Author Interview: Marilyn Singer

On July 8, 2019July 5, 2019 By Only Picture BooksIn Author Interviews

This month’s Author Interview at Only Picture Books is with Marilyn Singer, the author of 90+ books for children and young adults. In addition to being an incredibly prolific author, she’s the host of the former AOL Children’s Writers Chat and currently co-hosts the Poetry Blast at various conferences.

Need more Marilyn bio nuggets? Try these five facts:

She LOVES swing dancing.
She auditioned for Jeopardy but didn’t get selected–yet.
She got to sing with a chorus for a track on the recording of the revival of the Broadway musical, Pippin.
She’s lives with a cat named Benito and a poodle named Bizzy.
She writes in so many different styles and genres—picture books, realistic novels, fantasy, mysteries, fairy tales, nonfiction, poetry, etc.—because it “keeps her from getting bored.”

Feel like you’ve got enough of a sense of things now to move straight to interview time? Let’s go!

Website: https://marilynsinger.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WriterBabe

RVC: It’s my understanding that your love for language emerged at a very early age thanks to the efforts of your family. What specifically did they do?

MS: My Romanian grandmother, who lived with us, told me marvelous stories every night. My parents read to me a lot, especially fairy tales and poetry. They also sang to me popular songs of the day. I grew up appreciating great lyricists such as Cole Porter, Ira Gershwin, Lorenz Hart, and Johnny Mercer. So, my family really did teach me to love language.

RVC: Rumor has it that you were writing your own poems in elementary school. What did you like most about poetry back then?

MS: I think I liked the rhythm and musicality, particularly because I loved songs and singing. I also liked the emotion behind poetry and the fact that it could move me and other people and also make us laugh.

RVC: Despite all that, you didn’t consider writing as a career until a few years after college, right? Why not? What helped you make the move into the world of words?

MS: Oh, I thought about writing as a career way back in elementary school—that, and having a dog kennel. 😉

But as I got older, my mom said that teaching was a stable career for a woman, and I decided she was probably right. So, I did become a high school English teacher, but I didn’t stay long in that career. I was rather rebellious and didn’t get along with the administration. When I quit teaching, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. My husband, Steve Aronson–head of the film department of the American Federation of Arts–got me jobs writing teaching guides and catalog copy about films and also filmstrips (remember those?). Then one day to my surprise, when I was sitting in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, I started writing stories about insect characters I’d made up when I was eight. I read the stories to Steve, who was encouraging, and I joined the Bank Street Writers Lab, and the members were also positive. I submitted those and other stories and I was very lucky. I got a manuscript accepted after about six months.

Would that it were that easy since!

RVC: Tell us a bit more about that first book and what it meant to you.

MS: Well, as I said, I was most fortunate. My first book was The Dog Who Insisted He Wasn’t. Ann Durell at Dutton accepted it and my next two books as well. I imagined my own dogs talking and having particular ideas and traits about personhood, and I think the book grew out of that. Once it and my next books were published, I decided that maybe I WAS a writer. It’s not an easy profession, though. It has serious ups and downs—from acceptances and rejections to good sales and low ones to books still in print for decades to those going out of print after a year. Still, I get to make my own hours and work in my pjs if I want to, and that’s not bad!

RVC: What’s one thing that non-poets don’t fully appreciate about poetry?

MS: Hmm, I don’t know if they realize that good poetry is hard to write and that it doesn’t always have to rhyme. A lot of folks who dislike poetry think it’s abstruse, which may be true of some poems, but certainly not all. Some also think that there’s just one type of poetry, which isn’t true in the least. I believe that there’s a poem or a type of poetry for all readers to enjoy. But they may need help finding it, which is where teachers, parents, other relatives, and friends come in.

RVC: Just the other day, I picked up Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reverso Poems in my weekly grab-whatever-catches-my-eye run at the public library. What made you think of creating a book like that?

MS: One day I was watching my cat sitting in an easy chair and a poem came into my head:

A cat Incomplete:

without A chair

a chair: without

Incomplete. a cat.

I began to wonder if I could come up with more poems like that. I wrote a number of them on a variety of subjects, but quite a few were based on fairy tales. I showed them to an editor who suggested I do an entire collection based on fairy tales, and that’s how Mirror Mirror (Dial, 2010), with divine illustrations by Josée Masse, came about.

I originally called them up-and-down poems. It was my husband who came up with the word “reverso.” To write a reverso, I follow strict rules—when the lines are reversed, there are changes in just punctuation and capitalization, and the second half of the poem has to say something different from the first half. These poems are tricky to write. I have to be in a games-playing head. Also, I have to write them on a computer, as opposed to a legal pad (which is how I write many of my poems) so that I can shift around the lines and see if they make sense.

RVC: You’ve got a host of animal-related books out in 2019 and 2020—one on presidential pets, one on insects and spiders, one on animals that live in cities, and one on how animals eat. Did you write a lot of animal poems and they sort of fell into these categories, or do you come up with the title/idea first and then create the poems?

MS: The theme came up first for each of those books. Then I started to write the poems. Two of those books, Bug Dipping, Bug Sipping (S&S, 2020) and Gulp, Gobble (S&S, 2019) are each really a single poem. Who Named Their Pony Macaroni? (Disney-Hyperion, 2019) and Wild in the Streets (Quarto, 2019) are collections. I never feel that I have a collection in the works until I write a minimum of five to seven poems. And then I have to write a lot more to finish the collection.

RVC: When do the titles happen?

MS: The title almost always comes last, sometimes after much discussion with editors, marketing people, and friends.

RVC: So, you’re essentially a lifelong New Yorker. And what’s something most people don’t appreciate or understand about being a New Yorker?

MS: That’s an interesting question. I think a lot of people believe that New Yorkers are cold or hard when in fact people here are generally friendly and helpful. I’m a native New Yorker and I find I start conversations with folks anywhere and anytime. People here love to give directions and advice on things to see and do. And they will help you if you are in trouble. I once tripped on the street and a stranger picked me up and held me until I said I was fine. We do tend to be in a hurry a lot of the time, though, and I know that when I’m trying to get to a Broadway theater, I get impatient with tourists taking selfies. 😉

RVC: How does your New York-ness play into your writing?

