Today for Tuesday Debut we have to have a serious celebration!

Not only is this a debut – always exciting just by itself! – today is also this lovely book’s birthday AND (as if 2 fabulous things weren’t enough!) this gorgeous book is also a Contest Success Story just in time to serve as inspiration for anyone considering entering the Halloweensie Contest, the guidelines for which just went up yesterday! If you were on the fence about whether to try to write an entry, let today’s debut serve as encouragement! (even though it was written for the Holiday Contest, not for Halloweensie 😊)

So. . . cake anyone? 😊

I’m going with the debut picture book theme here – I do realize it’s not the holidays yet 😊

Please help yourself! Think of it as fuel for writing your Halloweensie entry 😊

Happy Book Birthday to WINTER: A SOLSTICE STORY and our debut author, Kelsey Gross!!!

Winter: A Solstice Story
Written by Kelsey Gross
Illustrated by Renata Liwska
Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 10-10-23
Fiction
Ages 4-8

Deep in the forest, it is dark and cold, and the quiet of winter is all around. Who can help Owl to shine the light and share a gift of hope on this winter evening? Along come Deer, Squirrel, Mouse, Duck, Rabbit, Raccoon and Chickadee, and together they welcome a new friend to join in their winter solstice celebration.

SUSANNA: Welcome, Kelsey! We are so thrilled to have you joining us today! Where did the idea for this book come from?

KELSEY: I’ve always enjoyed marking the change of seasons, and especially the arrival of winter.

In early winter 2020, I found myself imagining how woodland animals might observe the winter solstice. Many traditional celebrations across cultures feature light, such as bonfires or candles, along with feasting, storytelling, and gift-giving.

An image of a “solstice tree” came to mind, with various animals offering well-wishes and gifts to decorate the tree. I was toying with this idea when Susanna announced the guidelines for the Kidlit Holiday Writing Contest; that year, all entries had to focus on “helping.” The line, I can help to shine the light! came to mind, and I soon had a draft featuring this repeated line. I was thrilled to be a finalist in the contest, and then lengthened the story before submitting it to my agent.

SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?

KELSEY: As you know, contest windows are short, so I only had a few weeks in December 2020 for that first version! Luckily, for whatever reason, that first draft flowed really quickly. After the contest I sent it to my agent and revised and lengthened it based on her feedback. With the help of some wonderful critique partners, it was ready to go on sub in January 2021. By no means is this normal – I wish all my stories could be ready to submit so quickly! I have other manuscripts I’ve been working on for years.

view from Kelsey’s office window

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

KELSEY: Yes, there were many iterations over the course of those two short months. Thank goodness for wise critique partners who were willing to read and reread multiple versions! It was also the first time I publicly shared anything in rhyme (the Owl’s speech is in rhyme, while the rest of the book is not). I lacked confidence and was so thankful a kidlit rhyming pro volunteered to read through it. She helped me fix some of the mistakes I’d made. I learned a lot through that process and am glad I took the time to double check everything before submitting it.

SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?

KELSEY: I kept getting consistent positive feedback from critique partners, and their suggestions were about minor things like word choice rather than overall structure or arc.

I sent it to my agent and worked through more revisions based on her feedback, and then did one more round with critique partners before it was finally ready to submit to editors.

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

KELSEY: My agent liked the story and agreed to put it on sub, but cautioned me that holiday books are sometimes tough to sell. She subbed it to a small group of editors in January 2021.

I had another manuscript on sub at that time (my first one, which still hasn’t sold!). I really thought that manuscript would sell first, and didn’t get my hopes up for Winter. 

It goes to show you just never quite know what will catch an editor’s eye!

SUSANNA: How long after you found out about your book going to acquisitions (if you did) or after you submitted were you told it was a “yes”?

KELSEY: My agent heard back in about two weeks from an editor at Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster (I’ve since learned this quick turnaround is highly unusual for the very sloooooow publishing industry!). The team liked the manuscript, but wondered if I would consider making some changes before they decided whether to acquire it. A nerve-wracking week or two followed as I revised the manuscript and sent it off to critique partners for another round before resubmitting it.

SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”, which these days is more likely to be “the email”?  (Best moment ever! 😊)

KELSEY: We got an email in about a week, letting us know the team liked my changes, and the book was going to acquisitions the next week. After another nerve-wracking week, I was thrilled to get “the email” and a warm welcome from the team at Paula Wiseman.

SUSANNA: How long was it between getting your offer and getting your contract to sign?

KELSEY: I got the offer in January 2021 and signed the contract in late April 2021.

Kelsey’s writing snack 😊

SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract? 

KELSEY: We were still in COVID mode, so I celebrated by enjoying brownies with my spouse and son at home. It was also such a joy to call and share the news with my parents, sister, and friends.

SUSANNA: It’s an amazing moment, isn’t it?! Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?

KELSEY: I wasn’t sure what to expect, so I was happy to have an experienced agent help with the contract negotiations. As part of the negotiation we received extra author copies (20 total), which is wonderful. From what I understand, the advance and royalty percentage was fairly standard for a debut author at a major publisher.

SUSANNA: Can you tell us a little about the editorial process?

KELSEY: Early in the process my editor left Simon & Schuster to go to another publisher. However, it was a seamless transition, and I got the amazing opportunity to work directly with Paula Wiseman! She took over editing the book, and had a wonderful vision for it. We both agreed it should have a warm, magical feel. She is always open to my thoughts and feedback, and is an enthusiastic champion of my work.

Originally I had a human join the animals in the final spread, but Paula proposed we instead keep the story in the animals’ magical world. It led to a different ending message, so it took me a minute to open my mind to the new possibility. But, I quickly realized it was a wise, insightful suggestion! I’m thrilled with how the book turned out and learned so much through the editing process. It was a dream to work with Paula. 

SUSANNA: What an experience! That’s like working with publishing royalty! 😊 What was your experience of the illustration process like?

KELSEY: I am so thankful I had the chance to work with Renata Liwska. I’ve long been a fan of her work, and her style is a perfect fit for this text. Every spread is stunning! The animals look incredibly soft and fuzzy, and their expressions add so much depth to the story. The forest scenes have a warm, cozy feel, which sets the perfect tone.

I wasn’t able to see sketches along the way, but I trusted Renata would elevate the story.  When my editor shared the completed digital file, I was delighted. The joy of seeing the illustrations for the first time is a memory I won’t ever forget.

At two points in the year before publication, Simon & Schuster sent me paperback ARCs. It was reassuring to see the project was continuing to move forward!

I only included one art note. Most of the gifts the animals bring are fairly concrete – like acorns for food, or feathers for a warm bed. But I wanted to make sure readers would understand Mouse’s seeds were meant as a wish for young creatures to blossom and grow.

Mouse sprinkles seeds,

gifts of hope

for blossoming growth. [ART: include babies/young animals]

I can help to spread the light!

text copyright Kelsey Gross 2023, Illustration copyright Renata Liwska 2023, Paula Wiseman Books

SUSANNA: I am a huge fan of Renata’s work. It is so appealing! Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc? What was that like?

KELSEY: My editor shared the Kirkus review before it was published, and I’m sure she’ll send others if they are posted. It’s exciting to see kidlit friends posting reviews online, too.

I know that a quiet winter story won’t appeal to everyone, and that’s okay (at least, that’s what I’m trying to keep in mind as reviews start rolling in!). I’m looking forward to gathering feedback from the readers I care most about – kids!

SUSANNA: How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?

KELSEY: We got the offer in January 2021 and then my official author copies arrived in late September 2023.

Winter was selected as one of Simon & Schuster’s feature books for the holiday season, so the initial print run was increased from the original deal, which was exciting.

SUSANNA: What kind of marketing and promotion has your publisher done for this book?

KELSEY: As a large publisher, Simon & Schuster has teams devoted to marketing and publicity, as well as outreach to school and library. They share ARCS with booksellers and media outlets, and were able to get Winter included in a picture book subscription box. The publicist I’m working with has been helpful with arranging some bookstore signings and answering my questions as I promote the book on my own. They’ve also submitted for awards on my behalf and created an animated cover and video I can share on social media.

