Welcome to Friday, everyone, where once again we’re going a Friday edition of Tuesday Debut!
I promise – we will not be doing this every week!
In fact, here’s a little heads up.
Next week, we will have a Tuesday Debut on July 14, and a special post on Thursday, July 16, and then. . . THEN. . . I will be taking a little blogging break for 5 and 1/2 weeks until August 25th. I usually take a longer blogging break in the summer but, by golly, there are just so many talented authors to introduce you to and so many great books to review and we’ve been having so much fun that it was hard to take a break at all. But I need a little time to devote to some other things on my to-do list, so…. a break there shall be.
You guys could probably all do with a break from me anyway! 😊
Now then. You are going to love meeting today’s debut-ess. She is tons of fun and her book is amazing! But before I introduce her, it’s time to hand out goodies!
If your memory is better than mine is these days, you will recall that Ellen Ramsey very kindly offered a giveaway of a signed copy of her book, A BOOK FOR BEAR, when she was on PPBF a couple weeks ago.
And the winner is. . .
Mindy Baker!!!
Woo hoo, Mindy! Come on down and collect your fabulous prize! (That is, please email me at your earliest convenience so I can hook you up with your book! 😊)
In addition, because we had a Friday edition of Tuedsay Debut last week, we have another two lovely giveaways from Janetha Edwards! One lucky winner will receive any type of Zoom call (though Janetha would particularly love to be able to give a classroom/ library read-aloud.) Another lucky winner will receive a signed copy of the paperback of her book, Lemony Clouds!
And the winners are. . .
Robin Currie
who wins the Zoom Call of any type
and
Andi Chitty
who wins the copy of Lemony Clouds!
Congratulations, Robin and Andi! Just shimmy on down with Mindy and we’ll get your prizes organized, too, as soon as you email me!
AND we have 2 new giveaways this week! Our debut-ess is offering 2 winner’s choices of either a signed copy of her fabulous book, THE HULA PAINTED FROG, OR a Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming)!!! All you have to do to put yourself in the running to be one of the randomly selected winners is capture a unicorn. Just kidding 😊 All you have to do is leave a comment below by Monday July 13th at 3 PM Eastern.
Title: The Hula Painted Frog
Author: Amber A. NovakIllustrator: Maya Gonen
Publishing House: Green Bean Books
Date of Publication: July 30, 2026
ISBN: 978-1805001508
Fiction or Nonfiction: Informational Fiction
age range of your book: 4-8
More than half a century after its unique marshy habitat was destroyed, the “extinct” Hula painted frog leaped into the scientific spotlight when it reemerged in a small nature preserve.
SUSANNA: Where did the idea for this book come from?
AMBER: When my youngest child learned (from a picture book!) that the Yangtze River Dolphin was extinct, she was devastated. It hurt my heart. She asked if extinct animals could come back. I told her “No,” but really wanted my answer to be wrong. So I did some searching and voilà: the Hula painted frog re-emerged fifty-six years and one “extinction” designation later. Obviously, it had never been extinct, but I loved that I’d stumbled on an example of environmental destruction in which humans got a second chance to make things right.
Amber’s daughter (the reason she wrote the book) holding the PJ Library edition
SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?
AMBER: Once I did enough research to feel like I had a grasp on the history of the Hula painted frog, I switched to writing. The first draft was done in an hour and was five times longer than need be (3k words or something nuts like that). From there I whittled away, rearranged, and filled gaps. I also need time not looking at a draft to re-evaluate it well, so it takes dozens of revision hours, but stretched out over weeks.
SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?
AMBER: So many.
First I revise while reading the story silently in my head, then I read it aloud to myself, and when I think it’s finally “ready” (it isn’t) I’ll read out loud to my family. Reading aloud to other people helps me pinpoint which lines and words aren’t working. With a real audience, even one that loves me, the pressure is raised just enough that I can evaluate my writing to a more rigorous standard than if it’s just me and a laptop screen.
For The Hula Painted Frog, I was incredibly lucky and had a writer’s dream revision process: I’d been selected to be in the 2023 PJ Library summer camp cohort for emerging PB writers and illustrators at Boyd Mills. I’d applied with a different MS, but knew as soon as I wrote The Hula Painted Frog that it was the story I wanted to workshop.
The brilliant Heidi E.Y. Stemple critiqued the manuscript, and because of her wisdom and enthusiasm, I made significant changes that really elevated the story to a new level. I also got feedback from five other writers and illustrators while I was at the camp, and they each helped me move closer to the finished MS with their insights.
