It’s Tuesday!
Debut day!
Come-and-see-what’s-new day!
But first, guess what?
You’re in luck!
It’s giveaway-for-you day!

First, the lucky winner of last week’s giveaway, a signed copy of Dara Henry’s HANUKKAH PAJAMAKKAHS, is . . .

Donna Gwinnell Lambo-Weidner!

Congratulations, Donna! I hope you enjoy your book! Please email me so I can organize getting it mailed to you!

Second, we have a giveaway this week, too! One lucky person will win a signed copy of PERFECT MATCH: THE STORY OF ALTHEA GIBSON AND ANGELA BUXTON signed by the author!!! All you need to do to qualify for the random drawing is leave a comment on today’s post by Monday September 23rd at 3PM Eastern!

And now, I’m delighted to introduce you to today’s lovely and talented debut-ess, Lori Dubbin, as she shares her journey to publication with PERFECT MATCH: THE STORY OF ALTHEA GIBSON AND ANGELA BUXTON!

Title: Perfect Match, The Story of Althea Gibson and Angela Buxton
Author: Lori Dubbin
Illustrator: Amanda Quartey
Publishing House: Kar-Ben Publishing
Date of Publication: September 10, 2024
Fiction or Nonfiction: Nonfiction
age range of your book: ages 5-9 (Amazon says ages 6-11)

Perfect Match is the true story of two outstanding women tennis players, Althea Gibson in the U.S. and Angela Buxton in the U.K., who faced discrimination in the 1950s tennis world because of their race and religion. They became friends and doubles partners, and with teamwork and perseverance, they became champions.

SUSANNA: Welcome, Lori! Thank you so much for coming to share your experience with us today. We can’t wait to hear all about how this story came to life! Where did the idea for this book come from?

LORI: In 2014, I took a nonfiction picture book writing class. The teacher suggested that nonfiction reference and trivia books were good places to find “golden nugget” nonfiction topics. I was looking through a nonfiction book we had, entitled, Great Jews in Sports by Robert Slater, a gift my son had received for his Bar Mitzvah, and I landed on a page about Jewish and British tennis player, Angela Buxton. I had never heard of Angela, but the text next to her photo mentioned her doubles partner was Althea Gibson, whose name I recognized. When I read that they became good friends and won doubles matches together, I knew I had to write about them.

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

LORI: It took eight years from idea to acquiring this manuscript and ten years from idea to release. I think I had so many revisions because I found it harder to write about two people vs. one and I wanted to be able to give each athlete the same amount of time and space in the manuscript. It took a while to find the right balance for two main characters. Althea and Angela were also seven years apart in age and didn’t start competing at the same time or in the same country. I kept putting the manuscript away and coming back to it. When I finally figured out how to tighten the focus to Althea and Angela’s friendship and doubles partnership, the story blossomed.

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

LORI: Yes, 60-something revisions! I kept at it and just couldn’t let it go.

SUSANNA: All those revisions must have required fuel! 🙂 What’s your favorite snack?

LORI:I like to make a batch of our family’s favorite oatmeal raisin cookies before I tackle something like a first draft or a mushy middle. I use the recipe on the back of the top of the Quaker Oats Old Fashioned Oats container (the cylinder). I only use brown sugar, and I only use half the amount the recipe calls for. I add a little honey, some chocolate chips, and raisins which make up for less sugar. After they are baked, I keep them in the refrigerator and my husband and I can easily heat them up or put jam on them when we need a boost. Here’s a picture. (Caption: There were a lot more cookies on this plate 5 minutes before this picture was taken 😊).

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

LORI: I had a feeling it was getting close when I got it under 1,000 words (thanks to my amazing critique group). Then when I was able to rework Althea and Angela into a comfortable amount of shared space in the manuscript (at first apart and then together when they met and became doubles partners), the text began to flow. That’s when I felt it was ready for submission.

