TOO TOOTLE TOOT-TOOT TOOT TOOOOOOOT!
(Try to imagine that was royal trumpets! 🙂 )
(It’s pretty lucky we are all creative types who are good at imagining things 🙂 )
But trumpets!!!
Because it’s time for another Tuesday Debut – the thrilling new series where you get the inside scoop on how pre-published picture book writers became Published Picture Book AUTHORS!
What could be better?!
After dipping our toe into the Tuesday Debut experience a month ago with Christy Mihaly, we are now going full steam ahead with a new debut every Tuesday for the next 9 weeks (minus a week or two while Halloweensie is running and pre-empting all regular programming on this blog)!
And let me take this opportunity to say that if YOU have a debut picture book coming out and you’d like to be center stage here, sing out! If the date’s free it’s yours!
Alrighty!
Let’s have a round of applause for today’s lovely debutee (is that a word? n. one who debuts? Let’s make it a word! Pronounce it day-bew-tay – it sounds more accomplished and French that way 🙂 )
ANYway! Queen of the Day – Jessie Oliveros!!! (clapclapclapclapclap!!!!!)
THE REMEMBER BALLOONS
Written by Jessie Oliveros
Illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte
Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
August 28, 2018
Fiction
Ages 5-9
James and Grandpa keep their memories in balloons, and James loves to hear all of Grandpa’s stories. When Grandpa’s balloons begin to float away, James tries to catch them—but he can’t. He must discover another way to reclaim Grandpa’s balloons.
SUSANNA: Where did the idea for this book come from?
JESSIE: THE REMEMBER BALLOONS was inspired by my paternal grandfather who has Alzheimer’s.
James this summer, age 92
A few summers ago, while visiting my grandparents in Kansas with my children, my thoughts turned to writing a picture book. I only knew that it would be about a boy and his grandfather suffering from Alzheimer’s. I started out writing a straight forward story. I can’t say exactly when the metaphorical angle came to me. I knew balloons would be an accessible idea for children. And, when I was visiting my grandparents, I had recorded some of their histories on a voice recorder. This made their memories more of a tangible thing for me, I think. Plus, there was that act of capturing their memories before they were no longer with us. All of these things came together, and the THE REMEMBER BALLOONS was born.
(Also, one of my favorite methods of idea-seeking is to mash two unlikely ideas together, which I think my brain did out of habit when I thought of balloons while also contemplating memories.)
SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?
JESSIE: Once the idea of the memory balloons came to me, this story flowed fairly quickly. I had a cohesive draft in an afternoon. I definitely cannot say that about all of my picture book manuscripts! When I get an idea, I typically let it form in my mind for awhile before writing anything down. Sometimes it takes a ridiculous amount of drafts to make it a cohesive story. And that’s before any real revisions!
SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?
JESSIE: THE REMEMBER BALLOONS went through my own revisions before I felt it was ready for other eyes. I sent it to a trusted critique partner and implemented her feedback. It may have been about ten revisions before my agent saw it. Once he had his hands on it, the revision process had just begun!
I advise letting a manuscript sit for awhile and coming back to it. You see things a little differently with the passage of time.
SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?
JESSIE: Well, when I send a child off to kindergarten, I know she’s ready. She’s been at home for five years and is itching to get out (even if there are some tears). I’ve dressed her in nice clothes, brushed her hair, & packed her bag and lunch. She’s ready for the world.
I guess it’s that way with your manuscript. You know you’ve done your best. It’s itching to get out. You feel it’s ready for the world. (There I go speaking in metaphors again.)
SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?
JESSIE: I submitted to about 12 agents before I found my agent. I had just finished querying a middle grade very widely, and I was a little burnt out. So, I went much slower this time. Plus, there was a bit of a personal stamp on this one which I think made me more careful with my “baby.”
I entered a Twitter Pitch contest the Friday before Christmas (#pitchmas). I pitched THE REMEMBER BALLOONS. My agent, Mike Hoogland of Dystel, Goderich, & Bourret, “liked” my pitch. I sent him my manuscript the next day. Monday, Mike contacted me via email. Tuesday we were on the phone talking representation. (BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER.) This all happened fast, but the process leading up to it was several years!
SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! 🙂 )
JESSIE: The manuscript was picked up about a month after we started subbing. This is quick—but I truly believe it’s all about landing on the right desk at the right time. I’ve subbed out more manuscripts since then, and it’s usually a months-long process! Fun story: I received the offer for THE REMEMBER BALLOONS the day after I brought my fourth baby home from the hospital (and we’d just closed on a house—ha!). It was a very full few days. I knew Simon and Schuster had been considering it, but I still had the surreal, heart-dropping moment when I read the email from Mike.
SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?
JESSIE: I actually received my contract on my birthday! Ha! I didn’t do any special signing pictures or anything, but it was a bit of a dual celebration. Interesting fact: there is a delay between offer and contract signing. Mine was about two months. Offer in March. Contract in May.
SUSANNA: Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?
JESSIE: I didn’t know what to expect! I did a lot of internet research on the terms, and I had a good agent to answer all of the questions. I would say that the terms were better than I could have hoped for for a debut author.
SUSANNA: Tell us about the editorial process…
JESSIE: I edited the manuscript with my acquiring editor, Christian, before he switched houses. He helped me hone the manuscript into what it is today. The structure of it remains close to the original. But Christian helped me dig deeper into the manuscript—most notably, he encouraged me to find James’ voice and to re-examine the silver balloon. He helped give it breath!
After that, Justin took on THE REMEMBER BALLOONS. He helped me pare it down some. We cut unnecessary phrasing as well as parts that were redundant with the illustrations.
I feel so lucky to have worked with both these editors—both great, visionary people and positive forces in children’s publishing.
SUSANNA: Can you share your experience of the illustration process?
JESSIE: When I first saw the sketches, I was very happy with the look and style. The people that Dana drew were actually very similar to how I had envisioned them as I drafted—sweet, sketchy, dreamy. I saw the sketches and art at several stages along the way. The combined visions of Lucy, the art director for THE REMEMBER BALLOONS, and Dana really superseded anything I could have ever dreamed of myself. There were a few things I suggested, tweaks really. I asked that a berry basket be added to the yellow balloon memory, for instance. I felt my input was listened to and taken seriously. But I mean, just look at the art.
SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc? What was that like?
JESSIE: The trade reviews for THE REMEMBER BALLOONS was sent to Dana and me in advance. That means we had to hold in the news of our Kirkus star before sharing it on social media! One thing I didn’t know before that I know now—your editor may send all the trade reviewers your book, but that doesn’t mean they are all going to review it.
SUSANNA: How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?
JESSIE: As I mentioned earlier, my baby was only a few days old when I received an offer. She’s 2 ½ now! I didn’t expect it to take that long, but those 2 ½ years were full. There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work going on to design and promote the book. It takes a lot of time, and I think it was worth it!
SUSANNA: If your book has been out for at least one statement cycle, has it earned out yet?
JESSIE: My book just released a few weeks ago so I’m a longways off from that!
SUSANNA: Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.
JESSIE: I’ve used social media quite a bit to promote my book. I’ve done a few interviews like this. I’m about to have launch events in two different cities. Honestly, I think the best thing for your book is word of mouth! I had a friend tell me the other day that her friend had seen someone talking about my book on Instagram. Being that many degrees removed from it felt pretty awesome!
SUSANNA: How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?
JESSIE: I started writing seriously when my son was two. 7 ½ years later I sold my picture book! That’s ten years from outset of journey to actual book.
SUSANNA: Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?
JESSIE: This journey, like life, is unpredictable. It’s filled with mountains and cliffs and valleys. One thing I’ve learned (and am still learning!) is to step outside of it. Don’t let the rejections and the bad reviews cast a shadow over the things and people that give you joy.
My “book offer” baby today at 2 ½ years old.
www.jessieoliveros.com
Twitter: @JessieOliveros
Instagram: @jessieoliveros
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessie.oliveros.5
That is wonderful advice, Jessie! Many thanks for joining us today and sharing your knowledge with us. You are the second author in a row to point out that your first sale was many years in the making. I hope everyone feels buoyed up by the knowledge that, if you’re feeling discouraged because it’s taking you awhile to get published, this is a marathon, not a sprint for ALL of us in the picture book world. And though it may be taking more time than we’d like to cross the finish line, at least we’re surrounded by friends all the way ❤
If you have questions for Jessie, you may ask them in the comment section and if she has time she may be able to answer 🙂
Thank you all for joining today’s debut! And maybe there’s someone in your life who would enjoy a copy of THE REMEMBER BALLOONS… 🙂
Susanna Leonard Hill 
Wonderful interview! Congrats, again, Jessie! Enjoyed the photos!
Thank you, Tina!
Glad you enjoyed it, Tina! It’s a wonderful book, isn’t it?!
I can’t wait to read your book, Jessie. I love the way you treated this important topic so children will understand it. Thanks for sharing your book’s journey.
My pleasure. I hope you like the book!
It does look like a wonderful book, doesn’t it Dee? I can’t wait to read it either!