MS: I think the energy here gives me energy to write, and I also think some of my work is inspired by the city—books such as City Lullaby and poems in Nine O’Clock Lullaby, On the Same Day in March, A Full Moon Is Rising, Every Month Is a New Year, and Wild in the Streets, just to name a few.

RVC: Of the many awards and honors you’ve received, which meant the most to you?

MS: I was thrilled to receive the 2015 National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Excellence in Poetry for Children Award because it was for the body of my work. I found out I’d won it at a birthday brunch for my husband, so we both got to celebrate that day.

RVC: Now it’s time to close things out with the Awesome Sauce, Mesmerizing, Life-or-Death-Stakes* SPEED ROUND! (*life or death stakes not included!) Ready?

MS: As Neil deGrasse Tyson would say, “Let’s do this!”

RVC: Cake, cupcakes, or pie?

MS: Pie—or maybe tres leches cake.

RVC: Three careers you might’ve had if you never got into kidlit?

MS: Casting director. Zoo keeper. Cabaret singer.

RVC: So, you’re having a dinner party with three guests from the world of books. Living or dead, real or imaginary, what three characters would you invite?

MS: I’d invite Shakespeare, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Irene Pepperberg, who studies parrots. They’ve all written books/plays, so do they count?

RVC: Of course! It’s your party, after all. Next question–which of your books is your secret favorite?

See the source image MS: That’s a really hard question to answer. I’m fond of my first poetry collection, Turtle in July, and Mirror Mirror, too, since it was a surprise even to me! I also really like The First Few Friends, a YA novel set in the late 60s that bombed at the box office, as it were. I think it might’ve done better if it had been published today.

RVC: Most underappreciated yet awesome kidlit poet working today?

MS: All kidlit poets are underappreciated! Poetry is underappreciated! You’re not going to get me to name names. 😉

RVC: What would you like your literary epitaph to be?

MS: I came, I saw, I wrote about it.

RVC: Thanks so much, Marilyn!

Author/Illustrator Interview: Fred Koehler

On June 10, 2019June 6, 2019 By Only Picture BooksIn Author Interviews, Illustrator Interviews4 Comments

See the source image

This month’s Author/Illustrator Interview is with Fred Koehler, who first got on my radar at the 2017 SCBWI regional conference in Miami. I was sitting in the back row for the Heidi Stemple and Jane Yolen Picture Book Intensive, and this quiet, red-haired dude slipped into the chair behind me as the event started, and he ended up doodling/drawing/sketching the entire time. During one of the breaks, I finally asked him who he was and what kind of work he’d done, if any.

Fred kind of shrugged and said he’d done “a few things” and “had another thing coming out,” but didn’t give any indication that he was talking about his illustration work on “things” like One Day, the End and This Book Is Not About Dragons, as well as his own author/illustrated books How to Cheer Up Dad and Super Jumbo.

Way to slow play it, Fred.

Just in case you don’t yet have the full 411 on the fun coolness that is Fred, here are Five Fredtastically Freddifying Facts to help you out. Only one fact is an “alternate fact,” meaning 100% completely fakeroo-false. (If you can’t tell which one’s the fabricated falsehood, I’ll dish that answer in the finale of this interview.)

1—He’s got a dog named Cheerio Mutt-face McChubbybutt.
2—There’s an official Penguin Kids promo video for How to Cheer Up Dad where Fred gets hit in the face with Silly String and then a whipped cream pie.
3—Fred broke the Guinness World Record for having the largest traveling children’s book.
4—Fred bet me I couldn’t work 13+ words that begin with F in a single short bio-style paragraph.
5— Fred’s real-life misadventures include sunken boats, shark encounters, and a hurricane.

Need a bit more to REALLY feel like you know Fred? Here’s a KidLit TV video where he shows you how to draw a puppy!

With that, we’re ready. We’re set. It’s time to Fred it on!

Website: https://www.ilikefred.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/superfredd
Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/superfredd
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fred_koehler_/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7135838.Fred_Koehler

RVC: Let’s begin with the place where so much begins for you—Mitchell’s Coffee House. What’s the dealio?

FK: For me, every work space has a vibe and a specific energy. That energy might be emotional, psychic, kinetic (or it might all be in my head). Since I started going to Mitchell’s in college, it’s always been “home turf,” where good vibes flow and I can even go back behind the counter and refill my coffee if it’s busy.

RVC: You’re also pretty darn active in social media in a way that people seem to dig. What’s your seems-to-be-working philosophy?

FK: My formula is simple: Be open about my failures. Joke about them and learn from them in real time. I don’t go for perfect because my life is generally a mess. Perfect isn’t authentic or believable.

RVC: One of the constants in your path to success seems to have been SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators). Share how that organization played a part in your own journey.

FK: I prefer to be a lone wolf, but I’m slowly realizing that you have to have community. For the publishing world, there’s no better community than SCBWI. Loads of like-minded people, great instruction, and specific opportunities to connect with publishing dealmakers.

RVC: Any tips on how SCBWI can help launch the careers for other authors, illustrators, and author/illustrators?

FK: I recommend showing up to make friends, not deals. Then you start to see it as a lifelong journey, not some prize you’re racing to win. You can find peace with where you’re at, and still keep the fire lit to get where you want to be.

RVC: Let’s pin this down. You’ve done illustrating. You’ve done author-illustrating. So, do you consider yourself to be a words-first or pictures-first story creator?

FK: I sold my first two books as author/illustrator. But before that, I wrote some really terrible stuff including a novel-that-must-not-be-named-and-will-never-be-published. Most stories play out in my head like a movie, complete with narrative voiceover and camera direction. I can choose to write down what the narrator is saying, sketch out what the camera is seeing, or even dive into the head of one of the characters and describe the story through their perspectives and biases.

All of that, in a nutshell, is my superpower.

RVC: One of the benefits of being an illustrator is that you can justify a lot of trips for photographic/visual reference. (Okay, writers do this too!) When you illustrated Matt Forrest Esenwine’s picture book, Flashlight Night, you went a bit overboard with the research. What did you do to prepare you to illustrate that book?

