This month’s Author Interview is with Kansas City-based writer Bridget Heos—pronounced HEE ose—who’s written more than 120 children’s books (with most of them being nonfiction). She got her start in writing kidlit because one of her four children wanted to read more books about turtles, so Bridget wrote one.
She never thought she would write picture book fiction, but then Bridget read every book on a “Top 100 Picture Books” list and got inspired. Soon after, she got the idea for Mustache Baby.
OPB LOVES the Mustache Baby series. But we’re also fans of these books, too (among many others of Bridget’s).
Clearly Bridget figured out how to write picture book fiction at the same level as her terrific nonfiction writing!
So, without further ado, here’s the April 2021 Author Interview with Bridget Heos!
(If you want to check her out on social media before diving into the interview, here’s what you need–enjoy!)
RVC: You’re said that you grew up in a family that told lots of stories. What was that like and what type of stories were YOU telling?
BH: I loved listening to their stories. My mom told scary stories that were meant to teach a lesson, like the time her cousin sunbathed for too long. She fell asleep and ants crawled in through her ears and started eating her brain. She was scratching so bad she needed a straightjacket! I can’t tell you how many times I repeated that story as the God’s honest truth I THOUGHT it to be.
My dad told quieter stories of growing up. But I’m not sure what stories I told. I was kind of shy growing up. I think that’s why I wanted to write my own stories down.
RVC: That ant story gives me the willies. Wow!
So, what was your writer’s journey when you first started writing those stories down? And how has it changed since then?
BH: In the beginning, I was writing like crazy. I was doing mostly work-for-hire books and had to write a certain amount each year because writing was my full-time job. By the time I looked up, I had written more than 100 books! I was also woefully behind in all the non-writing stuff you’re supposed to do as a writer. Now I write fewer books each year but pay more attention to connecting with readers and other children’s book people. I’ve especially loved doing school visits—before the pandemic, I got to travel all over the country!
RVC: What are a few school visit highlights?
BH: I love when I get there and everybody is wearing a mustache for Mustache Baby! A lot of times they’ll have done art or made a welcome sign related to one of my books. It’s all very touching. My favorite part is getting to connect with people after the talk, whether it’s me signing their books or them coming up to ask a question afterwards.
I thought the virtual visits would be different. Honestly, I worried that the kids would be bored. But they have been so much fun. At the end of one, a student unmuted and said, “I’ll miss you.” Then another student unmuted and said, “We’ll all miss you.”
I think that, when they’ve read your books, they feel like they know you a little bit, and I would agree. Most of what happens in my fiction stories happened in my real life and most of what I write about in nonfiction is stuff I think is interesting. During the visits, I encourage them to think about that in terms of themselves:
What in my life could I put in a story?
What topics do I want to learn more about?
RVC: Let’s talk about critics—both internal and external. How do you deal with them?
BH: In terms of inner critic, mine is not too bad. I know that I put my heart into every book. Step by step, I do the work that needs to be done and make the decisions that make the most sense at the time. Criticizing myself because of how someone interprets that seems unfair. I’m not a fortuneteller!
As for outer critics, a bad review hurts but doesn’t surprise me. I’m more surprised when I get a good review, like, “Oh, wow. I finally did something right.” If it’s really scathing, I’ll complain to my husband and then he’ll read it aloud in this pained voice, as though I have hurt him personally by writing such a poor book. It makes me laugh.
RVC: It sounds like he’s a great writing partner.
BH: Yes, he is very supportive. It takes a long time to build a writing career, and he saw me through all that! Although, it’s funny talking about writing to someone who is in a different business. He’s in construction. Once I was talking about all the revisions I had to do and he said, “Well, that’s a change order. They need to pay for their change orders!”
RVC: At one point, you taught writing in junior high. How did that happen, and how did it help your own writing?
BH: An editor friend was teaching there, and he reached out to me because they had another opening. I think it got me thinking about how picture books are really for all ages. We did a unit where the students wrote their own picture books. As research, they read picture books. I read some aloud to them, too, and you could have heard a pin drop.
RVC: So, you’re offering free virtual class visits Sept-Dec in 2021 to celebrate/promote four new books—Treemendous, Triceratopposite, Santa Jaws, and Good Knight, Mustache Baby, the latest installment in the Mustache Baby series. What are some other things you’ve done PR-wise to help get the word out about your many new books?
BH: In the fall, I’m going on a seven city virtual book tour! It will be much like a traditional children’s book tour. I’ll do virtual school visits for free and the schools will sell books through their local bookstore. I’m also trying to share more on social media.
The first book to come out this year was Treemendous, and the illustrator, Mike Ciccotello, has a great mind for promotion. We made a trailer and activity pack and all these downloadable inspirational posters. Then we shared them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. I hope to keep this up for the other new releases, too!
RVC: It seems like you’re a fan of punny things, or at least clever wordplay. At what point in the writing process does that come into play? Do you start with that, or are those more often revision-level additions?
BH: I usually start with the puns. For Stegothesaurus, Triceratopposite, and Treemendous, the wordplay titles were the ideas for the story. And then within the story, it’s just how I write. It’s my writing voice.
RVC: At what point did you realize you had your own writing voice?
BH: I think you’re right that it’s something you realize vs something you create. It’s like what Dorothy learns in the Wizard of Oz.
I realized at some point that my writing voice was not as serious as I thought it was. I’ve always been pretty serious about writing so I’d take these writing workshops and read my very serious essays out loud, and people would be chuckling. I was perplexed, but I thought maybe I should lean into that. Not everyone is meant to be a serious writer, and I didn’t really care either way. I just wanted to write!
Then I was in a music room in a school where I was substitute teaching. There was a sign that said, “Be it ever so humble, there is no voice like your own.” I took that as a sign (It was a sign!). I leaned further into my own voice. Of course, it changes a bit, based on the character.
RVC: Love it. Thanks for that! Now one last question—a series of short questions, really—before we move to the final part of this interview. I’ll say a word or two, you say a word or two in response. Here goes: rhyme.
BH: As long as you keep time!
RVC: Page turn.
BH: Suspense.
RVC: Fairy tale.
BH: They literally wrote the book on endings!
RVC: Sloppy draft.
BH: Very, very sloppy. Terrible. Always.
RVC: Mustache.
BH: Baby!
RVC: Awesome. Thanks for that, Bridget! I promise that no one will try to psychoanalyze those free association questions. 🙂
BH: Great!
RVC: Now I KNOW you’ve been waiting for what’s next because I’ve been waiting for what’s next. EVERYONE has been eagerly waiting for this, their mustaches a‑twitter with anticipation. It’s…THE SPEED ROUND. Speedy questions and spry answers. Ready?
BH: Yes!
RVC: Best place in Kansas City for BBQ?
BH: L.C.‘s Bar-B‑Q. It’s by the stadium.
RVC: Weirdest job you ever had?
BH: Assistant to a bathtub refinisher.
RVC: Five words that describe your writing process.
BH: Slow, confusing, fast, fun, hopeful.
RVC: What’s your biggest time waster?
BH: Worrying–it wastes prime daydreaming time, and yet I still do it!
RVC: What’s a recent picture book that WOWed you?
BH: For fiction: Escargot.
For nonfiction: Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes.
RVC: Something you hope all readers take from your picture books?
BH: A sense that everything is going to be okay.
RVC: Thanks so much, Bridget! It was great getting to know about you and your work. You’re welcome to come by OPB again anytime.
BH: Thank you!