Ting! Ting! Ting!
Attention, everyone!
Please take your seats.
It’s time for Tuesday debut!

Since tomorrow is the first day of October, I have two lovely quotes for you:

“I remember it as October days are always remembered, cloudless, maple-flavored, the air gold and so clean it quivers.” —Leif Enger, Peace Like a River

Isn’t that just like October? And doesn’t it conjure up such exquisite images that you want to write about something – anything! – in October?

and

“In October any wonderful unexpected thing might be possible.” —Elizabeth George Speare, The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Such an exhilarating idea, don’t you think?

So after you read about today’s debut-ess, carry that vision of October with you to your writing spot and see what shows up on your page! 😊

Now! Announcements!

The lucky winner of last week’s giveaway, winner’s choice of a PB manuscript critique (rhyming or non-rhyming) from author Angela Calabrese OR a signed copy of Angela’s debut picture book, THE PRECISE LITTLE WITCH is. . .

Mona Voelkel!!!

Congratulations, Mona! Please email me and let me know your choice!

And for this week, we have a new giveaway! Today’s debut-ess, Korena Di Roma Howley, is offering a 30-minute Ask Me Anything Zoom call to one lucky winner! To put yourself in the running to be the randomly selected winner, please leave a comment on today’s post by 3 PM Eastern on Monday October 6th!

And now, it is my pleasure to introduce you to today’s Tuesday Debut, Korena Di Roma Howley, and her wonderful book, SARANG SAVES THE SCHOOL!

Title: Sarang Saves the School
Author: Korena Di Roma Howley
Illustrator: Joowon Oh
Publishing House: Candlewick
Date of Publication: July 8, 2025
Fiction or Nonfiction: Fiction
age range: 3-7

In contemporary South Korea, Sarang discovers that her school is losing so many students that it may be forced to close. After hearing that her beloved grandmother was denied an education as a girl, Sarang hatches a plan to save her school and keep her family together, with heartwarming results. 

SUSANNA: Welcome, Korena! Thank you so much for joining us today. We are excited to hear all about the creation of SARANG SAVES THE SCHOOL! Where did the idea for this book come from?

KORENA: In 2019 I read an article in the New York Times about a group of Korean grandmothers who were given the opportunity to attend school for the first time. They enrolled in primary grades alongside their grandchildren, whose school was struggling to find enough students to stay open. When I decided to try writing picture books about a year later, this story came back to mind. 

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

KORENA: About a year passed between having the initial idea and beginning the first draft. Once I started writing, I had a draft in about six weeks. But I was still revising right up until I submitted the full manuscript to agents and editors. 

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

KORENA: Many, many revisions. It’s still one of the most challenging stories I’ve written. I wanted to stay true to the circumstances that inspired it and honor the experiences of the grandmothers while also bringing a child’s perspective to the forefront. There were versions that featured other grandmothers in the community and a closer look at Halmeoni’s working life. I think finding the narrative’s emotional center—Sarang and Halmeoni’s relationship—helped to bring a somewhat complex story, driven by social and demographic issues, into focus. 

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

KORENA: When I decided to do something with this idea, I was still very new to picture books, so I signed up for a class that happened to be starting the following week. As I worked through the course, I was able to take the story from idea to first draft. It went through several rounds of revisions with the instructor and the other participants, and at that point I considered it ready for submission.

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

KORENA: I had never submitted anything before and was still very much in the learning phase. I had a submission opportunity through a conference, and an agent showed interest in seeing the full manuscript. While it was with her, I stumbled on a contest called PBParty that had a deadline coming up quickly. Following the guidelines, I entered a query letter and the first 70 words or so of my manuscript. When I was selected as a finalist—which meant the query letter and sample would be featured in a showcase for agents and editors—I was completely unprepared for the possibilities. I hoped that at least one agent or editor would show interest. Maybe two or even three. In the end I received 27 requests. No one could have been more surprised by this than me. 

SUSANNA: Wow! That’s really something! 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”?

