Welcome to Tuesday Debut, Everyone!

I’m excited to share today’s debut-ess for many reasons, not least of which is the title of her book. How can you possibly not want to read a book called THERE ARE NO DRAGONS IN THIS BOOK?! 😊

I don’t know how a book with that title stays on the shelf more than a millisecond before someone’s got it in their hands!

But today’s debut-ess is also interesting because her book was published in German before it was released in English.

So let’s jump right in and see what she has to share with us!

Title: There Are No Dragons in This Book
Author: Donna Lambo-Weidner
Illustrator: Carla Haslbauer
Publishing House: NorthSouth Books
Date of Publication: March 5, 2024
Fiction or Nonfiction: Fiction
age range of your book: 4-8 years

There are no dragons in this book. Claws, sparks, steam, a big mess…could it be dragons? Find out in this clever interactive story sure to keep kids looking and laughing.

SUSANNA: Welcome, Donna! Thank you so much for coming to chat with us today. We are all excited to hear about your journey to publication with this excellently titled book! Where did the idea for this book come from?

DONNA: Ideas are indeed everywhere. The concept was sparked while I was on a retreat in the autumn of 2019. It was held in a two-story farmhouse, hundreds of years old, that rests upon a knoll nestled deep within a vast forest in southern Germany. Thick, leafy vines dotted with soft, pink roses climbed up the wall outside my room, wrapping themselves around the window. Imaginings of dense, thorny bushes surrounding Sleeping Beauty’s castle, as well as Rapunzel’s plight high atop her stone tower filled my head. This led to thoughts of magic, knights, and of course…dragons. But alas, there are no dragons here, I lamented, keeping in mind how excited my five-year-old self would have been if only she could have found one. And if she had been able to live with one.

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

DONNA: Unlike any first draft I’d ever written before, this one practically wrote itself. Oh, it was messy for sure, full of adjectives, adverbs, and clichés, but Dragon was so present that I just ran with it. When you really come down to it though, it took me 15 years to write this book—15 years attending conferences, lectures and writing seminars, reading boatloads of children’s books and researching the kidlit world of publishing. It took 15 years of advice and support from my critique groups. It took 15 years of rejection and patience…more patience than I ever thought I had.

Donna’s work space (and apparently a lovely writing buddy too!)

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

DONNA: If you count adding commas, and deleting a word and putting it back again, there must have been fifty plus during the 2 months I revised. Otherwise there were only 3-4. First I removed all the adjectives and adverbs in the text. Then I added only those that were truly needed back again—key advice from spending time with Dan Yaccarino at the 2014 South Hampton Children’s Literature Conference. I also always try my best to use fun, quirky vocabulary, of which there is oddly little in this book.

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

DONNA: I knew I was ready to submit when my local critique group shouted, “Brava! DO IT!”

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

DONNA: I was extremely fortunate to have met and signed with my agent Stephen Fraser of the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency in 2013 at a local SCBWI (Society of Book Writers and Illustrators) conference. I submitted first pages from a middle grade for critique. He requested the entire manuscript, and the rest is history. It never sold, nor did a number of other stories, not yet anyway. There Are No Dragons in This Book went on a round of submissions in February 2020, with no interest, and again in December 2020.

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”?

DONNA: In the beginning of March 2021, Beth Terrill at NorthSouth Books showed interest, but had to send it to the parent company NordSüd Verlag in Zurich, Switzerland for approval. At the end of March, we were notified they were looking for an illustrator. Not a definite yes, but there was hope. Lots of hope and finger-crossing on my part. In fact, I created a little placard with the title, editor, and publisher, attached it to a sand-toy dragon’s back (I had purchased it in a bookstore directly after writing the first messy draft) and placed him on my desk. Side note: this toy dragon ended up having an uncanny resemblance to the dragon my illustrator created.

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

DONNA: Six months later, at 6:11 am I happened to roll over and see my phone light up with a message from my agent. You need to know, I never take my phone to bed with me unless I’m traveling. My husband and I had celebrated our 40^th wedding anniversary two days prior and were meeting up with family and friends to celebrate our son’s wedding. I grabbed the phone, jumped out of bed, and repeatedly screamed an offer from NorthSouth Books is forthcoming. Needless to say, plenty of corks were popped and glasses clinked in celebration that weekend.