FK: Well, the manuscript called for castles and waterfalls, old ships and foreign shores. So, I did what any illustrator would do and hopped a flight to Manchester so I could bum up and down the UK for a few weeks and find photographic reference for all of these illustrations. I did it all the cheap–youth hostels and public transit.

I had just about every adventure that the characters had in the book. Made friends. Got lost. Even bled a bit. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

RVC: You’re fortunate enough to call kidlit queen Jane Yolen a friend and a mentor. What are some of the most important lessons that she’s given you, explicitly or implicitly?

FK: Jane is famous for all sorts of great advice for writers. My favorite is about luck. She figures that luck makes its own path through the ether, wandering where it will to bless the heads and hearts (and wallets) of mortals at its own whimsy. But she also figures that there are things we can do as creatives to invite luck in, to nudge ourselves toward its path. Hard work is at the top of that list. If you’ve got a house in order and a bag packed when luck knocks on your door, you’ll be ready to join it on an adventure.

RVC: Since we’re talking about relationships with writers—what’s the best part about being married to another writer? (For those who don’t know, his wife is YA novelist Sarah McGuire, author of the terrific books Valiant and The Flight of Swans.)

FK: This is kind of deep, but one amazing thing about Sarah is being able to know her through the books she reads and writes. When she tells me how the Chronicles of Narnia sent her racing through her home, opening cabinets and closets trying to find an entrance, I know that we share a sense of the numinous. Or if I read a scene she wrote about, let’s say, betrayal, I could feel how deeply that knife cuts for her. An honest writer lays bare their soul on the page, warts and all. Who else gets to read and fall in love with another person’s soul? We’re a lucky pair.

RVC: Speaking of novels—talk a bit about how you moved your kidlit career from purely picture books to including a middle grade novel like Garbage Island (The Nearly Always Perilous Adventures of Archibald Shrew).

FK: Story came to me most naturally through words, so novels were my first love. I was just awful at writing them. But the format of a picture books honed my ability to tell a story succinctly and to add depth and meaning in the negative space. So, when I sat down to pen a novel after working on numerous picture books, I had a new sense of vision for what it could be.

Writing coach Joyce Sweeney taught me a lot about novel craft. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the Writer360 Breakout Novel Intensive as the training that filled in additional gaps in my novelist toolkit. And to bring everything full circle, that proactive work nudged me into the path of luck in the form of a publisher excited about whatever I came up with next. And when luck came knocking, I was ready.

RVC: Let’s look forward. You’re under contract to write The Sailing City (Boyds Mills Press, 2020), which is the sequel to Garbage Island. Can you share a little bit about that new book?

FK: The second novel was harder than the debut, and it’s still in first pass editorial so it’s hard to really even say. I half expect to get a letter saying, “Dear Fred, This sequel is an exceptional way to waste months of everyone’s time and 60,000 words.” But I’ll let you know.

RVC: You’ve been warned. I’ve been warned. All the elephants in Fred’s picture books have been warned. But here we all are—it’s time for THE SPEED ROUND! Fast Qs and equally fast As, please!

FK: Bring it!

RVC: Tater tots or French fries?

FK: Tots.

RVC: Best Saturday afternoon activity: fishing, writing, or drawing?

FK: I’m a fisherman first, artist second.

RVC: Coolest Harry Potter spell that doesn’t yet exist?

FK: Abra-ka-dinner.

RVC: The #1 picture book writer you’d LOVE to illustrate for?

FK: I don’t care who wrote it. Just send me a manuscript that’s equally brilliant, unusual, and impossible.

RVC: Best compliment by a child reader?

FK: I got a letter recently from a reader who loved Garbage Island, and subsequently started picking up trash in his neighborhood so it wouldn’t end up in the ocean. Does it get any better than that?

RVC: Three words that sum up your relationship with kidlit.

FK: Let’s stick with “brilliant, unusual, and impossible.”

RVC: Thanks so much, Fred! Much appreciated!

**For those of you who needed to cheat to figure out which of the Fred Facts is false, it’s #4. The over-the-top F business is all me. Blame OPB.

Author Interview: Carole Boston Weatherford

On May 13, 2019May 12, 2019 By Only Picture BooksIn Author Interviews

This month’s Author Interview is with NC-based writer Carole Boston Weatherford. She’s been on my short list for some time, and when I saw that she and OPB pal Rob Sanders were co-teaching a workshop on nonfiction at a regional SCBWI conference, I signed up. The day after that workshop, I moved her to the top of the Must-Have list.

Here’s a quickie bio that’ll give you a sense of why that happened.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Carole went on to earn a BA from American University, an MA from the University of Baltimore, and an MFA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her 50+ books have won two NAACP Image Awards, a Coretta Scott King Award, three Caldecott Honors, an SCBWI Golden Kite Award, the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, and many, many more. Somehow, she still finds the time to also serve as Professor of English at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina as well as be a frequent participant at writing conferences.

Are you starting to see why she’s an OPB must-have?

Let’s dive right in!

website: www.cbweatherford.com
GoodReads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/57825.Carole_Boston_Weatherford
Twitter: www.twitter.com/poetweatherford

RVC: You’ve said that books have been a part of your life for as long as you can remember. What were some of the early biggest influences?

CBW: I loved the folktale, How the Camel Got Its Hump. I also had a copy of the Caldecott award-winner Chanticleer and the Fox, and I had Robert Louis Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verses. My favorite poem was “The Land of Counterpane.” My fourth grade teacher introduced me to the poetry of Langston Hughes. To this day, I consider him my literary mentor in absentia.

RVC: Some people come later in life to poetry, but not you. You heard its lyric call in first grade, right?

CBW: A poem came to me out of the blue and I recited it for my mother on the drive home from school. She parked the car and wrote it down. A couple years later, she asked my father, a high school printing teacher, to have his students print my poems on the letterpress in his classroom. So, at an early age before the computer age, I saw my work in print. That gave me the audacity years later to think that I could become a published author.

RVC: What poetic technique should more prospective picture book writers work on to make their text more effective?

CBW: Picture book writers can employ poetic techniques such as aural qualities, distilled emotions, concrete imagery, economy of language, and rhythm to make their manuscripts sing.

RVC: How do you decide which poetic style/approach will work for a piece? Perhaps you might offer a book example or two by way of explanation?

