly. That’s been true for me so far.

Interior spread from DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS written by Carrie Finison, illustrated by Brianne Farley

Tell us about your debut book.

My debut is called DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS. It’s about a bear named LouAnn whose getting ready for hibernation by making herself a giant batch of doughnuts (as one does). However, her neighbors begin to drop by and she ends up dividing all her doughnuts between them and forgetting to save any for herself. Then she runs out of ingredients. LouAnn expresses her feelings about this rather loudly, scaring her friends. But (surprise!) they come back with an apology, and pitch in to make a giant doughnut party with plenty for everyone. So it’s about sharing, friendship, math (as each batch of 12 doughnuts is divided by the factors of 12 – 2, 3, 4, and then 6) and of course DOUGHNUTS! And, the illustration by Brianne Farley are absolutely delectable. Fair warning – if you read it, you will want a doughnut!

What’s up next for you?

My second book, DON’T HUG DOUG, comes out in January, 2021, from Putnam. It’s about a boy who says “no, thanks!” to hugs, and is meant to (humorously) spark conversations about consent and bodily autonomy with children. Daniel Wiseman is the illustrator and his child characters are colorful and full of fun.

After that, HURRY, LITTLE TORTOISE will hit the shelves in 2022 from Random House. It’s about a little tortoise who has grand illusions of herself as speedy. She tries her hardest to get to school on time, but keeps getting passed by her classmates. There’s a funny twist at the end that I hope will bring a smile to readers faces. Erin Balzer is illustrating the story. She recently posted some hint on Instagram that she’s beginning the illustration work and I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE IT. Also, I love it when illustrators do that.

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

Pretty tough to pick just one! But if I had to, I think I’d say Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Ohhhh YEAH!

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Huge thank you to Carrie for stopping by Critter Lit today! Congrats on your debut and all your upcoming books! We can’t wait to read them all!

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CARRIE FINISON began her literary career at the age of seven with an idea, a box of markers, and her father’s typewriter. She has been writing off and on ever since, though she has (somewhat regretfully) traded in the typewriter for a laptop. Her debut picture book is DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS (July, 2020), and a second picture book, DON’T HUG DOUG, will follow in January, 2021. She also writes for children's magazines including Babybug, Ladybug, High Five, and Highlights. When she’s not writing, Carrie enjoys reading mystery novels, trying new recipes, and curling up on the couch for family movie nights. She lives outside Boston with her husband, son, daughter, and two cats who permit her to write in their cozy attic office. Find her online at www.carriefinison.com or follow her on social media:

Website: https://www.carriefinison.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carrie.finison

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarrieFinison

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

BUY THIS BOOK To order a copy of Carrie’s debut picture book, DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS, click here.

WIN A COPY! Want to win a copy of DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS?! Leave a COMMENT below or RETWEET this post on Twitter. One lucky winner will be announced on Thursday, August 20th! US addresses only please.

Interview with Author Gabi Snyder

Happy Thursday Critters! Is anyone else wondering how it’s Thursday already?! These days I find that I have no idea what day it is for most of the week— and then suddenly it’s Thursday and time to post Critter Lit’s interview with another fabulous writer and/or illustrator! Today, I’m thrilled to be interviewing the lovely and talented Gabi Snyder, whose debut book, TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE, illustrated by Robin Rosenthal, just came out at the end of May. I love this picture book so much— it’s fun and hilarious with fantastic art! A winning combination.

So without further ado, please welcome Gabi Snyder!

Where do you live?

I currently live in Corvallis, Oregon. We moved here 7 years ago from Austin, Texas. But moving to Corvallis was a kind of homecoming because I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and attended college at UW in Seattle.

When did you know you wanted to write picture books?

In the early aughts, I studied English-Creative Writing at The University of Texas, with a focus on writing fiction for adults. Afterwards, I took a variety of jobs that involved writing. But I didn’t discover that I wanted to write picture books until I became immersed in reading them daily with my two littles. Seeing how the words and pictures work together to tell the story, I fell in love with this art form. I think I wrote my first picture book draft in early 2014.