Oh, Susanna, I love this post! Thank you for sharing. Jessie, I can’t wait to read your book. What a brilliant idea to use balloons to bring this big idea to a child’s level. Congratulations on your success!
Thank you so much, Katie!
So glad you enjoyed it, Katie! 🙂
There is so much GREAT info in this post about publishing processes and timelines. Plus Jessie’s book, illustrated by Dana, is just incredibly special. Thank you for this interview!
Thank you, Cathy!
Glad you found it interesting, Cathy! And it certainly does look like a very special book!
It is always amazing to hear the stories of our journeys. I love how her life events tied into her journey. As readers, we don’t always get to see the journey. Often it is only the victory. As writers, we often focus on the hope of victory and forget about the day to day struggles life deals us.
Congrats on the book Jessie! I will pass it on to my school librarian.
And we have to enjoy the journey, even though it’s hard sometimes! Thank you for passing the book onto your librarian!
People say it all the time, but it really is all about the journey, Matthew. I agree with you and Jessie. The actual moment of victory is wonderful and special and not to be rivaled, but it’s fleeting. The day-to-day is where we live 🙂
Fabulous interview and what an inspiring story. I’m sure this will be a well loved book.
Thank you, Laura! I hope so!!
I know, Laura. I’m sure, difficult as it must be to struggle with such a cruel disease, that Jessie’s experience with it has made for a powerful, meaningful book which will benefit so many.
I checked this book out of the library and loved it! I gave it 5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads and Amazon, though it deserves double that rating. This book will help so many people facing memory loss issues by giving them visual tools to help understand and explain it as well as show what emotions are normal when going through this with a loved one.
So glad you enjoyed it, Danielle, and thank you on behalf of authors everywhere for taking the time to review! As Jessie said, reviews mean so much!
Thank you so much, Danielle! The reviews mean a lot to an author!!
Awesome interview! Congratulations, Jessie. Love the pic of you and your grandfather ❤ I'm looking forward to reading THE REMEMBER BALLOONS.
Thank you! I hope you like the book!
Glad you liked the interview, Charlotte! And I agree – that is a really wonderful picture!
I just reserved this book at my local library – Somebody else already checked it out, so the good word is spreading!
Thank you for sharing your book publishing journey, Jessie. I love how you were able to take a very personal experience and make that type of experience accessible and understandable to children. I’m guessing that writing with your grandfather in the back of your mind helped you wrap your own mind and heart around his aging process.
That is good news, Patricia! And I’d say you’re right 🙂
Glad you enjoyed hearing from Jessie, Patricia. I think it’s very true that many of the most powerful books come from experience – whether they’re funny or sweet or sad. Our own lives are great places to look for inspiration!
Congrats on your important book! My grandmother has Alzheimer’s, so I can relate.
Thank you, Jennifer. And I’m sorry to hear about your grandmother.
Sorry about your grandmother, Jennifer. That is so hard. ❤
Congratulations on your book, Danielle! And, thank you for sharing your publishing journey with us.
My pleasure!
Thanks for reading, Karen! Glad if you enjoyed hearing from Jessie!
Great interview! What a story. I love all the coincidental overlapping of events in the timing. Amazing! Congratulations and good luck with the book, Jessie!
All those coincidences were pretty crazy. And thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it, Genevieve! Thanks for reading 🙂
This is a beautiful interview, Jessie! Thanks for sharing the inside story of this wonderful book. And congratulations on your book baby.
So glad you enjoyed it, Chris! It was a pretty amazing story!
Thank you, Christy!
Susanna, Your interviews are fantastic. Jessie, your story is inspirational and I can’t wait to see your book. Congratulations.
So glad you enjoyed it, David!
So glad you found it inspirational, David. And thank you!
This book speaks to my heart. I am so glad you wrote it, Jessie. My dad died of early onset Alzheimer’s when he was only 68. It is such a sad disease and kids need to have a way to understand and cope with a love done who has Alzheimer’s. You have honored your grandfather. AND your story gives hope to a pre-dubbed writer going into her 5th year as a writer. I must be patient, enjoy the journey, and know my time will come. Susanna, this is SUCH a great new series!
I’m so sorry about your dad, Kathy. Thank you for your sweet words, and hang in there–your time will come!
Kathy, you did a beautiful job of putting the wonderfulness of Jessie’s book into words. I couldn’t have said it better. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the series, and keep your chin up and your heart high – your time will come too! 🙂 ❤
Wonderful interview! I look forward to reading your book, Jessie.
So glad you enjoyed it, Pat!
Thank you, Pat!