CBW: The style and approach need to feel right for the project. Will the manuscript be free verse or rhymed couplets; from first, second, or third person point of view; a book length poem or a narrative sequence? For You Can Fly: The Tuskegee Airmen, I chose second person to put readers in the cockpit with the pioneering World War II aviators. For Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement, I chose first person so young readers could hear the voice of Ms. Hamer, a powerful orator and singer. For Before John Was a Jazz Giant: A Song of John Coltrane, I used repetition to riff about the saxophonist’s childhood. Jazz Baby and The Sound that Jazz Makes were both inspired by nursery rhymes.

RVC: So you’re a prolific writer. How do you balance your writing life with your non-writing life? What goes into your process of choosing which projects to take on?

CBW: Balancing literary, academic, and family duties is a juggling act. Balls sometimes drop. My literary mission is to mine the past for family stories, fading traditions, and forgotten struggles. The projects I take on advance that mission. Often, I am rescuing a subject from obscurity or am setting the record straight. Time is precious and finite. Thus, I need to be keenly interested in a subject because I never know how much research will be involved or how long the writing process will take. Likewise, I never know how long it will take to sell a manuscript.

RVC: Talk a bit about the CBW/JBW mother/son author/illustrator duo.

CBW: My son, Jeffery Weatherford, showed artistic ability at an early age so I put him in studio art classes outside of school. He went on to get a degree in digital design and an MFA in painting. You Can Fly: The Tuskegee Airmen gave me a chance to work with him as an illustrator.

I did some picture research for him and suggested that he create scratchboard drawings. But he did not show me every drawing upon completion. When I saw the illustrations, I was so proud. We’re working on a few collaborations now.

Jeffery is also a performance poet, and we’re working together on a hip hop novel.

RVC: How important is a critique group for a prospective picture book author?

CBW: A critique group can be crucial to an emerging writer. My critique group midwifed some of my early manuscripts, including The Sound that Jazz Makes, my first book to win a national award.

RVC: One of my favorite books of yours is Freedom in Congo Square. As a lifelong musician, I’m really drawn to that book’s connection to the musical communities of New Orleans, but I’m equally taken by the chant-like rhymes that feel so rooted in the structure of music. And who doesn’t love the folk-art style used by R. Gregory Christie, too, right?

CBW: Freedom in Congo Square was our third collaboration. When I first saw Greg’s illustrations for the book, I emailed him and said: “This is it for you. I don’t know what ‘it’ is, but remember that you heard it here first.” The book went on to win a Caldecott Honor.

RVC: So many of your books come hand-in-hand with an amazing origin story. What’s your favorite, and why?

CBW: Billie Holiday has been my muse since before I even realized I had one. But I almost didn’t write Becoming Billie Holiday for fear that young readers wouldn’t be familiar with her. Then, I was touring the Great Blacks in Wax Museum in my hometown of Baltimore. I was admiring the wax figures of musicians when a girl walked up and said, “Oooo, Billie Holiday.” I asked the girl what grade she was in and she indicated, “Eighth grade.” Then, I asked, “You’ve heard of Billie Holiday?” She replied, “Yeah, she could sing!”

When the girl moved on, I looked Billie’s wax figure in the eyes. She gazed back at me. It was almost as if she said, “I told you to write my book.” So, I got busy on what would become my YA debut.

RVC: Please say a few words about the state of multicultural literature in the kidlit world. And if you’d like to include a Call to Action, that’d be most welcome!

CBW: The first wave—actually ripple–of multiculturalism was in the 1960s and 1970s after the publication of Ezra Jack Keats’ A Snowy Day. In the early 90s, I was a new mother. Trips to bookstores and libraries with my children introduced me to a new crop of multicultural books. At the time, I was in an MFA program and was writing poetry for adults. I did some research about writing for children and realized that the industry was undergoing a multicultural boom. So, I entered the children’s book industry in 1995 during the second wave of multiculturalism. We are now experiencing the third wave. The term “multicultural” has been replaced by the word “diverse.” And in some cases, writers of color are being replaced by white writers who take on subject matter outside of their culture.

While We Need Diverse Books has raised awareness and created opportunities, the Own Voices movement has raised cultural sensitivity issues too complex to discuss here. For the sake of future generations, we must continue to grow the body of books by and about people from marginalized cultures and the opportunities for non-whites inside the industry.

RVC: We’re to the final questions now, which means we’ve reached the SPEED ROUND! Zoomy-fast answers, please. Ready?

CBW: Ready!

RVC: Most underappreciated living rap artist?

CBW: Noname. (Really! Love her.)

RVC: If you had to choose a career outside of the literary world, what would it be?

CBW: Fashion designer, filmmaker, or rapper.

RVC: What’s the most writerly type of pizza?

CBW: A pizza of my mind. Seriously though, I don’t eat pizza because my diet is primarily plant-based. Pizza without cheese doesn’t interest me.

RVC: Since you co-taught that SCBWI workshop together… what’s your favorite Rob Sanders picture book?

CBW: Peaceful Fights for Equal Rights.

RVC: Three words you hope every reader says/uses when they read one of your books?

CBW: That really happened?!

RVC: We started this interview by talking about books that influenced you, so let’s end with the names of three of your writing heroes.

CBW: Toni Morrison. Langston Hughes. Marilyn Nelson.

RVC: Thanks so very much, Carole!

Author Interview: Suzanne Slade

On April 8, 2019December 13, 2019 By Only Picture BooksIn Author Interviews2 Comments

See the source image This month’s author interview is with Suzanne Slade, the proud owner of Corduroy, a Yorkie considered by many to be the Cutest Dog in the World. While I had hoped to steer every question in this interview toward getting to know more about this amazing pooch, Suzanne wanted to also talk about picture books. So that’s what we have for you this month.

And yes, Suzanne DOES write some amazing kidlit. Here are a few of my favs of her 100+ published titles.

So let’s get into the nitty-gritty and ask Suzanne some questions about how she made it all happen. And maybe we’ll sneak in a Yorkie-adjacent question or two, as well. 🙂

Website: www.suzanneslade.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/suzanne.b.slade
Twitter: www.twitter.com/AuthorSSlade
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/1044563.Suzanne_Slade

RVC: So you went to college to study mechanical engineering. After graduation, you worked on car brakes as well as Delta and Titan rockets. How did you go from that exciting life–plus mom-ing–to being a published picture book author?