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

Once I started writing picture books, I (foolishly?) started submitting to agents and editors right away. From 2014 to 2017, I received over 100 passes from agents and editors. But thrown in the mix were some champagne rejections and a few requests to see more work. Finally, in 2018, I found my agent, the fabulous Natalie Lakosil of Bradford Literary. I had sent Natalie three of my picture book manuscripts. When I received an offer from a small press for one of those manuscripts, I “nudged” the handful of agents who were reading my work at that time. Natalie responded that same day, requesting that we set up a time to chat. I had the impression that she’d already been considering me as a potential client and my “nudge” may’ve just moved things along. Since I signed with Natalie, we’ve sold two picture books. 

Can you share a bit about your process?

One big piece of my process as a writer involves reading. Though I rarely get to read picture books to my kids (now 10 and 12) these days, I still read piles of them to myself. As I’m reading through picture books, I’m tuning in to which books move or surprise me, which books I want to read again and again. Seeing which books resonate with me helps inform the type of books that I want to write.

I like to start each writing session with a “free write” to clear away the cobwebs and to capture anything that’s worrying me or that I want to remember. After that, I try to stick to a schedule. I block out a certain amount of time for working on picture book manuscripts. And then, time permitting, I have blocks for revising my middle grade manuscript, writing critiques, etc. I try to work some exercise into the schedule, too.

In terms of my process for working on a particular picture book manuscript, I like to let my drafts “marinate.” So, after drafting a new story, I generally set it aside for several days or even weeks. If, after marination, I still think it’s worth pursuing, I revise. Usually after a marination period, I’ll have new ideas for tackling problems I’m having with the manuscript. After a few more revision/marination cycles, if I still like the story, I send it to a critique group for feedback. They usually see issues I hadn’t even considered. A story might go through a few more revision cycles after critiques before I deem it ready for my agent. And sometimes I realize a story just isn’t working and end up setting it aside for several more weeks, months, or even years.  

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

I find that my writing “flows” better if I take a walk before or between writing sessions! In fact, I love to take my notebook and pen with me on long walks. I’ve worked through thorny plot problems while walking and have had countless ideas pop into my brain while strolling through my town or hiking in the woods. I think it’s a combination of the repetitive movement involved and the inspiration that can come from a change of scenery. 

Anything you can’t live without while you write?

Coffee!

Any authors and/or illustrators who inspire you?

So many! Two authors who consistently move me with their writing are Jacqueline Woodson and Julie Fogliano. 

Dream project to work on?

I have a mess of ideas, but no one dream project. However, one idea that’s turned into a fun puzzle is figuring out how to write a time travel picture book in a way that works for young readers. I haven’t come up with any great solutions so far, but it’s an entertaining challenge!

Tell us about your debut book.

TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE, illustrated by Robin Rosenthal and just out (May 19) from Abrams Appleseed, starts with a gate left open and a dog escaping her yard to join a poodle on a trike. Soon it’s three dogs on a scooter and then four dogs on a bike. With each new mode of transportation, a new dog is added to the fun. But what the pups fail to notice is that the original dog’s family cat is in hot pursuit. 

I love Robin Rosenthal’s illustrations and the 80s retro vibe she achieved, especially with the cat character’s wardrobe. My favorite spread comes when we reach “10 dogs,” and there’s a realization. That last animal? Not a dog! The revelation spread and the one that follows are my favorite parts of the story. And while my illustration notes made clear who that not a dog is, I didn’t specify where we are. Robin’s illustration for that spread is hilarious and unexpected! 

Interior Spread from TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE, written by Gabi Snyder, illustrated by Robin Rosenthal

What’s up next for you?

My second picture book, LISTEN, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin, will be out in spring 2021 from Simon & Schuster/Wiseman. LISTEN begins with noise: the BEEP! WOOF! ERNT-ERNT! VROOM! of a busy morning, and draws the reader closer as it encourages listening to quieter and quieter sounds. It promotes mindfulness and not only hearing, but really listening, paying attention to the quiet, and even silence, around and within you.