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

LORI: Before getting an agent, I had received critiques on the manuscript from two other agents (each at a different conference). They were quite intrigued with the subject matter, so I knew I had something memorable. However, I also knew from the critiques that I had a lot of rethinking and revision to do on the manuscript. Flash forward about four years — I got an agent because I had reworked Perfect Match and two other manuscripts – one of which had received a second place Rising Kite award at an SCBWI Florida Regional Conference in January 2020. My agent is Joyce Sweeney of the Seymour Agency and Joyce attended that January 2020 conference and watched me win the Rising Kite award (so you never know when you may get noticed 😊).

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”?

LORI: The manuscript was submitted in July 2021 and then again in April 2022 to a total of 7 publishers.  In July 2022, I found out the book was acquired with a lovely phone call from Joyce! Then Joyce sent me the email from the editor, which was also lovely. I never knew about the manuscript going to acquisitions, which perhaps saved me a lot of anxiety.

SUSANNA: You are right about that! 😊 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)

LORI: I was thrilled when I got Joyce’s call and told my husband right away. We jumped up and down and then I said, “Wow, now I need to figure out marketing and how to promote a book!” My thoughts were jumping all over the place, too. After signing, I worked with an editor to simplify the language to make it more kid focused for an age 5-9 readership. For example, “United States Lawn Tennis Association” became “the top American league.”

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

LORI: It was two months, which seems quick now but it felt like ages at the time.

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

LORI: I kept my expectations low while my excitement was high. My agent, Joyce Sweeney, and Joyce’s agency, The Seymour Agency, represented me well. Advances occurred right away, percentages were standard, and author copies were also standard, but I have the right to order additional copies at half the price.

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

LORI: Yes, there were several rounds of revision, mostly because the text needed to be less complicated for young readers and listeners. We also were able to whittle down the word count from 973 to 926 😊. I felt the editor loved the story and together we kept it on track.

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

LORI: I was extremely happy I was able to see sketches from the beginning and was consulted on the illustrations along the way. I found the production process very satisfying because I was able to give input about the era in which the book took place, for example: the shoes and socks and outfits of the time (all white and no shorts yet), the color of the French clay court (orange) versus the color of the Wimbledon manicured grass court (two shades of green), and the age of Angela on certain spreads (since she was seven years younger than Althea). Thinking about it now, it might have been a good idea to use art notes in these instances, but I didn’t. However, Amanda Quartey’s illustrations are amazing and show Angela and Althea’s action and camaraderie on the court and the warmth of their friendship off the court. It was a very positive experience and I learned a ton about the production side of creating a picture book, which I know will continue to serve me well.

text copyright Lori Dubbin 2024, illustration copyright Amanda Quartey 2024, Kar-Ben Publishing

As I mentioned, I didn’t use any art notes in the manuscript. But what I did have was a lot more back matter plus a bibliography, which didn’t all end up in the book. I really wanted to keep more, but I was able to work out a compromise where I kept four references (though not in the form of a bibliography but in “Acknowledgments”). One of the references I got to keep was the interview I had with Angela Buxton in 2015. She lived in Florida just a county away from where I live. It was such a lovely meeting over dinner. She was very grateful I wanted to write a children’s book about her friendship and doubles partnership with Althea. With her background as a tennis player and journalist, she was very helpful with the chronological order of events and Althea’s journey. Fortunately, I was able to put the extra back matter in an Educator’s Guide – downloadable on my website: loridubbin.com. You can also find the Educator’s Guide on the Kar-Ben Publishing website – https://www.karben.com/ – click “Resources,” then “Educator eSource Guides,” then “Jewish Heroes.”

SUSANNA: That is really amazing! How cool that you got to interview her! Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc? What was that like?

LORI: I found out from my editor in early February 2024, that Perfect Match was a Junior Library Guild selection in the category of “Sports Elementary Plus for Grades 2-6!” I was thrilled and so grateful for the honor. The selection is wonderful for the book, and it’s great for readers who rely on libraries to find books. Junior Library Guild sends the book, when it’s released, directly to libraries across the U.S. I’m also listed on the Jewish Book Council’s website as an author available for a reading or presentation (see more below) and received a very nice review from them, which I first found on Amazon but it’s also on the JBC website and now mine!