SUSANNA: Wow! That’s really great! Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.

KELSEY: In addition to this and a few other blogs, I’m partnering with a handful of independent bookstores and libraries in northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan to do winter-themed storytimes and book signings in November and December. I’m hoping to include singing and crafts as part of these events. In my hometown, I’ll do an event with the library on the solstice, and a story walk along a snowshoe/hiking trail in partnership with the local land trust. The trail will be lit by luminarias and there’ll be a bonfire at the end. I can’t wait!

I’m also a member of PBSpree, which is a group of 2023 debut picture book authors. We review each other’s books and boost each other on social media. It’s been wonderful to take a team approach to marketing and promotion.

SUSANNA: How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?

KELSEY: I wrote poems and stories all the time as a kid, but somewhere along the way concluded that I needed to focus on a “marketable” career path, and left creative writing behind. I always found ways to work writing into my various careers, but it wasn’t until I was in my late 30’s that I decided to return to creative writing in earnest. I took a “writing for children” community education class in 2019 and it reignited my passion. It’s been such a joy to return to what feels like one of my true callings.

SUSANNA: What is the most important/helpful thing you learned on your way to publication? (Or what is your most helpful piece of advice for up and coming writers?)

KELSEY: Picture book writing is a numbers game. The more drafts you can write, the better – even if they are terrible! It’s great practice, keeps the creative energy flowing, and gives you more opportunities to come up with something unique and outstanding. For every manuscript that I think “might” have potential, there are several more that I’m fairly certain will never leave my desk drawer. But that’s okay! I have a lot of fun doing it, and trust that if I stay the course, great ideas will show up.

I like to assign myself challenges – different styles/structures, subject matter, rhyme – it helps me to have a starting point instead of staring at a blank page. I think that’s why I’ve enjoyed your contests so much, Susanna! Sometimes a bit of structure helps my creativity flow.

Finally, I’ve found that critique partners are essential for this journey. I’m so grateful to have several talented and generous partners who each bring unique expertise and perspective to my work. Their friendship and support helps me persist through all the rejections and times when it’s hard to write.

SUSANNA: I feel the same way about a bit of structure helping creativity to flow, Kelsey! Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?

KELSEY: Susanna – I owe so much to you and your contests! A writing friend encouraged me to participate in the Valentiny contest in 2020. That first (anxiety-provoking!) experience of sharing my work in public – and receiving encouraging comments from fellow participants – gave me the boost I needed to keep writing. Every time, I learned a lot from writing to a challenging prompt, exchanging with critique partners, and reading others’ stories. I never would have guessed that one of my contest stories would go on to be my debut book. Thank you!

SUSANNA: Well that just makes my day, Kelsey! I am so happy that my contests had any part in your publishing journey! How wonderful and exciting that what started as a contest story has become this gorgeous book! And I have to say, I remember that story and how much I loved it, so it comes as no surprise that an expanded version went on to be published! Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this series and paying it forward to other writers! It is such a privilege and opportunity to get to learn from your wisdom and experience! Wishing you all the best of luck with this and future titles!

Readers, if you have questions for Kelsey, please post them in the comments below and if she has time I’m sure she’ll respond!

Author Kelsey Gross

Website: kelseyegross.com
Twitter and Instagram: @kelseyegross

You may purchase Kelsey’s book at:
(all links below are book-specific)

Indiebound
Amazon
Barnes&Noble

We can help our debut authors successfully launch their careers by:

– purchasing their books

– recommending their books to friends and family

– recommending their books to our children’s teachers and librarians

– recommending their books to our local libraries and bookstores

– suggesting them as visiting authors at our children’s schools and our local libraries

– sharing their books on social media

– reviewing their books on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and other sites where people go to learn about books.

Thank you all for stopping by to read today!  Have a lovely, inspiration-filled Tuesday!  Maybe today is the day you’ll write your debut picture book 😊

Missed any previous Tuesday Debuts?  Check them out HERE!