Right now I’m juggling several picture book manuscripts, but it’s hard to say when each will be “submission ready.” I’m also drafting a middle grade novel and an early chapter book. 

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

Tough question! I’m going to say E.T., but I also loved Footloose, The Color Purple, When Harry Met Sally, Pretty in Pink, and Do the Right Thing. And The Princess Bride! I could list a dozen more!

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Huge thank you to Gabi Snyder for stopping by Critter Lit today! Congrats on your debut picture book TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE! We can’t wait to check out LISTEN next year!

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GABI SNYDER is a reader, writer, and lover of chocolate. Gabi’s debut picture book, TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE, is out now (May 2020) from Abrams Appleseed, and her second picture book, LISTEN, will be out in spring 2021 from Simon & Schuster/Wiseman. Gabi lives in Oregon with her family, including one daredevil dog and the cat who keeps everyone in line.

FOR MORE INFORMATION on Gabi, visit her online at gabisnyder.com or follow her on social media:

Twitter: @Gabi_A_Snyder

Instagram: gabi_snyder_writer

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

WIN A COPY! Want to win a SIGNED copy of TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE?! Leave a COMMENT below or RETWEET this post on Twitter. One lucky winner will be announced on Thursday, June 18th! US addresses only please.

Interview with Debut Author Paulette Bochnig Sharkey

Happy Thursday Critters! It’s so nice to be back with you all. I hope you are staying healthy and safe during this quarantine.

I’m thrilled to be sharing today’s interview with you because today is the very first time I’m interviewing a debut published author who I had the chance to work with through Critter Lit’s critique service! It’s so wonderful to see a project come full-circle. Frank and I receive lots of critique requests through the site, sometimes we get to work with people again, but most of the time we have no idea what happens to the manuscripts we critique. Generally, we are a stop along the publishing journey for many picture book authors. But with Paulette’s manuscript, I’m thrilled to say she got published! I was so excited to hear she sold her manuscript when she reached out to let me know. It’s wonderful to be apart of that process. I’m so excited for Paulette and can’t wait to share her debut book, A DOLL FOR GRANDMA, illustrated by Samantha Woo, with all of you today.

So without further ado, please welcome Paulette Bochnig Sharkey!

Where do you live?

I live in East Lansing, Michigan, home of Michigan State University. Go Green! 

When did you know you wanted to write picture books?

I didn’t grow up with picture books. The first childhood books I remember are the ones I read to myself, starting probably around 4th grade, like Nancy Drew mysteries and the Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace. I still have all my hardcover copies.

My introduction to picture books came much later, when I became a mom, which was in 1984. My daughter and I shared huge stacks of books every bedtime. I loved the minimalism of picture books and decided I wanted to write one. But decades passed before I made that happen.

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

When I was a stay-at-home mom, I sold a lot of nonfiction articles and word games to children’s magazines like Highlights, Ladybug, Cricket, and Hopscotch.

But it wasn’t until I retired from my job as a reference librarian that I got back to my goal of writing a picture book. I joined SCBWI and took a Writer’s Digest University course, “Writing the Picture Book.” During that 4-week course, I drafted a manuscript that, after many critiques (including a very helpful one from you, Lindsay!), became my debut picture book. 

Can you share a bit about your process?

Because I write more nonfiction than fiction, my process usually starts with research. I like hunting for interesting, even elusive nuggets of information. I think it’s the reference librarian in me. The problem is, I enjoy it so much that I sometimes have a hard time stopping the research and getting to the actual writing!

I like to have a fairly good opening line before I start writing. Of course, the opening often changes multiple times, but I seem to need it to get me going on a story. Recently, I’ve started writing a pitch before I write my first draft. I put the pitch at the top of my WIP to keep me on point.