SUSANNA: Congratulations! What an honor! How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?

LORI: When the book releases in September 2024, it will be two years and two months since I received the offer. But so worth the wait!

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

LORI: I’ve kept the Marketing Director at Kar-Ben Publishing continually updated about in person readings and online blogs I have scheduled. The Marketing Director also asked me if I wanted to do an online interview she knew about and she set me up with the blogger. I always say “yes,” and I have learned a lot about marketing from working with Kar-Ben. This year, 2024, is Kar-Ben Publishing’s 50^th Anniversary, and they arranged a contest and giveaway of their new books, including Perfect Match, on Instagram! Early in the production process, the publisher sent the manuscript out to Junior Library Guild for consideration. After the publisher told me about the Jewish Book Council as a platform for getting book presentation dates, I applied and pitched my book to everyone in their network on a Zoom with other authors who had books of all genres releasing in 2024-2025. I was very nervous about doing the pitch, but I enjoyed preparing for it (I used some home-made visuals since we were told we couldn’t screenshare). I recently learned I received invitations to present Perfect Match at four different Family Days/children’s author book fairs from fall 2024 to spring 2025 – all through the Jewish Book council pitch and all located in different parts of the country! In addition, the Kar-Ben Marketing Director sent me an ARC of the book to share with critique partners and authors for reviews on Goodreads. She also put an ARC on Netgalley for reviews. It was nice to read the positive reviews on Goodreads from many readers I don’t know as well as the supportive reviews I received from writer friends.

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

LORI: I ordered bookmarks, bookplates, and stickers, set up in person presentations at our local independent bookstore for family and friends and a Saturday afternoon reading for children and their families, arranged several online blog/interview appearances, joined a promo/release group – @KidsBookCrew1, and have kept my website updated with current information about online interviews (which I arranged myself), book readings, and appearances. I gave out some of the bookmarks and bookplates ahead of time to friends and family with my presentation dates written on them.

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

LORI: From 2014 to 2022 – 8 years!

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?)

LORI: Keep learning craft and asking questions. Don’t be afraid to ask mentors, agents, editors, and publicists even if you feel shy or think you’re asking a silly question. I’ve found that even if it turns out the question would have been answered later without you asking, you will get the answer sooner and I guarantee you’ll learn something you didn’t even think to ask as well. And always remember the power of kindness and teamwork – just remember what it did for Angela and Althea!

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

LORI: I know it’s something you’ve heard before, but Never Give Up – even if you think you should. Take time away if you need it, and come back when you’re ready. Keep reading about craft along the way to stay current. When a story calls to you, stick with it. Eventually you will find a happy writing routine, you will get busy with other manuscripts, and just when you least expect it, a story close to your heart will find the right home and be released into the world at the right time.

Thank you for the opportunity, Susanna!

SUSANNA: Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this series and paying it forward to other writers, Lori! We so appreciate your time, and the opportunity to learn from your experience! Here’s wishing you all the best with this and future titles from all of us!

Readers, if you have questions for Lori, please post them in the comments below and if she has time I’m sure she’ll respond! And don’t forget, your comment will put you in the running to be the randomly selected winner of PERFECT MATCH: THE STORY OF ALTHEA GIBSON AND ANGELA BUXTON signed by Lori Dubbin if you leave it by Monday September 23rd at 3PM Eastern!

Author Lori Dubbin

Lori Dubbin is a writer and former early childhood educator. She enjoys researching and writing about people just outside the framework of history who have made extraordinary contributions to the world and who model kindness, compassion, and perseverance for young readers. When Lori isn’t researching or writing, she likes taking walks, solving crossword puzzles, and reading with her grandson. Her children’s picture book, Perfect Match, The Story of Althea Gibson and Angela Buxton is a Junior Library Guild Selection.

Lori Dubbin, author
Twitter/X: @LoriDubbin
Website: loridubbin.com
Facebook: @loridubbin

Amanda Quartey, illustrator
Twitter/X: @amandaq_art
Instagram: @amandaqart
Website: amandaq-art.com
Facebook: @amandaq art

You may purchase Lori’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!