SS: Actually, it was while “mom-ing” that I started reading stacks of picture books to my two small children. That picture book immersion (and perhaps my lack of adult interaction), led to my interest in writing picture books. Now, learning the craft of writing picture books and getting published was quite another experience. It took 8 years of solid rejection letters before receiving my first book contract. During that time I took writing classes, joined several critique groups, and attended many SCBWI conferences and events.

RVC: What was the most important thing you learned about writing salable picture books in those early-career years of hard work and practice?

SS: My first book contract that took eight years to obtain was actually a work-for-hire project with an educational publisher. It took several more years to get my first picture book contract. There are many “important things” that lead to a “salable picture book.” But if I had to pick just one, I guess it would be giving your book topic a great deal of thought before spending too much time on research and writing. I learned the hard way that if the topic of the story wasn’t “salable” (one with broad interest to many readers that wasn’t already covered in other picture books), it really didn’t matter how good the writing was. During most publisher acquisitions meetings, the marketing team evaluates the sales potential of the book’s topic, which is key to a publisher deciding to purchase a book.

RVC: History is full of fascinating people, ideas, happenings, and subjects. How do you know that X is going to work as a picture book? Can anything work as a picture book, really?

SS: When contemplating a new picture book idea, I consider if the topic is: interesting (to me and to children), appropriate for the grade school crowd, if there are other picture books on the topic already, available sources, and if I have a unique angle or fascinating, little-known fact about the topic to share. If those items check out, then I think the topic will work as a picture book. Though there are picture books on a variety of topics (from pizza to pirates to Pluto), I think there are many subjects that wouldn’t work for a picture book.

RVC: What makes nonfiction topics like music, cars, and space come alive on the pages of a picture book?

SS: Whoa, big question! I think many factors lead to a compelling nf picture book such as a cohesive story thread, an interesting, non-traditional beginning, and sharing fascinating, little-known facts about famous events or people. Conveying information in an engaging way, perhaps through alliteration, unusual descriptive words, or strong verbs are great ways to help liven up a story. Of course, active, colorful illustrations are key to making a story come alive to the reader, so I’m always grateful to my illustrators who work so hard to create stunning, accurate artwork for my nonfiction topics.

RVC: Let’s talk about writing in verse, which you’ve done in books such as Countdown: 2979 Days to the Moon. How does the decision to write in verse come about? What do you think verse adds to a story?

SS: This may sound strange, but I didn’t decide to write Countdown in verse. The story made the decision. After years of research on the project, I finally decided it was time to start writing. When I sat and began writing Chapter 1, the words came out in short, powerful lines. The text felt tense and urgent, just like the events they were describing. So I kept writing in free verse.

RVC: Along with seven other authors and illustrators, you’re part of the Picture Book Builders blog. What do you find most rewarding from your participation there?

SS: I love reading the other authors and illustrators insights about the picture book gems they share. There are so many wonderful books releasing all the time, so it’s hard to keep up. Picture Book Builders helps me stay current with the newest and best picture books.

Also, the blog posts often share wonderful “insider” interviews with the creators who work so hard to make these fantastic books.

RVC: I’m a fan of your book Dangerous Jane. What was the biggest surprise for you from your research for that book?

SS: Before I’d thought of writing Dangerous Jane, I accidentally stumbled upon my “biggest Jane Addams surprise”—she was the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. I’d always admired how Jane founded Hull House to help struggling Chicago families, but had never heard of her peace work. Unfortunately, it seems few people know about Jane’s tireless work for peace. So I decided to write Dangerous Jane to share how this amazing woman who helped Chicagoans in need, also bravely fought to end World War I and bring peace. Ironically, the FBI named Jane “The Most Dangerous Woman in the America” (find out why in Dangerous Jane,) but she just continued helping others and was later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize!

RVC: The other day, I was in Ft. Myers, Florida at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, and there in the guest-house-turned-gift-shop, I saw a copy of The Inventor’s Secret prominently displayed. (Sidenote–when asked, the employee said it was a top-selling title there.) Why do those two historical figures belong in the same book?

SS: Edison and Ford were both passionate about creating contraptions that made life easier for people and were good friends. Early on, Edison had many successful, ground-breaking inventions, while Ford struggled to design his gas car. So a frustrated Ford decided to meet Edison and find out his inventing “secret.” After meeting, the curious inventors became friends. They went on camping trips together and purchased the adjacent Florida homes you visited. I also visited the Edison and Ford Winter Estates as a part of my research for The Inventor’s Secret (which the curator of the museum at the time, Alison Giesen, helped vet.)

RVC: You’ve had some good news recently about your new book, A Computer Called Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Helped Put American on the Moon (released March 12th).

SS: You’re right! Two exciting things have happened with that book. The illustrator, Veronica Miller Jamison, did a fine NPR interview about it. And I was invited to speak about that book on ABC’s Windy City Live.

RVC: Congrats with all that. And since we started the serious part of this interview with rockets, let’s end it with rockets too. You recently had a super-cool writer and rocket connection …

SS: My book, Astronaut Annie, is blasting off on a SpaceX rocket on April 25 for the International Space Station where it was read by an astronaut for the Story Time from Space program!

RVC: What great news! But now it’s time for the Lightning Round! Zaptastically quick answers, please. Which of your many pets is most likely to have a secret plan for world domination?

SS: My 8‑pound yorkie, Corduroy. (He already dominates our home.)

RVC: If you were a book, in what section of the library would you most like to be housed? (You know what those real estate folks say–location, location, location!)

SS: Non-fiction (I’m a practical, to-the-point kind of person.)

RVC: You’re going on a space journey. You can either take a single book that self-destructs after 100 readings, or 100 different books that self-destruct after a single reading. What’s your choice?

SS: Definitely 100 books!

RVC: The last great nonfiction picture book you read (that you didn’t write)?

SS: A Poem for Peter.

RVC: What’s your motto for picture book writing … that’s pithy enough for a t‑shirt or fortune cookie?

SS: I think I can! I think I can!

RVC: Three words that you hope come to mind when young readers encounter your books.