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

Like many others, I often get ideas when I’m not at my desk. I find walking helps clear my mind to make room for new ideas. I read a lot for inspiration, heeding the advice of poet Jane Kenyon that writers need to "Read good books, have good sentences in your ears." 

During the Covid-19 pandemic, when it has been hard to focus on writing at all, I’ve turned to one of my favorite anxiety-tamers for word lovers: crossword puzzles. It’s hard to worry about your problems when you’re solving a crossword.

Anything you can’t live without while you write?

I need my computer, a good light source, and complete quiet. It’s nice if I have a cup of hot green tea, too, but that’s not a requirement! And I prefer to write first thing in the morning, before my mind gets cluttered with concerns of the day. I’m not a go-to-a-coffee-shop-to-write kind of person (and we can’t do that right now anyway). Too many distractions there. I’m happiest writing in my upstairs home office, with a nice view of squirrels scampering through the evergreens. 

Any authors who inspire you?

Oh, there are so many! I adore the writing of Kevin Henkes. So much humor and heart. A Weekend with Wendell is the first picture book I remember reading with my daughter that made us both laugh. In fact, I’m sure I laughed harder than she did. 

I’m a big fan of picture book biographies and am working on one myself. Two titles that I greatly admire and return to again and again for their lyrical language are Margarita Engle’s Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln and Jennifer Berne’s On a Beam of Light: A Story of Albert Einstein.

And there have been some beautiful picture books about memory loss published in the last few years, like The Remember Balloons by Jessie Oliveros, The Tide by Clare Helen Welsh. Travels with My Granny by Juliet Rix, Finding Grandma’s Memories by Jiyeon Pak.

Dream project to work on?

I’m a pianist and have written several music-themed picture book manuscripts, including a biography of 19th century pianist Clara Schumann. I like projects that let me shine a light on lesser-known female musicians.

I also have an idea for a book about adoption that’s dear to my heart but I have not yet been able to find a way into that story. 

Tell us about your debut book.

A Doll for Grandma: A Story about Alzheimer’s Disease, illustrated by Samantha Woo (Beaming Books, May 2020), is a picture book about a little girl named Kiera, whose grandmother develops Alzheimer’s disease and moves into a memory-care home. There, Kiera embraces Grandma’s altered sense of reality and figures out a new way for the two of them to play together and sustain their close relationship. It’s a story about empathy, kindness, and the special bond between grandparent and grandchild. It’s about loving and accepting people as they are, even when they change.

My inspiration to write A Doll for Grandma came from many years working as a volunteer pianist in memory-care homes and from caring for family members with dementia. The best way to interact with people living with Alzheimer’s is to enter their reality, rather than trying to bring them back into our world. My main character models this behavior when she gives Grandma a baby doll. Kiera and Grandma care for their baby dolls together, sharing moments of joy and meaningful connection.

I’m fortunate to be able to donate all my author proceeds from the book to support Alzheimer’s research. We must find a cure.

What’s up next for you?

I’m querying agents and hope that 2020 is the year I receive an offer of representation!

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

Big, from 1988, a sweet, funny Tom Hanks movie, directed by Penny Marshall. There’s a great scene where Hanks and Robert Loggia play “Chopsticks”—with their feet—on a giant keyboard at an FAO Schwarz toy store.

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Huge thank you to Paulette for joining us on Critter Lit today! Congratulations on your debut!

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PAULETTE BOCHNIG SHARKEY worked for many years as a librarian, first in her home state of Michigan, and later in Australia, Nevada, and Wisconsin. She is the author of two library reference books and dozens of articles for children’s magazines. Paulette has also worked as a recipe indexer, braille transcriber, developmental editor, proofreader, and ghostwriter. A DOLL FOR GRANDMA is her first children’s book.

FOR MORE INFORMATION on Paulette, visit her online or follow her on Twitter @PBSharkey

BUY THIS BOOK To purchase a copy of Paulette’s book, click here.

