Welcome to our first Tuesday Debut of May, 2026!

I promised you an update on my baby trees. Miss Magnolia is making some progress, and Miss Dogwood is also rising to the occasion but it just hasn’t been warm enough yet for either of them to really burst into bloom. We had two nights of frost warnings this week! I kid you not! But I believe in them, and I think they will have more to show us soon. 😊

In keeping with the tradition of our generous guests, I have a giveaway winner to announce!

The winner of a copy of Lisa Carmody Doiron’s book Ahoy, Mate, Ahoy! Miss Molly Malloy! from last week’s Tuesday Debut is. . .

Robin Currie!!!

Congratulations, Robin! I hope you will enjoy it! Please email me at your earliest convenience so I can get your book out to you!

And now, it is my pleasure to introduce you to this week’s Tuesday Debut-ess, Brandi-Ann Uyemura, author of this lovely book, I AM A BON DANCER!

Title: I Am a Bon Dancer
Author: Brandi-Ann Uyemura
Illustrator: Amy Matsushita-Beal
Publishing House: Holiday House
Date of Publication: March 24, 2026
Fiction or Nonfiction: Fiction
age range of your book: 4-7

A Japanese-American girl at the Obon festival is too shy to dance—until her encouraging grandfather reminds her what’s being celebrated.

SUSANNA: Welcome, Brandi-Ann! We are so excited to get to chat with you today about how I AM A BON DANCER came to be! Where did the idea for this book come from?

BRANDI-ANN: I used to go to the Bon dance festival with my grandpa in Kauai when I was a kid. The memory of being there with him stuck with me for years. I didn’t have a fully formed idea, although I probably thought I did. I think what helped was for me to research the meaning behind the festival and the dances themselves. What I uncovered actually helped me to understand my characters better and also helped me to figure out the purpose and meaning of my story.

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

BRANDI-ANN: It took me a decade and so many drafts! What took me a long time to realize was that authors don’t create publishable books in isolation. You might start that way, but a fully formed publishable book requires other readers to help critique it. This might look like a mentor, which is what helped me and/or critique partners and classes. I am still taking courses, searching for new critique partners and connecting with other writers. It truly takes a village to create a publishable picture book.

SUSANNA: That is so true. And I don’t think there is ever a point when we can’t benefit from critique partners and continuing education. There is always more we can learn, and there are likely always areas in our manuscripts that critique partners can see have room for improvement even though it is difficult for us to recognize on our own. Did you go through many revisions?

BRANDI-ANN: Yes the story that is out is an entirely different story than the one I started with. One of the early drafts was done in third person and now it’s in first person. I had to completely scrap what my original idea was which was to write about my cousins and I going to the festival with my grandpa. I rewrote it probably a hundred times. I think you have to be willing to do that-to get rid of writing you might think is precious or get rid of characters. It might be heartbreaking to do it, but it’s a necessary part of the process.

Brandi-Ann’s work space

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

BRANDI-ANN: I think I was fortunate in that I had award-winning author Andrea Wang as my mentor. She really helped me to edit and get my manuscript to a point where it was ready for submission. For future manuscripts, I think asking a lot of people helps. When you start to get less big world feedback and more you should move this word here or cut this word there, then you’re probably ready to submit.

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

BRANDI-ANN: I participated in Justin Colon’s PBChat on Twitter, which unfortunately no longer exists. I owe a lot to both Andrea and Justin because without them, I don’t know if I would have published my book. Besides having Andrea as a mentor, the program involved editors and agents taking a look at your pitch. If they were interested, you could send them your manuscript. I received a lot of attention for my pitch and that’s how I wound up with selling my story and my agent at that time, Tricia Lawrence.

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”?

BRANDI-ANN: I actually bypassed this since my editor read my story from PBChat and immediately sent a contract, before other publishers had time to take it to their acquisitions meeting.

SUSANNA: Wow! That’s amazing! 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 😊)

BRANDI-ANN: I think it was in 2021. I didn’t really celebrate, although maybe I should have! I was in complete shock and probably out of my body. I was waiting for this moment for so long that I couldn’t believe it was happening,

Brandi-Ann’s writing buddy, Bear 😊

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

BRANDI-ANN: It was not long at all, although I don’t remember exactly how long it took. It is true what they say that publishing is super slow and then super fast. There’s no in between really. It was a lot faster than it took to write my picture book that’s for sure!

