Good morning, everyone, and thank you for tuning in to today’s edition of Tuesday Debut!

For your viewing pleasure, there will be NO commercial interruptions 😊

What a season we’re having! So far between PPBF and Tuesday Debut we’ve had several Christmas and Hanukkah books already, and today we have another one!

But before we get to today’s debut, we have goodies to distribute!

The lucky winner of last week’s giveaway, a fiction, non-rhyming picture book critique from Madhu Messenger is. . .

Cathy Mealey!!!

Congratulations, Cathy! I’m sure it will be amazing! Please email me so I can put you in touch with Madhu.

This week, our debut-ess is offering winner’s choice of a signed copy of OY, SANTA! OR, THERE’S A LATKE TO LEARN ABOUT HANUKKAH, OR a 30-minute AMA zoom session with her (debut author Joyce Schriebman.) Just leave a comment on today’s post by Monday October 14th at 3PM Eastern and you could be the randomly selected winner!!!

So now, it is my pleasure to introduce this week’s debut author, the one and only Joyce Schriebman, and her delightful picture book, OY, SANTA! OR, THERE’S A LATKE TO LEARN ABOUT HANUKKAH!

Title: Oy, Santa!, or There’s a Latke to Learn about Hanukkah
Author: Joyce Schriebman
Illustrator:  Gila von Meissner
Publishing House: Intergalactic Afikoman
Date of Publication:  October 1, 2024
Fiction or Nonfiction: Fiction
age range of your book:  4-8

OY, SANTA!, or There’s a Latke to Learn about Hanukkah, is the story of a Jewish child who wants to get the message across that Hanukkah and Christmas are not related. AT ALL! Told through a series of email exchanges, OY, SANTA! unfolds as an uncompromising expression of Jewish pride as young Oliver Overstreet confronts one misconception after another about Jewish holidays. And while Ollie and Santa eventually come to respect and appreciate each other’s traditions, OY, SANTA! is a response to the oft-held notion that Jewish children are less-than or somehow deprived during the holiday season. With a strong SEL component–poor Ollie really needs to develop PATIENCE!–the book is also a kid-friendly approach to religious diversity and honoring differences.

SUSANNA: Welcome, Joyce! Oy, are we excited to hear about how you came up with THIS idea! 😊 Where did it come from?

JOYCE: I had a kernel of an idea for a book that would explain to non-Jews that Hanukkah wasn’t “Jewish Christmas” but couldn’t find an entry point for the story. I was browsing through a bookstore one day and saw a book of letters to Santa and wondered if the epistolary structure would work for my story. And it did! I was also inspired by a note that my now 40+ year old son wrote when he was a preschooler, telling Santa to not come down our chimney on Christmas Eve. I proudly display that note on our mantel every Hanukkah. 

The note Joyce’s son wrote 😊

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

JOYCE: Don’t hate me but I had it roughed out in one sitting. Essentially Oy, Santa! is a conversation between a child (Ollie) and an adult (Santa). So the first draft flowed easily. Since then, I sometimes try this back-and-forth-conversation-approach even if my book isn’t a conversation just to flesh out where I want to go with the story. But I had to work on TONE (as opposed to voice) a lot! I was told by CPs and other early readers of the story that my MC sounded too snarky. LOL

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

JOYCE: Even though the story came easily and the arc changed very little, I edited fiercely. I literally looked at every word. My CPs were a BIG help making sure I made kid-like word choices. But I have to confess, I stubbornly held on to MANY lines that I eventually cut. It’s hard to “kill your darlings” (as Stephen King says) but you gotta do it. To make story cuts less painful, I create a DARLINGS file for my manuscripts and whenever I cut something I love, I save it in that file “to use at a later time in some other book.” Full disclosure: I’ve never gone back and retrieved any of those darlings! LOL But it reduces the pain to have a waystation for them when I’m editing.

SUSANNA: I do that too 😊 When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?