WIN A COPY! Want to win a giveaway copy of Paulette’s debut book, A DOLL FOR GRANDMA?! Leave a COMMENT below or RETWEET this post on Twitter. One lucky winner will be announced on Thursday, May 14th! 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 Debut Author Ashley Franklin

Happy Thursday Critters! Today, I’m thrilled to feature debut author Ashley Franklin! Her new picture book, NOT QUITE SNOW WHITE, illustrated by Ebony Glenn, released this past July with HarperCollins. I love the story, message, and charming illustrations in this book, which I think Kirkus Reviews sums up perfectly:

“A feel-good picture book and a great reminder that classic princess roles can be reimagined to embrace inclusion, diversity, and body positivity.”

So without further ado…please welcome Ashley Franklin!

Where do you live?

I currently live in northwest Arkansas. 

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

I didn’t know I wanted to seriously write children’s books until I had kids of my own. I wanted to write books that had characters that looked like them and their family members. I also wanted to write books that I felt I needed as a kid.

Can you share a bit about your process?

I’m a work from home mom, so my process is probably a bit unorthodox for most. For example, I don’t write every day. I spend a lot of time thinking things over in my head and taking notes on my phone.

I’m still trying to get the hang of waking up early to write, but I do find that I am most productive once the kids are in bed and I’ve chugged some coffee.

I’m a quick writer and a slow reviser when it comes to picture books because those early drafts are really me compiling those mental and phone notes and seeing what comes of them.

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

Honestly, I do two things: watch cartoons and consult with my kids. I watch cartoons to check out popular themes and see how they’re tackled and why they worked. My kids are in elementary school, so their perception of things is still pretty spectacular.

Anything you can’t live without while you write?

A good pen! I prefer to draft using pen and paper, but I cannot stand a pen that doesn’t write smoothly!

Any authors and/or illustrators who inspire you?

Tara Lazar—I admire people who can be funny on purpose. That’s not my gift at all!

Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow—I love her way with imagery. She’s very detail oriented and can really paint a picture. Reading her work challenges me to slow down and really be more deliberate with imagery in my own work.

Vashti Harrison—Everything she does is ridiculously gorgeous. She’s just amazing. That’s not much more you can say.

Dream project to work on?

That’s a tough call. I don’t really have an answer for that because right now I feel like any project I’m working on passionately is a dream project.

Tell us about your debut book.

NOT QUITE SNOW WHITE features a talented young girl named Tameika who is great at singing, dancing, and acting. Tameika auditions for the lead role of Princess Snow White in her school’s musical because it’s one of the few roles she hasn’t played and Snow White is her favorite princess. Unfortunately, Tameika’s confidence is shaken when her peers question if she is right for the part because of her appearance. Tameika has to decide if she will let what others say keep her from pursuing her dream role.

What’s up next for you?

I’m continuing to write picture books, but I’m expanding into middle grade. The middle grade bug bit me thanks to a middle grade short story I wrote as a contributor to an upcoming middle grade anthology. It’s called Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices and is scheduled to be released May 5, 2020.

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

Umm...I was born in the 80s, so I’d have to go with a movie I remember most vividly, and that’s Oliver & Company.

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Huge thank you to Ashley for stopping by Critter Lit today! Congrats on your debut book— we can’t wait to see what comes next for you!

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ASHLEY FRANKLIN is a writer, mother, and adjunct college professor. Ashley received her M.A. from the University of Delaware in English Literature, where she reaffirmed her love of writing but realized she had NO IDEA what she wanted to do about it. Ashley currently resides in Arkansas with her family. Her debut picture book, NOT QUITE SNOW WHITE, was released July 9, 2019 by Harper Collins.

 FOR MORE INFORMATION about Ashley visit her online: www.ashleyfranklinwrites.com or follow her on social media:

Twitter: @differentashley

Instagram: @ashleyfranklinwrites

Facebook: Ashley Franklin

TO ORDER Ashley’s book, ring up your local bookstore or click here.

BOOK GIVEAWAY!

Want a chance to win a copy of NOT QUITE SNOW WHITE?! Comment on this post or share it on Twitter. One lucky winner will be selected Thursday, August 29th! US addresses only please.

