Happy Thursday Critters! I’m thrilled to feature an interview with author and illustrator Eva Byrne today! I was first introduced to Eva’s work when she released her debut as an author/illustrator, Along Came Coco: A Story About Coco Chanel, which I adore. If you haven’t read it— go out and pick up a copy. It’s utterly fabulous!
Many of you may be familiar with Eva’s illustration work, as she was the illustrator for Savanah Guthrie and Allison Oppenheim’s Princesses Wear Pants, a New York Times bestseller, which will soon be made into a Netflix series. I can’t wait for you all to meet Eva and her wonderful work!
So without further ado, please welcome Eva Byrne:
Where do you live?
I am lucky enough to live in the West of Ireland, right beside the sea in County Sligo. It is a beautiful part of the world.
How many years have you been in publishing?
I have been a freelance illustrator since I graduated from FIT in 94, I’m old enough to remember running into the editorial offices of newspapers with hand-drawn barely dry illustrations!
How did you first get published?
I was first published in national newspapers here in Ireland and in women’s fashion magazines. It was such a thrill to see my work in print. The very first children’s book I illustrated was for a French educational company, the editor had seen my work in a French fashion magazine and thought my fashion illustrations were a nice match for a book aimed at young teenage girls.
Do you write and illustrate full-time?
I do write and illustrate full-time.
What inspires you to create picture books?
I’m inspired by people’s stories, as a child I loved being around my grandmother and great grandmother and hearing the stories of their lives, also I worked for years as a fashion illustrator and I adore bringing fashion in the children’s books I illustrate.
What surprised you the most working as an author/illustrator?
I’m surprised by how fond you become of the characters you have brought to life, I suppose it makes sense, you spend a lot of time alone in the studio figuring out the characters and drawing their reactions to the situations they find themselves, it’s a pretty personal relationship.
What is your favorite thing about being an author/illustrator?
There are so many wonderful things about being an author/illustrator, from the excitement when you sign with an agency, then when you are offered a book deal, to building a relationship with an editor whose work you have admired and then the thrill of seeing your book in print!
What do you find difficult about working as an author/illustrator?
I find the few days after you have finished a book quite difficult, you have spent quite intense amounts of time alone and then you hit send and its all gone, then you turn around and the laundry room looks like a tornado just hit it and never mind the rest of the house. There is also that weird phase when you have become so used to your own company that you have to remind yourself to make an effort to see your friends and when you do you feel a tiny bit awkward because you need to brush up on your social skills! Luckily I have very understanding friends.
What do you do to shake the rust off or get new ideas?
I love stories about women and hidden histories particularly when they link into fashion so I tend to reach for my huge stacks of Vogues and Harpers Bazaar and try to find articles about trailblazing women in history/fashion.
Anything you are habitual about when it comes to creativity?
I habitually buy new sketchpads for each new project I’m working on however I also habitually end up drawing on envelopes, receipts and another bits of paper I can find in my car while my brand spanking sketchbooks sit untouched in my studio. I need to work on that!
Can you share a positive experience you’ve had in the Kid Lit community?
I had the pleasure of visiting the Conte West school in Connecticut last year with Along Came Coco (my first author/illustrated book) and the response of the children was so joyous and welcoming it just blew me away.
Recommended reading?
I would recommend reading the new children's books that come into your library, I do get funny looks from the other parents when I am sitting on a tiny chair surrounded by picture books, I would also recommend Show Me A Story by Leonard S. Marcus for an enjoyable and informative read.
What has been the highlight of your career thus far?
There are so many highlights in a children’s book career, each time you walk into a bookstore and see a book you have worked on sitting there, it’s such a cool moment, I recently walked into a store and saw Along Came Coco which I wrote and illustrated and Piglette, written by Katelyn Aronson, illustrations by moi, sitting side by side, that was pretty thrilling. (I probably need to get out more).
One definitive highlight was when Princesses Wear Pants made it onto the New York Times bestseller list. That was incredible.
Also, when I got the email that Piglette was getting her very own sequel, Piglette’s Perfect Plan, which comes out next year, that was pretty special and then when Abrams bought my latest book, SuperNana which I wrote and have just finished illustrating a few days ago, that was a real highlight!
What is something you wish someone had told you when you first started writing/illustrating?
I wish someone had told me to stop waiting for the perfect story. Agents and editors know if a story appeals to them and if it’s something that they can work with and what I’ve found is that it is a collaboration, and it is all the better for that.
Can you tell us about your newest book?
My newest book out in the world at the moment is Piglette by Katelyn Aronson, it is an absolutely gorgeous book about a little pig with big city dreams.
Interior art from PIGLETTE by Katelyn Aronson, illustrated by Eva Byrne
Jacket from PIGLETTE
It is a whimsical and gentle, perfect for cosy reading bedtimes. I loved illustrating this book and found being in the studio with Piglette was the perfect antidote to all the news beyond the studio door.
Art from SuperNana by Eva Byrne to be published by Abrams 2021
What’s up next for you?
Coming up next would be the revisions for SuperNana— tweaking the artwork here and there to get it as close to perfect as I can. I’m really excited about this book! When I started writing SuperNana I had no idea she would turn into such a spandex wearing powerhouse!
Also, I have been itching to get stated on a non-fiction picture book bio about Catherine Dior, Christian Dior’s younger sister who was a member of the French Resistance during WW2, the world famous perfume Miss Dior is named in her honor but so few know the story behind this remarkable woman.
Anything else you’d like to share with aspiring authors and illustrators?
To younger illustrators/authors I would say keep drawing and writing, really hone your craft so that it is your voice and vision that comes through the work.
And last, but not least, favorite 80s movie?
The 1980s movie that sticks in my head is Flashdance not because I’m such a great dancer more because of all the family vacation photos where I’m wearing a pink headband, in a misguided attempt to look like Jennifer Beale but in reality I’m looking a lot more like the Karate Kid. My mother did try to warn me…
Huge thank you to Eva for stopping by Critter Lit today! We love your books and are so excited to see Piglette and SuperNana out in the world!
EVA BYRNE has worked as a professional Illustrator since 1994 in editorial, advertising, package design and children’s book publishing. Recent clients have included Viking, Penguin Random House, Abrams Books for Young Readers, Collins Press, Orion, Simon and Schuster, American Girl, Netflix, Atomic Cartoons, Claire’s Accessories.
In 2017, Eva illustrated the New York Times bestselling Princesses Wear Pants and her follow up book Along Came Coco was chosen for a Bank Street Book of the Year award.
Eva’s background is in Fashion Illustration, where she has worked with clients such as Estee Lauder, Calvin Klein and Brown Thomas. Her work has been commissioned as gifts for front row guests during London Fashion Week.
This year Eva worked as a wardrobe consultant with Atomic Cartoons and Netflix on the upcoming series based on Princesses Wear Pants. She is currently writing and illustrating a new book, SuperNana, which will be published by Abrams in 2021 and illustrating Piglette’s Perfect Plan to be published by Viking Press 2021.
FOR MORE INFORMATION visit Eva online.
ORDER THIS BOOK To order a copy of PIGLETTE, click here.
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