SS: Must know more!

RVC: Thanks a bunch, Suzanne!

Author Interview: Jamie L.B. Deenihan

On March 11, 2019March 11, 2019 By Only Picture BooksIn Author Interviews2 Comments

This month’s Author Interview is with Jamie L.B. Deenihan. To help give OPB readers a sense of who she is and what’s she’s all about, let’s play a quick game of Six Total Truths and One Big-time Pants-on-Fire Lie.

Which of the following feels completely false? (If you feel the need to cheat, the answer will be hidden somewhere in the interview!)

Jamie’s first book went through more than 30 revisions before being published.
Jamie had a book deal BEFORE she landed an agent.
Jamie lives in Connecticut, very near the family farm she grew up on.
Jamie has a Master’s Degree as a reading specialist.
Jamie’s writing is regularly fueled by dark chocolate and cheese popcorn.
Jamie was a hang-gliding instructor before she became a teacher and an author.
Jamie bungie jumped off a 50-meter tower in an Australian rainforest at night. Twice!

Website: www.jamiedeenihan.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jlbdeenihan
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jlbdeenihan
Instagram: www.instagram.com/jlbdeenihan/

Note: If you STILL feel like you need a bit more background-style stuff about Jamie, check out this nifty-good interview with her by Writers’ Rumpus. And spoiler–OPB will not be asking the same questions.

So without further hubbub and to-do …

RVC: So we met at Jane Yolen’s much-ballyhooed Picture Book Boot Camp. How’d you hear about that event, and what role did it play at your development as a picture book author?

JD: I learned about this opportunity on Facebook in 2017 and since I had my first book under contract with Sterling, I was eligible to apply. With great hesitation, I dropped my application in the mail and I’m so glad I did because attending PBBC played a huge role in my development as a picture book author. I attended PBBC during a time in my life when I needed a sign that pursuing a writing career was the right choice for me. Investing in myself and taking time away to work on my craft and build connections with other people on the same journey helped shift my thinking from “Am I an author?” to “I am an author.”

I was nervous to share my work to Jane, Heidi, and the other Boot Campers, but their feedback helped inspire new ideas and improve my work. Shortly after attending PBBC, I sold my second picture book to Sterling–When Grandpa Gives You a Toolbox–which was the manuscript I read during the PBBC group critique. Since then, I’ve been very fortunate to sell three other picture book manuscripts. I’m forever grateful to Jane, Heidi, and my PBBC family for their encouragement.

RVC: What are a few of the most meaningful lessons that Jane taught/showed you?

JD: One important lesson I learned was that Jane Yolen (over 370 books published) and Heidi Stemple (over 25 books published) still get rejections and navigate the unpredictable nature of the publishing industry just like everyone else. I was surprised to learn that their picture book, You Nest Here With Me, took 11 years to publish. 11 years! However, if you’ve read this picture book, you know it was well worth the wait. Regardless of the challenges or delays they faced, Jane and Heidi always have multiple projects in the works and are very involved in the writing community which helps keep them focused, inspired, and moving forward.

RVC: They’re such terrific role models. You’re right.

Jane and Heidi’s work ethics are unmatched.

I also love Jane’s saying, B.I.C. or Butt in Chair, which is a reminder that if you want to be a writer you need to get your B in the C and write. There are so many PBBC lessons I could mention here, but if anyone wants to get a sense of the awesomeness we got to experience at Jane’s house, I’d highly recommend reading Jane’s book, Take Joy: A Writer’s Guide to Loving the Craft. One of my favorite excerpts from the book is directly related to Jane’s B.I.C. philosophy. Jane says, “I will not wait around for inspiration but rush right into perspiration mode. I sit at my computer, fingers on the keyboard, and get to work. Writers write. It sounds too simple to be true, but there it is. Writers write.” I read this excerpt often, especially when I’m feeling stuck or doubting myself in any way. It inspires me to get my B.I.C. and get back to work.

RVC: What sparked your initial interest in writing picture books?

JD: Although I’ve always loved to read and write stories, I don’t remember setting goals to become a published author when I was a kid. I do remember wanting to be a veterinarian, until the day I observed a cow’s stomach surgery and quickly decided teaching would be a better fit. I grew up and became a first-grade teacher and a mom who was immersed in picture books for most of the day and I absolutely loved it! It was in those years of teaching full-time and raising two young children that I decided I wanted to publish a book someday. In 2014, my husband and I went to a free library workshop where I received tips about how to become an author. That’s the day I officially set a goal of getting published and I’ve been working at it ever since!

RVC: So your debut picture book, When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree, got a starred review by Kirkus! What was your reaction to that news?

JD: Before I celebrated, I quickly printed a hard copy just in case Kirkus made a mistake and tried to take it back. Then, I shared the news with my family and celebrated with the book’s illustrator, Lorraine Rocha, via Facebook Messenger. The review from Kirkus was an incredible honor especially since it was the first review I had received for my debut picture book. My favorite part of the review is the last line which says, “Charms from cover to cover.”

Mind blown. Heart melted. My hope is that kids, families, librarians, and educators will also think this book is star worthy.

RVC: If you had to write your own review for When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree, what would be the #1 best thing/element that you’d point out? (Yes, yes–someone has finally given permission for a writer to toot their own horn. So please do toot away!)

JD: Two things: the message and the art.

I’ve always loved the popular saying, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” and I think it lent itself well to this picture book concept because the story can be enjoyed at a very literal “lemons to lemonade” level or used to inspire much deeper conversations about facing adversity and creating positive change within ourselves and our community.

I also want to mention Lorraine Rocha’s art which brought the story to life with an expressive and diverse cast of characters. I was thrilled when Kirkus gave Lorraine a ton of well-deserved praise for her illustrations. And guess what? WE GET TO DO ANOTHER BOOK TOGETHER! Our second book with Sterling, When Grandpa Gives You a Toolbox, will be releasing in 2020! Woo-hoo!

Since I’ve had so much fun getting to know Lorraine, I asked her to give me 5 fun facts to include in this interview, so you could all get to know her a bit, too. (These are all true!)