Interview with Debut Author Hannah Stark

Happy Thursday Critters! Today we have an interview with debut picture book author Hannah Stark. Her first book, TRUCKER AND TRAIN, illustrated by Bob Kolar, comes out on August 6th with Clarion Books and has received fabulous reviews. Vehicle books are big in our household so I can’t wait for this one to come out! We are so excited to have her with us today to share about her debut book and her road to publication.

So without further ado…please welcome Hannah Stark!

Where do you live?

I live in Brooklyn, NY.

When did you know you wanted to write picture books?

Ever since I was a kid I enjoyed writing but never thought I’d share it with others, namely keeping travel journals and pocket notebooks. In 2004 I started teaching third grade in the New York City Public Schools.  We did a project with the book Beatrice’s Goat by Page McBrier. I was inspired by how this picture book grew awareness for the organization Heifer International and was positively impacting so many people.  

My boyfriend at the time ran a non-profit in Senegal and we spent a summer living in Dakar. While he worked I did a ton of reading, writing, and exploring. I started writing down stories I heard the kids tell and making up stories of my own. By the end of the summer I had a notebook of stories drafted. I never did anything with those stories but for the first time my writing had arc. For the first time, I wondered if I could someday write my own picture book. 

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

In 2013 I decided to apply to author/illustrator Pat Cummings Picture Book Boot Camp in Brooklyn with half a draft of TRUCKER AND TRAIN.  Pat saw potential in the story from the beginning. She really challenged me to walk out of Boot Camp with a polished project and somehow I did. Afterwards, she encouraged me to start submitting the manuscript. Five editors passed on the project before Lynne Polvino at Clarion Books/HMH Kids believed in it and helped me bring my story into the world.

Can you share a bit about your process?

As a third grade teacher and single mom I write in spurts when my schedule (and energy level) allow. The first drafts of TRUCKER AND TRAIN were actually pecked into my phone while riding the subway to work. There are post-its of first lines hanging on my kitchen wall. I add to them when I cook or clean. Sometimes my boys help me with them over dinner.

I like writing by hand and draft in pencil in an oversized artist’s book. When I feel ready to move forward with a page or draft I type it up, print it, and then revise on that page in pencil. When I’m happy with my revisions I edit them on the computer, print it, and repeat the process over and over.  

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

For me, there are many ideas but not enough time. When I don’t get to look at a project for a few weeks because things are busy I usually start by just sitting and reading beautiful writing. These days that tends to be something by Jacqueline Woodson or Mary Oliver.  

Anything you can’t live without while you write?

There’s nothing concrete. I think the only thing I really need is a reminder to be patient with myself.

Any authors and/or illustrators who inspire you?

I’m really inspired by Sophie Blackall and how she persisted with her career as a single mom. The Horn Book just printed her Caldecott Medal acceptance speech and she describes working on books at the kitchen table while her kids did their homework. That sounds a lot like my home.  

I’m also inspired by Rob Sanders who I was in a course at the Highlights Foundation with in 2018. He’s also an elementary school teacher and has been creating books in the hours when school is not in session. I’m so inspired by his career that started as a teacher with a writing passion side hustle. I’m so happy to see his career really take off with the releases of PRIDE and STONEWALL. He’s also a super sweet person.  

Dream project to work on? 

I’d love to write humor. We laugh a lot in my classroom and I think I get kid humor but I’ve never tried anything like it before.  

Tell us about your debut book.

My book TRUCKER AND TRAIN is about a big rig named Trucker who loves to rule the road with his size, strength, and mighty horn. One day he meets the larger, stronger, and louder Train. Trucker quickly realizes that Train is bigger, stronger, and louder but isn’t using his might for power. Instead, Train is well-adored by the other vehicles. TRUCKER AND TRAIN is a story about using our strengths for good. 