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

BRANDI-ANN: Ack. I’m so bad with these type of details. I actually had a relative who is an attorney read it for me. I was surprised that there was something in there about what if my character was in an amusement part one day or in a movie. I didn’t think that would ever happen, so I wasn’t worried about it.

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

BRANDI-ANN: I was lucky and also probably because 1) I spent so many years on it before it was acquired 2) Andrea was so generous with her time and helped me edit it so thoroughly beforehand, there weren’t much edits. Maybe 1-2 passes.

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

BRANDI-ANN: I did get to see an initial draft and was blown away by how much emotion Amy created. It became a whole other layer of story atop my words. The only thing I requested was that the illustrations be realistic. When I met Amy in person, I learned that this required a lot of work. I am so grateful to have been paired with such a talented illustrator.

text copyright Brandi-Ann Uyemura 2026, illustration copyright Amy Matsushita-Beal 2026, Holiday House

text copyright Brandi-Ann Uyemura 2026, illustration copyright Amy Matsushita-Beal 2026, Holiday House

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

BRANDI-ANN: My editor emailed me the SLJ review, and I think at that point I didn’t know what it was, so it really flew over my head. Since then, I’ve received other reviews and I’m always a little nervous in reading them, but really, really appreciate getting them!

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

BRANDI-ANN: I think I got an offer in 2021 and it was supposed to come out in the summer of 2025. I didn’t actually get it until 2026 so it was a very, long process.

I don’t know how much they ordered.

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

BRANDI-ANN: They have posted on Instagram and I think sent my book to the Bologna Book fair. I saw it in someone’s Instagram post. I am sure they’ve done more things that are behind-the-scenes and I’m unaware of.

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

BRANDI-ANN: I have been doing so much Instagram and other social media as well as written essays, appeared in a podcast, guest blog posts, interviewed in articles. I’ve created swag and cold called as many bookstores and cultural centers as I could find. It’s been a lot of work and rejection! But I hope in the end, it will all be worth it.

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

BRANDI-ANN: Oh my gosh almost two decades now! I am always amazed when people just decide to start writing and become published right away. I am definitely slow!

SUSANNA: I think slow is more common than 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?)

BRANDI-ANN: I just heard Karen Boss, a Charlesbridge editor, speak in a keynote for SCBWI OK. She said letting things simmer will make the things you create even stronger. I have to remember this often because I feel such an urgency to get my stories out there. I don’t want another decade to pass before another one of my books is published. I feel like I owe it to my family and community to create stories about their lives, and I don’t want it to take that long, and more of them are gone. At the same time, I know stories need to sit. And not all of my stories are meant to be published. I’ve learned a lot of things along the way, but this one is good for all of us to remember!

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

BRANDI-ANN: Just that there will be times when you will doubt yourself or wonder if you should be doing something else. I know I go through this several times a day. I think what kept me going for so many years when I had every reason to give up, was that I enjoy writing and I also kept connecting with other writers who supported and encouraged me to keep at it. If you are writing in isolation, it’s easier to give up. Every time I was ready to throw in the towel, I won a scholarship or a mentorship or a writer friend said they loved my story. Keep a file in your computer and make a list of all the reasons why you’re story is important and all the positive things that people will tell you about your work. This will help you to keep writing, but it will also help you remember one day when you do publish your book and someone asks you what helped you persevere.

Thank you so much!

SUSANNA: Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this series and pay it forward to other writers, Brandi-Ann! We really appreciate the opportunity to learn from you. It helps us all to be better writers. Wishing you the best of luck with this and future titles!

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

Author Brandi-Ann Uyemura

Instagram: @Brandialwayswrites
Bluesky: brandiauyemura.bsky.social
Brandi-annuyemura.com
Publisher Instagram @holidayhousepeachtree
Illustrator Instagram @colorshelf
Facebook @BrandiUyemura

You may purchase Brandi-Ann’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!