JOYCE: HA! Do we ever know for sure? I rely heavily on pitches when I write. (Some CPs tell me they hear my voice saying, “Where’s the pitch?” when they write!) I start with a general pitch and, as my story evolves, I give myself permission to change the pitch. (Stories have a life of their own, you know.) I know a ms is ready for subbing when the pitch and the story align—where my pitch says what the story says—and there’s a satisfying emotional takeaway (does the reader come away with the feeling I want them to?)  I suppose that’s why writing a pitch when I start querying isn’t a huge struggle for me. I’ve been working on it all along.

SUSANNA: I don’t start with a pitch, but I try to make sure I can articulate one pretty soon after I get an idea to make sure it’s actually a story. It’s a great approach! When and how did you submit?

JOYCE: I’m one of those odd ducks that likes to sub directly to the publisher. My book is about elevating the specialness of Hanukkah, but because it also includes Santa, I didn’t think it was a good fit for most Jewish publishers. So I queried non-Jewish publishers who accepted Jewish books. Then providence struck, and I discovered Intergalactic Afikoman! It’s a newer Jewish publisher with the mission of “creating a galaxy of Jewish joy.” Oy, Santa! is their first Hanukkah book, so that tells you something about the type of joyful, whimsical books they publish! There’s lid for every pot, so you just have to keep looking for that fit.

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”?

JOYCE: I heard from Brianna Caplan Sayres at Intergalactic Afikoman after only a couple weeks of querying. That’s really fast. She told me she read it and put it aside. Then came back to it again. And again. LOL When we spoke on the phone, our visions for the book complemented each other, which doesn’t mean they were the same. We had different readerships in mind (with a little crossover), so we felt there would be multiple marketing opportunities for the book and sharing it in the world would be a lot of fun!

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

JOYCE: It felt like it took an eternity! But looking back, it really wasn’t that long. Three or four months. Because I’m agentless, I negotiated on my own behalf. But Intergalactic Afikoman was fair and responsive, and the negotiations went smoothly. I was lucky to work with them on my first book! Also I’m a member of The Author’s Guild and had them review the contract. BTW The AG has FREE contract resources on their website that explain contract lingo. Check it out!

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

JOYCE: I didn’t know what to expect and spent a lot of time researching terminology! OY! The most important piece, I think, is to understand how royalties work. When you hear 4% or 5% or even more, you need to know whether that percentage is off the list price or the net. LIST means it’s the percentage off the retail price of the book. But if your royalites are based off NET, your percentage is taken AFTER expenses for the book, and you need to know which expenses are included because that can vary. Intergalactic Afikoman offers a small advance, which I was totally okay with because I believe in my book and feel I’ll earn out my advance. Plus Intergalactic Afikoman pays royalties based on LIST, which is not common in the industry. NOTE: I’ve read posts on kidlit social media that say, “no publishers pay royalties on LIST.” Obviously that’s not true. LOL So do your homework and know how you’re getting paid! (BTW my opinion here is not meant as any type of legal advice. I’m not a lawyer—I only play one on blog posts!)

SUSANNA: That is a very interesting and helpful explanation, Joyce! Thank you! Can you tell us a little about the editorial process?

JOYCE: There weren’t many significant edits to my manuscript but (and I love this about working with Intergalactic Afikoman) Brianna is a great editor. I accepted most of her suggestions (like spelling the holiday with an H as in Hanukkah rather than my preferred spelling, Chanukah.) But I also pushed back on a couple of things that went my way. Mostly, though, we did it her way because I trusted her editorial judgement.