I don’t think Alzheimer’s hasn’t touched anyone, and this book should be welcomed by parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, librarians, and teachers to share with kids. I’m looking forward to reading it especially since a friend and member of my writing group suffers from early onset Alzheimer’s. And it’s always intriguing to read other authors’ publishing journeys–kudos, Jessie! And congrats, Susanna, on this fab new series!
I’ve been thinking the same thing, Nancy, as I see how many people who have responded to this post have been touched by Alzheimers. Jessie has written an important and much-needed book that many people will benefit from. Glad you’re enjoying the series 🙂
Thank you for your words, Nancy. It’s my hope that many people who need the book will have a chance to read it. I’m sorry to hear about your friend.
I can’t wait to read this! Thank you for writing it. And congratulations!
Thank you, Angie!
Thanks for an inspirational post! So much resonated with me and your story has encouraged me to get back to one I wrote years ago. I’ll be getting your book, Jessie. Love this addition to your site, Susanna. I follow very few blogs but I’ve finally added yours to my email. Always a worthy read.
Thank you so much, Karen! That really makes my day 🙂
Thank you, Karen! And good luck with your story!
What a terrific interview! The topic hits home after being a caretaker to my dad. Can’t wait to get my copy. Thank you for writing this, Jessie. And thank you, Susanna, for bring this to our attention. Have a wonderful Wednesday 🙂
I’m sorry you had to go through this with your dad, Rene. So many people who responded to this post have been touched by this – it’s very sad. But shows how needed this book is. Glad you enjoyed the interview!
Thank you, yes it is a very sad experience, indeed…for far too many. Agree on the need in a big, big way. Explaining the disease to children is always tough.
Thank you, Jessie, for your hugs and shared sadness. Much appreciated.
Thank you, Rene. I’m sorry to hear about your dad. *hugs*
As Alzheimers runs in my family, I am anxious to read your book. It looks like you tackled a very difficult disease in a manner children can understand. Congratulations!
I think Jessie has written an important and much-needed book, Jean. I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, but it’s on the top of my list!
I’m sorry to hear that Alzheimer’s runs in your family. I hope this book helps!
Hi Susanna!
Are you having your annual Halloween writing contest this year?
Best regards, Sylvia Howell
On Tue, Sep 18, 2018, 12:03 AM Susanna Leonard Hill wrote:
> Susanna Leonard Hill posted: “TOO TOOTLE TOOT-TOOT TOOT TOOOOOOOT! (Try to > imagine that was royal trumpets! 🙂 ) (It’s pretty lucky we are all > creative types who are good at imagining things 🙂 ) But trumpets!!! > Because it’s time for another Tuesday Debut – the thrilling new serie” >
That’s the plan, Sylvia 🙂
I love, love, 💕 love hearing about the path to publication for different authors. It always strikes me just how different it is for every author. Beautiful book, Jessie. And great interview, Susanna!
So glad you enjoyed the interview, Janet! It certainly is a beautiful book!
Thank you, Janet! You’ve been so supportive of my book–it means a lot!
Loved reading all about your process. And your book is so relevant for many seem to have family and friends with ‘forgetfulness’. Love the illustrations too! Congratulations!
Glad you enjoyed reading about Jessie’s book journey, Patricia! And I agree – such a relevant book!
Thank you, Patricia!
Wonderful interview! Congratulations Jesse!
Glad you enjoyed it, Pam! Thanks for reading 🙂
Thank you, Pam!
I read The Remember Balloons while sitting in a favorite indie bookstore waiting for a book launch (Yuyi Morales’ Dreamer). Tears flowed down my face – in public. Whether your parents, or grandparents, suffer from memory loss or they no longer are alive, this is a beautiful tribute to intergenerational relationships & the memories we share. Your heart shines through the text & the illustrations are stunning. Congratulations on this gorgeous debut!
What a lovely thing to share with Jessie, Patricia! I know how much that will mean to her! I saw a huge stack of her book at Princeton Children’s Book Festival yesterday and was all excited that I’d get to meet this week’s debutee, but it turned out it was the very talented illustrator who was there! But I saw a lot of those books being carried away under people’s arms. It is a truly timely topic.
Hope you had a wonderful day! I plan to pair Jessie’s book with another #PB on Tuesday.
It was amazing. I highly recommend going if you get the chance! Have you read that PB where the little girl helps her grandfather remember by tap dancing with him? I can’t remember the title… but it would go well with this book too.
I wish I had been there! It sounds amazing!
It was amazing, Jessie! You can go next year! 🙂
Thank you for sharing your experience, Patricia. It means a lot. I’m so glad you liked the book.