KORENA: Kate Fletcher, my editor at Candlewick, was one of the requesting editors during the showcase. I had sent the manuscript to her and several other editors, some of whom responded with R&Rs. I believe I already had an offer from one of the editors when I signed with my agent, and she contacted everyone who had the manuscript at that point. Somewhere in the mix, it did go to acquisitions at various publishers, but so much was happening at once that it’s hard to recall how long it all took. After that initial offer, I think only about a week or two.   

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 ):

KORENA: “The call” was a little bit different because of the situation. I had sent the full manuscript to both editors and agents who expressed interest, and some agents were very quick to respond while others were slower. But once I had offers from editors and needed to alert agents of what was happening, I got my first offer of representation fairly quickly. I was a bit overwhelmed at this point but also grateful for the enthusiasm that agents and editors were showing for the manuscript. When I had my call with Lisa Amstutz, who’s now my agent, she came across as a steadying force. I also liked that she had a background in nonfiction, and science in particular, since I thought I’d largely focus on that space. I felt very fortunate when she offered representation, and I was more than happy to hand over the reins. 

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

KORENA: I think about six weeks. 

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

KORENA: I don’t think I went into it knowing what to expect, but I believe it was very straightforward in terms of picture book publishing contracts. Candlewick did offer a high enough advance that we chose not to go to auction (this is what’s referred to as a preempt).

SUSANNA: Again – amazing! Can you tell us a little about the editorial process?

KORENA: I first received an edit letter that detailed areas where the manuscript could be strengthened and included some suggestions for further revision. This sparked some new ideas that I think created a richer experience of Sarang’s home and her life within the community. I next saw it in layout, and from there we continued to fine-tune the wording, especially once Joowon Oh’s sketches were in. 

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

KORENA: Kate sent portfolios for four or five illustrators and asked for my top choices. They were all wonderful, and I loved trying to imagine what each illustrator might do with the story. I was particularly drawn to Joowon’s playful characters and cheerful palette and was thrilled when she signed on to illustrate. I was given the opportunity to look over the sketches in layout and to comment on any inconsistencies or redundancies with the text. And there’s nothing like seeing the final art for the first time.

I did have a few art notes where I thought the illustrations could take the place of text. An example:

The schoolyard stirred with excitement. 

“What’s all this?” Halmeoni asked. [Illustration note: Families arriving at the school together]

text copyright Korena Di Roma Howley 2025, illustration copyright Joowon Oh 2025, Candlewick

And here is an additional interior spread:

text copyright Korena Di Roma Howley 2025, illustration copyright Joowon Oh 2025, Candlewick

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

KORENA: Yes, I did! They were my first look at what anyone beyond my family, publishing team, and agent thought of the final book. It was both exciting and uplifting, as I was fortunate to get several positive trade reviews, including a starred review from Publishers Weekly! 

SUSANNA: The more I hear about this book, the more I want to read it! How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?

KORENA: About three years.

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

KORENA: A year and a half or so. 

SUSANNA: That’s fast! 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?)

KORENA: I’ve learned to really embrace the collaborative nature of the form and not to hold my own vision to too strict an interpretation. Even author-illustrators work closely with editors and art directors to shape their stories. So be willing to trust in the creative contributions of those around you and to give other ideas and directions a try. Your earlier versions will still be waiting if you need to get back to them. You might find that you don’t want to.

SUSANNA: That is excellent advice. Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?

KORENA: It seems like a lifetime ago that I had this idea, and it’s been truly incredible to see it become a book that children hold in their hands and that others take pride in having created. I’m excited to continue sharing this story!

SUSANNA: Thank you so much for coming to talk with us today, Korena! It’s such a wonderful opportunity for all of us to learn and we really appreciate it! Wishing you the best of luck with this and future titles!

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

And remember, your comment puts you in the running to be the randomly selected winner of Korena’s giveaway of a 30-minute Ask Me Anything Zoom call if you leave it on today’s post by 3 PM Eastern on Monday October 6th!

Author Korena Di Roma Howley

website
@korenahowley on Instagram and Twitter
korena@bsky.social, @candlewickpress, @lisaamstutz.author

You may purchase Korena’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!