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

JOYCE: I was lucky. I was brought into the process from the beginning, including being asked about the chosen illustrator (although I’m not sure I had veto power!) My first glimpse of Gila von Meissner’s illustrations was a simple sketch of our adorable Santa. That was a BIG moment. Seeing my story go from words to pictures. WOW Then periodically over the next couple of years (!) I was shown drawings, then a color spread or two, and then a final version. I’m a word person not a graphics person, so I was DELIGHTED with the final illustrations, including Gila’s choice of making Ollie bi-racial. (Did you know more than 20% of Jews in the US are Jews of Color?) Illustrators are so good at helping create windows, mirrors, and sliding doors!

text copyright Joyce Schriebman 2024, illustration copyright Gila von Meissner, Intergalactic Afikoman

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

JOYCE: We got an early review from PW and that was VERY cool. I was surprised and felt, “Oh, you like it, too!” Then we received a STARRED REVIEW from School Library Journal! I’m so new I had to ask around to see if that little « meant what I hoped it meant! LOL And we just received word that the Nov/Dec Horn Book Magazine will contain an Oy, Santa! review. So, you can imagine, we’re over-the-moon with excitement about how the book is being received!

SUSANNA: Congratulations! That is amazing! How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?

JOYCE: I received the offer in February 2022 and received my author copies this summer. So, let’s see, that’s 2½ years (cue the toddler holding up fingers!) My first print run was 3,000 copies, and presales went well, so I’m keeping fingers crossed for the next couple of months.

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

JOYCE: I think Intergalactic Afikoman does a lot of marketing…especially for a small house. But IDK what other publishers do. Oy, Santa! was sent to more than 50 review and interview sites/people, starting six months before publication. And I know my book was submitted to relevant award contests.

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

JOYCE: My pre-writing career was in marketing, so I did and am doing a lot. I created a new web site, made bookmarks with all the info about the book, crafted a Sell Sheet, and wrote to influencers and bloggers (like you, Susanna!) I also upped my social media game: sharing all the good news when I have it and thanking folks for their tremendous support because I’m very grateful. I sent emails to family and friends, asking them to review the book and bring a sell sheet into their local indie bookstore. I carry bookmarks and sell sheets EVERYWHERE, and if I meet someone and they ask, “What do you do,” I’m ready. I talk to my hairdresser, doctors, mechanics, and ANYONE. My husband is a big promoter of my book and pitched it to his friends and even his gym buddies! An author can market their book ALL THE TIME. Get the picture? EVERYWHERE, ANYONE, ANYTIME.

SUSANNA: Good for you! That is not something I am good at! How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?

JOYCE: I had a couple deals fall through, which is very hard—particularly as an unpublished author. One can’t help but wonder, “Will I ever get published?” I wrote my first ms in 2014, and my first offer was in 2020 for that book. Two weeks later, the offer was rescinded, so I queried it again. In 2021 I had an offer from a publisher in the UK for the same book, but they ghosted me after I accepted the offer. Third time’s the charm? I signed the contract with Intergalactic Afikoman for Oy, Santa! in 2022, so I’d say eight years? (And I’m STILL trying to find a home for that first ms!)

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?)

JOYCE: I have TWO most important things. The first is to have fun. Sure there are frustrating times, but overall, the ratio should be more joy and satisfaction than angst. The second important thing is to get yourself into a good critique group or two. I’m in three and each provides input, wisdom, and support differently. That way, when you hit the frustrating, hair-pulling moments—and they will come—you have colleagues who become friends and help you through it.

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

JOYCE: No, I think I’ve said ENOUGH! 😂

SUSANNA: Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this series and paying it forward to other writers, Joyce! We so appreciate the opportunity to learn from your experience! So many interesting tidbits and so much good advice. Here’s wishing you all the best with this and future titles!

Readers, if you have questions for Joyce, please post them in the comments below and if she has time I’m sure she’ll respond! And remember, your comment will put you in the running to be the randomly selected winner of winner’s choice a signed copy of OY, SANTA! OR, THERE’S A LATKE TO LEARN ABOUT HANUKKAH or a 30-minute AMA zoom session with Joyce if you leave it by Monday October 14th at 3PM Eastern!!!

Web site   www.JoyceSchriebman.com
Email         JoyceS.Author@gmail.com 
Facebook   JoyceSchriebman
Twitter (X)   JoyceSchr
IG   joyceschriebman
BlueSky   joyceschriebman.bsky.social

Publisher: www.IntergalacticAfikoman.com

Illustrator: Gila von Meissner  https://www.gila.be/

You may purchase Joyce’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!