I was inspired to write the story when my son was three. I saw how some kids in his class relied on their size and strength during play since their verbal expression was just starting to develop. I hope the book is seen as more than a book about trucks and trains for vehicle loving toddlers. I hope young readers and their adults will use it to open up conversations about kindness, compassion, and the idea that with great power comes great opportunity.  

What’s up next for you?

I’ve been working on three non-fiction and historical fiction manuscripts. I love history and untold stories that kids can connect to today. The projects are geared towards an older reader than TRUCKER AND TRAIN but they are true passion projects and I love developing them. My goal is to get two of them submitted this summer. Fingers crossed!

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

Without a doubt it has to be Sixteen Candles.

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Huge thank you to Hannah Stark for stopping by Critter Lit today! Congrats on your debut picture book, we are so excited for you and can’t wait to see it on shelves!

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HANNAH STARK grew up watching her mom, Marisabina Russo, create picture books in her studio. She remembers a house filled with children's books as well as bags of teaching materials because her father was a teacher. Today Hannah's home is filled with picture books and teaching materials, too. Hannah has been teaching elementary school in the New York City Public Schools for fifteen years. She loves making and sharing resources for other educators and teaching kids to write. She was inspired to write her debut book, TRUCKER AND TRAIN, while playing with her sons, Jackson and Travis. When not writing or teaching, Hannah can be found taking road trips and train rides to unfamiliar places.

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

Twitter

Instagram

TO ORDER Hannah’s book, ring up your local bookstore or click here.

BOOK GIVEAWAY!

Want a chance to win a copy of TRUCKER AND TRAIN?! Comment on this post or share it on Twitter. One lucky winner will be selected Thursday, August 8th! US addresses only please.

Interview with Debut Author Sheri Dillard

Happy Thursday Critters! Today we have an interview with debut author Sheri Dillard! Her picture book, COWHIDE-AND-SEEK (how cute is that title??!), illustrated by Jess Pauwels, just came out this past Tuesday. (Congrats Sheri!) We are thrilled to have her with us on Critter Lit today!

So without further ado…please welcome Sheri Dillard!

Where do you live?

Atlanta, GA

When did you know you wanted to write picture books?

When my three sons were picture book age, we lived in Lewisburg, a small, central Pennsylvania town. Our friendly borough was surrounded by rolling hills of farmland, and it was almost like living in the pages of a picture book. 

It was during this time that I created COWHIDE-AND-SEEK. I wasn’t even writing yet, but I woke up one night around 2am with the idea of a cow character who accidentally leaves her farm and (unknowingly) creates chaos wherever she goes. I loved it so much that I jumped out of bed and quickly wrote it down so I wouldn’t forget. I'm not sure why I wanted to remember it, exactly. Maybe I just wanted to share my dream with my husband and kids? But the next day, I started writing. 

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

Those kids of mine that I mention above? The picture book aged ones? They are now in college and beyond, so that gives you an idea of the length of my road!  But it all worked out pretty well, actually. Now in my first year as an empty-nester, I have my debut book to focus on. And its release date is just before my twin sons come home from their first year of college, so they can help me celebrate. Great timing!

A few months after I first started writing, I discovered SCBWI. It's such a helpful and supportive community, and I always mention it to anyone interested in writing for children. And it was through SCBWI that I connected with my two critique groups. (Hi Crumpled Paper and Critcasters!) Both the experiences of getting critiques and giving critiques helped me grow as a writer. (And still do!)

I spent years writing, revising, critiquing, and then repeating with more writing, revising, and critiquing. I went to conferences. Sent submissions to editors and agents. Eventually, my form letters improved to personal letters and finally to revision requests. And I came really close a couple times.

But my big break came during a Twitter pitch party. (Which is such a surprise because I am still learning how all this social-media stuff works! LOL) The event was called #PBPitch and it eventually led to me signing with my agent Liza Fleissig. We haven't sold the manuscript that she signed me for - (yet!) - but I love that COWHIDE-AND-SEEK will be my first book. And I love that this story found a home at Running Press Kids. Julie Matysik and her team at RPK are wonderful!    