Lorraine has four sisters which she says was not that fun growing up, but it is now.
Lorraine grew up in Santa Cruz, which means she has tried surfing.
Lorraine went to school for architecture and worked in the field for 7 years before switching over to illustration.
When Lorraine worked at Industrial Light & Magic, among other fun things, she got to create the images for the map sequence in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Lorraine’s family just got a pet bunny.

Learn more about Lorraine on Instagram @lorraine.rocha.art

RVC: Thanks for the bonus 411 on Lorraine! Good stuff.

Now if Hollywood wanted to make When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree into a live-action flick, who would play the You? The Grandma?

JD: This is a fun question, Ryan, and the description of a “live-action flick” makes me picture Grandma and the little girl dressed up like lemon tree Ninjas, sneaking through the night, rescuing lemon trees from people (like myself) who are doing a terrible job of keeping them alive. As far as casting for a movie goes, I’d leave that up to the professionals and hope they’d do a fantastic job like Lorraine did when creating the characters for our book.

RVC: What are some of the most important investments you’ve made in your own writing career?

JD: When I decided to pursue writing picture books in 2014, I had no idea what steps I should take first. Thanks to Dawn Metcalf, the local author who hosted the free library event we attended, I immediately joined a local critique group, became a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), joined Julie Hedlund’s 12x12 Picture Book Challenge, attended the New England SCBWI Conference in Springfield, Massachusetts, and participated in many online writing challenges including PiBoIdMo (now called Storystorm), ReFoReMo, and Twitter Pitch Contests. Those investments helped me get my first deal with Sterling, which helped me sign with my agent and made me eligible to attend Jane Yolen’s Picture Book Boot Camp. With each investment, I gained insight into the writing process and the industry, made meaningful connections with people, and gained confidence in myself.

RVC: So you’ve got two Tooth Fairy books coming out with Penguin Workshop–one in in fall 2019 and another in spring 2020. What was the biggest difference between writing your grandparents’ gift series and the Tooth Fairy books?

JD: The biggest difference was that the grandparent books were based on real-world stuff and (most days!) I live in the real world, so I could use my personal experiences to create the story. Since the Tooth Fairy books were based on fantasy figures and set in a world called Toothtopia, I had to do a lot of research and extra writing while sorting out the logistics. I wrote bios for my characters and an overview of Toothtopia’s mission. None of that was used in the manuscript, but helped me clarify my vision for the story. Thankfully, Penguin Workshop paired me with someone who is very knowledgeable about working with fantasy and could strengthen my story with her illustrations. I’ve seen previews of Erin Hunting’s illustrations and they are totally TOOTHRIFIC! We can’t wait to share our book, The Tooth Fairy vs. Santa, this fall! Erin is an Australian illustrator who has drawn comic covers for Adventure Time and Jughead, written and drawn a Garfield comic for BOOM! Studios, and worked in character design and visual development for Sesame Studios and Nickelodeon. You can follow Erin on Instagram and Twitter @erinhunting

RVC: Here’s the final question before the much-praised and rarely-equaled OPB SPEED ROUND. [Sidenote: If I were a more skilled computer person, I’d make it so once this Speed Round hype moment appears on your screen, it’d play that movie-style Duh-duh-DAH!!!! music to generate some last-minute heart thrumming.)

People ask me all the time about the G in “Ryan G. Van Cleave.” I typically go Gatsby-style and just invent a new reason every time, such as #2 here. In all honesty, it’s for two reasons. 1) So people stop calling me “Dr. Cleave.” 2) To differentiate myself from other “Ryan Van Cleaves,” of which there are more than a few, including an IT guru from Germany, an internet poet, and a California guy with a pretty hefty criminal record.

Your turn–what’s the dealio with L.B.?

JD: The explanation behind my initials isn’t as much fun as yours unfortunately. The L stands for Lightning, which is my middle name, and the B stands for Belgium, where I was born.

Whoa! You’re right, Ryan, making up answers to this question is so much fun!

But seriously, the L stands for Lynn which is my middle name, and the B stands for Bielonko, which is my maiden name and the name of the farm I grew up on. When I got married, I had a hard time deciding which name to part ways with, so instead, I kept them all!

RVC: It’s time for … THE SPEED ROUND! Ready? GO! What’s something most people don’t know about a lemon tree?

JD: I have always longed to be a successful lemon tree caretaker, like the determined little girl in the story. Sadly, I own three lemon trees and none of them enjoy living in my house despite my ongoing attempts to accommodate them with heat lamps, special fertilizer, bedtime stories, and encouragement. Logee’s Greenhouses in Danielson, Connecticut, however, has a Ponderosa Lemon Tree that is 119 years old and still producing lemons! I’ve visited Logee’s to see the tree in person and it’s awesome.

RVC: If “bacon” is the answer, what’s the question?

JD: What do you cook on Saturday mornings that sets the fire alarm off every single time?

RVC: Favorite Crayola color?

JD: Lemon Yellow. Actually, L.Y. was one of the first Crayola colors to be forced into retirement in 1990, but she’ll always be my favorite.

RVC: Most terrifically awesome picture book from 2018?

JD: Not fair. Just not fair. So, instead of naming one book, here are a few of my favorite 2018 titles–in no specific order–that my kids and I own and have read in the past few days because they’re terrifically awesome.

Julián is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
Iver & Ellsworth by Casey W. Robinson
Lovely Beasts: The Surprising Truth by Kate Gardner
Counting Birds: The Idea That Helped Save Our Feathered Friends by Heidi E.Y. Stemple
A Bear Sat on My Porch Today by Jane Yolen
Lost in the Library: A Story of Patience & Fortitude by Josh Funk
Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora
Giraffe Problems by Jory John
The Rough Patch by Brian Lies

RVC: Primary superpower of your super agent, Linda Camacho (interviewed at OPB here not so long ago!)?

JD: Linda is most definitely a super agent. She has a rock-solid background in all areas of publishing, she is laser focused on her clients’ careers, and I especially appreciate her lightning speed response times when we communicate. Linda has guided me in making my dream of becoming a picture book author a reality and I’m very proud to be represented by her and the powerhouse team at Gallt & Zacker Agency.

RVC: When OPB comes to interview you for the 10th anniversary of the publication of your debut picture book, what’s going to be the biggest literary-world highlight that you’ll have to share with us?