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

DONNA: Three months later, in time for our holiday celebrations, my agent received the contract.

SUSANNA: Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?

DONNA: My contract was pretty standard for a debut. The average picture book advance ranges between 1,000-8,000 dollars with an average royalty amount of  3% – 6%. My advance and royalty falls within that range. I did receive 30 free English copies, which is a bit more than others from what I’ve heard, and a German one as well. NorthSouth Books parent company is the Swiss NordSüd Verlag. They published There Are No Dragons In This Book in German first which was released in August 2023. In October, my illustrator, Carla Haslbauer, won the Serafina Award, the Frankfurt Book Fair’s prestigious young talent prize for illustration, which only adds to the excitement of having my first book published.

SUSANNA: Wow! That is so cool! Can you tell us a little about the editorial process?

DONNA: I couldn’t have wished for a more pleasant and smooth experience. We were all on the same page, so to speak, at all times. The only revision I made concerned a few words to match Carla’s artwork. I think using a multi-residential house as the location for the story to unfold within the book itself was genius.

SUSANNA: What was your experience of the illustration process like?

DONNA: My Swiss-based editor showed me a few of Carla’s sketches on our first zoom call in January 2022. I wasn’t wowed, not until she sent me the first final spreads digitally several months later. I was extremely happy with how she dealt with my single art note [crack = book gutter], but had a few minor comments on other concerns, which were all addressed in the final artwork. By then I was, and still am over the moon with the result.

“There are No Dragons in this Book” by Donna Lambo-Weidner, illustrated by Carla Haslbauer © NorthSouth Books, an imprint of NordSüd Verlag

“There are No Dragons in this Book” by Donna Lambo-Weidner, illustrated by Carla Haslbauer © NorthSouth Books, an imprint of NordSüd Verlag

SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc? What was that like?

DONNA: I did. They came in just a few weeks ago and I am still pinching myself in case this is some wild and wonderful dream.

“Children will love the contradictions throughout, as well as the comparisons that give life to the narrator’s case. A combination of story and mystery, this book is a grand addition to any children’s collection.” – School Library Journal

“A sweetly offbeat adventure that will have readers peering into their toilets for a dragon of their own.” – Kirkus Reviews

“This magical picture book will quickly become a frequent storytime selection.”
– Foreword Reviews

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

DONNA: 2 years for the English, and 1 ½ years for the German. The print run was 4,000 in each language.

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

DONNA: I’ve been assigned a lovely marketing coordinator. She is submitting it for awards and trade reviews, as well as pitching to national book events and media outlets.

SUSANNA: Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.

DONNA: I’m in the process of touring blogs that I’ve been following over the years (THANK YOU SUSANNA!) and any my marketing coordinator has sent my way. I’ve also gotten in touch with local book stores for signings and read-a-louds. Libraries are next on my list. A coloring page will be added to my website and for in-person events, I plan to pass out coloring pages and small colored pencil sets with the book sticker attached. My son also put together a fun book trailer.

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

DONNA: 12 years. I began in 2009 and There Are No Dragons In This Book sold in 2021. It has taken 15 years until I could cradle it in my arms.

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?)

DONNA: Do not give up! Work on your craft. The kidlit community is welcoming, generous, knowledgeable, and supportive. Join the SCBWI—Society of Book Writers and Illustrators. Everything you need to know, want to know, need to learn, want to learn – you will find there. Join a critique group or two. Follow blogs like Susanna’s for invaluable opportunities, support, and…chocolate! Julie Hedlund’s 12X12 Challenge blog is another.

SUSANNA: Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?

DONNA: There will be ups. There will be downs. Never stop writing and learning. Scream, cry, laugh, dance…that’s life. Enjoy the ride.

Thank YOU Susanna, for the honor of hosting me today! Be well everyone…

SUSANNA: Thank you so much for taking the time to share with us today, Donna, so that we can benefit from your experience and wisdom! I know I speak for everyone when I wish you all the best with this and future titles!

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

Author Donna Lambo-Weidner, whose snack Kryptonite is potato chips. She says they call to her from wherever they are hiding, so she rarely buys them. 😊

Website: https://www.donnalamboweidner.com and https://www.carlahaslbauer.com 
Instagram: @donna.weidner and @carlahaslstaub 
Facebook: Donna Lambo-Weidner, Children’s Author

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

Indiebound/Bookshop.org
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!