Can you share a bit about your process?

I love to revise. It feels like working on a puzzle, and it is so satisfying when everything starts to fit together. And I love working on manuscripts that I haven't read in a while because I'm seeing them not only with "fresh eyes" but also with the eyes of a more experienced writer.

An important part of my revision process is to read the manuscript out loud. It really helps me see (and hear!) what needs adjusting. I'm a librarian at a preschool, and I have regular weekly storytimes in all the classes. (Love it!) Sometimes, when I'm at home working on a new story, I'll read it out loud and imagine that I'm reading it to one of the classes. It soon becomes clear where I might lose the kids' interest or where things might be confusing. And also where things might be funny or exciting. And that very last page, right before I say, "the end," needs to be satisfying, in some way. 

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

Ideas usually come to me when I'm not paying attention, LOL. I've gotten several ideas when I'm out for a run, and as I'm running, I'll record the ideas on my phone. The combination of my southern accent and the huffing and puffing (from my run) makes for interesting notes, and sometimes that will spark another idea! 

Captain

Anything you can’t live without while you write?

Laptop. Coffee. And I love having my writing companion, Captain, nearby. (He's great at reminding me to take writing-breaks with a nice walk around the neighborhood.)

Any authors and/or illustrators who inspire you?

Ooh, that will be hard to narrow down. I love fun and silly picture books, so I'll say Tammi Sauer, Doreen Cronin, Jan Thomas, and Chris Haughton. One of my all-time favorite picture books to give as a gift is BARK, GEORGE by Jules Feiffer. 

Dream project to work on?

Actually, I like to think that my dream already came true. Literally! That story idea that woke me up at 2am is the idea that started my writing career and will be my very first picture book. Pretty dreamy, I'd say.

Tell us about your debut book.

COWHIDE-AND-SEEK is about a cow, Bessie, who hears her farmer counting and mistakenly thinks he's starting a game of hide-and-seek. She hurries off to hide and accidentally leaves the farm. Now, the farmer really IS looking for her, but it's not because he's playing the game-- it's because his cow is missing! 

And since Bessie has left the farm, her hiding spots are in places where you typically wouldn't see a cow. Poor thing, it's hard to stay hidden when people keep pointing at you and saying things like, "I see a cow!" Each time, Bessie patiently tries to explain how important it is to stay quiet while hiding, but no one understands "moo." So she has to mooove on...

I love Bessie's earnest efforts to find the perfect hiding spot and her joy in simply playing the game. (The illustration on the very last page is my favorite. :)

What’s up next for you?

As I write this, I'm preparing for my book launch party at my favorite children's bookstore, Little Shop of Stories in Decatur, GA. And on the book's release date, May 7th, I'll be celebrating with some of my favorite people (kids and adults!) at the preschool where I work. It will be a special storytime for me because I'll be sharing my very own book with everyone. (And rumor has it that my preschool director plans to dress up as a cow that day and "hide" around the school. So fun!)

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

Oh my goodness-- I just checked the release dates for my three favorite movies, and they were all made in the 80s! Moonstruck, When Harry Met Sally, and Raising Arizona.

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Huge thank you to Sheri for stopping by Critter Lit today! We are so excited for your debut! Congrats!

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SHERI DILLARD is a children's author and preschool teacher/librarian. She lives in Atlanta, GA, with her husband Mark, three sons, and a 100-pound puppy named Captain, who is not so good at hiding. Cowhide-and-Seek is her first book.

FOR MORE INFORMATION about Sheri, visit her online here or follow her on social media:

Twitter: @sheridillard

Instagram: @sheridillard

TO ORDER Sheri’s book, ring up your local bookstore or click here.

BOOK GIVEAWAY!

Want a chance to win a copy of COWHIDE-AND-SEEK?! Comment on this post or share it on Twitter. One lucky winner will be selected Thursday, May 16th! US addresses only please.

What's up on deck? Tune in next week for an interview with author Gail C. Krause!