JD: I hope to tell you that my debut picture book is still in print and I’ve got many more books on the way. Anything else wonderful that happens will be a bonus.

RVC: Thanks so much, Jamie!

JD: It was my pleasure, Ryan! Thank you for everything you do to support picture book authors and their books. I look forward to cheering each other on for many years to come!

And for those OPB readers who are ACHING to know the answer to the Six Total Truths and One Big-time Pants-on-Fire Lie?

Although hang gliding is on Jamie’s bucket list, #6 is pure fiction. Completely not a fact. Not even an “alternative fact.”

Author Interview: Lesléa Newman

On February 11, 2019December 17, 2019 By Only Picture BooksIn Author Interviews

The February 2019 author interview at OPB is with … Lesléa Newman! Her name is well-known here in the halls of the OPB home office since we recently reviewed her new picture book, Gittel’s Journey: An Ellis Island Story. But she’s also written 70 other books for adults and children, and has won a host of awards, such as a National Endowment for the Arts poetry fellowship, the Association of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Award, and the Massachusetts Book Award.

Lesléa lives in Holyoke, Massachusetts. She’s a past poet laureate of Northampton, Massachusetts, and she’s a faculty member at Spalding University’s low-residency MFA in Writing program.

And in case you don’t yet own any of her books, here are a few of my favs.

Website: www.lesleanewman.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/leslea.newman
Twitter: @lesleanewman

RVC: At what point did you know that you were a writer? Where were the (warning) signs?

LN: I started writing poems when I was about 8 years old. I always knew I would be a writer; I never wanted to be anything else.

I was a voracious reader when I was growing up. As a teen, my friends and I all told our parents that after school we went to the library. My friends were all lying. I was the only one telling the truth! I loved going to the library. I still do.

RVC: Beyond being around books (something all writers love), what did you like most about the library?

LN: I loved that it was quiet, that I was left alone to wander through the stacks, and that it was a safe space where no one would tease or bully me (I was teased/bullied a lot as a teen). The library was and still is my safe harbor.

RVC: How does your work as a poet inform your writing of picture books?

LN: Picture books (even those written in prose) and poetry have so much in common. Both contain few words, so every word has to earn its space on the page. Both are written to be read aloud so one must be aware of the sounds of the words: the rhythm, the rhyme (if there is rhyme), the cadence. In other words, the musicality of the language. And both benefit from literary techniques such as alliteration, repetition, etc.

RVC: Let’s talk about Gittel’s Journey, which was reviewed here at OPB not so long ago. This is a book that came about from family oral histories. What kind of challenges did you have with using that as source material?

LN: I felt an enormous pressure to “get the words right” especially as the real Gittel’s daughter is still alive (she is 90) and I very much wanted her to feel good about the book. The book is an homage to an actual person who showed an incredible amount of courage. I hope it conveys that. I hope the children reading the book will get a sense of how brave Gittel had to be to cross an ocean alone and start a new life all by herself, without knowing if she would ever hear from or see her mother again.

RVC: Since we’re getting specific about your book, let me ask this–you’ve been asked oodles of questions before about Heather has Two Mommies. In retrospect, what’s the best (perhaps unappreciated) craft aspect about that groundbreaking title?

LN: It’s hard to write a book with a message without coming across as didactic. I did my best!

RVC: Many of your books have a clear commitment to accurately present Jewish characters, beliefs, and history. What’s the current state of the affairs in kidlit for those topics?

LN: Jewish children’s literature is alive and well! I’m happy to see that in addition to holiday books, there are books on a variety of other topics. I’m especially happy to see books that focus on diverse cultures. Some examples that I particularly admire are: Chicken Soup, Chicken Soup by Pamela Mayer which focuses on a girl with a Jewish grandmother and a Chinese grandmother; A Horn for Louis by Eric Kimmel which tells the story of how a Jewish family helped Louis Armstrong acquire a horn; and As Good as Anybody by Rich Michelson which is about two social justice icons, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Abraham Josua Heschel.

RVC: How do you feel about #ownvoices when it comes to books on Jewish issues and themes?

LN: I support #ownvoices — it is very important to hear stories being told by people who are speaking from direct experience. I have never thought about the concept in terms of Jewish issues and themes. As someone who has been challenged and censored, I would never tell other writers what they can and cannot write. What’s important is that a writer has good intentions, does thorough research, hires sensitivity readers, works really hard, and is passionately committed to the story.

For more about #ownvoices I highly recommend reading Jacqueline Woodson’s essay.

RVC: How important is the element of play in your use of language? And how much is too much?

LN: It depends on what I’m writing. I have recently gone back to writing humorous picture books. One in particular, which I just finished, contains a great deal of word play. Alas, since it has not yet found a home, I’m not quite ready to talk about it. Suffice to say that as a poet and picture book writer, my favorite thing to do is play with language. I can tinker with words all day. I don’t know that there can be too much of this. It all depends on the content of the story.

RVC: What are you currently reading? And please do offer a three-word review for each of those titles!

LN: Meet the Latkes by Alan Silberberg (picture book) Charming, hysterically funny!

The Friend by Sigrid Nunez (novel) Poignant, heartbreakingly beautiful.

A Cruelty Special To Our Species by Emily Jungmin Yoon (poetry) Devastating, important, life-changing.

RVC: I know the latter two of those, and you’re right–dynamite. Great choices.

But it’s time to move to the Lightning Round. Zappy-fast answers, please! Ready? If the animal kingdom ever rises up and takes over, which type of animal might make the best president?

LN: A cat of course. My cat would do a great job.

RVC: Describe your writing career using only film titles. Three max!

LN: My Brilliant Career, Almost Famous, Poetic Justice.

RVC: Most writerly flavor of ice cream?

LN: Vanilla, because it looks like a blank piece of paper!

RVC: Three things that are at the core of every picture book you write?

LN: Respect, acceptance, fabulousness.

RVC: Last picture book that you read and immediately thought, “WOW, I wish I wrote that!”

LN: Meet Miss Fancy by Irene Latham, illustrated by John Holyfield.

RVC: Best compliment you’ve ever gotten from a child reader?

LN: I love your shoes.

RVC: Thanks for being a great OPB guest, Lesléa. I appreciate it!