Half a year later, after giving it some “down-time,” I put The Hula Painted Frog through another round with a fabulous critique group.
Amber’s writing space
SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?
AMBER: The manuscript was chosen for PBParty* in 2024. (At that point the title was The Frog That Would Not Stay Extinct.) I was giddy. No need for a second cup of coffee that day!
I didn’t land an agent from the experience, but the process forced me to have a strong query and bio written up, and gave me confidence to submit my work to a publisher. Most importantly, the PBParty organizers connected me with other writers to form a critique group that I’ve been in regular contact with for over two years now. Thank you Mindy, Callie, Sylvia, and the PBParty crew!
SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?
AMBER: I submitted exclusively to Green Bean Books. They publish a lot of PJ Library books, and since PJ Library had been instrumental in both my professional writing and personal life (their books help me, the non-Jewish parent of a culturally-mixed family, incorporate Jewish traditions into our lives), I knew I wanted to continue working with the organization and hoped they’d select my book for their list.
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”?
AMBER: Michael Leventhal at Green Bean was very quick to respond that he had received my submission, even with the time difference between me in Austin and him in London. I’m always amazed at his response times.
Because I was new to picture book writing and clueless about the industry, I inadvertently submitted to him right between the London and Bologna Children’s Book Fairs, so he was busy. But a few weeks later he followed up again with interest and asked if I was willing to make some changes (mostly removing vocabulary words he felt were too challenging for littles). I agreed to small revisions, added backmatter at his request, and two and a half months after I re-submitted, he wrote that he and his editors would like to publish the story.
SUSANNA: How long was it between getting your offer and getting your contract to sign?
AMBER: Six days.
SUSANNA: Wow! That is fast! Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?
AMBER: [It would have helped me understand the industry to know the exact numbers in other author’s contracts, so I’m going to be straightforward here and hope it isn’t considered crass.]
Since I didn’t have an agent, I hired a freelancer to look over the contract. She wrote “This is a great contract. A $2000 advance, from a smaller press?! Amazing!”
Nonetheless I made a few requests at her suggestion. I got an increase in author copies (from 8 to 15), but did not get the royalty rate uniformly up to 5% on all print editions.
SUSANNA: I don’t think it’s crass at all! I think it’s very helpful and thank you for sharing! Can you tell us a little about the editorial process?
AMBER: I think this is where I would have benefited from an agent to guide me through the timeline and process of final edits before the print run. I cherish the printed book, but there were a couple of surprises! One thing I have learned for my future self is that if you have a specific layout item in mind, make that clear upfront. I didn’t specify that I envisioned a page turn between an ellipsis and a big reveal in the text, and they are published in the same spread. Lesson learned!
SUSANNA: What was your experience of the illustration process like?
AMBER: Lucky for me, my editor met Maya Gonen, a finalist for The Silent Book Contest award at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, right around the time he first read The Hula Painted Frog manuscript. Half a year later she agreed to illustrate the story! Maya is a fantastic artist and really conveyed the story visually and with amazing historic accuracy. Nothing could improve on Maya’s work. It’s lovely.
text copyright Amber Novak, 2026, illustration copyright Maya Gonen, 2026, Green Bean Books
SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc? What was that like?
AMBER: Reading the reviews from the AJL and the Jewish Book Garden to my family has been one of my favorite moments in this journey. For years my kids only knew that I was writing and not getting published, so I share my joyful landmarks with them every chance I get, hoping to model the upside of resilience. I even pinned my contract to the brag wall in the house along with their A+ school work.
SUSANNA: I love that! How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?
AMBER: Under two years! There are 2,000 copies printed for the trade and 33,000 copies to PJ Library. I’m told it was mailed out to all their seven year-old subscribers.
SUSANNA: Oh, how wonderful! Can you describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.
AMBER: I’ve been included in a really outstanding group of (mostly) debut authors that work together to support one another (Shout out to Diane Mittler for making that happen!). We call ourselves PB Mix 26. We’ve got an instagram, an internal spreadsheet for tracking pre-release reviews, and monthly meetings to ask questions and discuss everything from printing bookmarks to school visits.
Self-promotion is an extremely painful activity for me, this debut group of authors has given me a roadmap and encouragement to post on socials, organize reviews, and put myself out there.
SUSANNA: How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?
AMBER: There are two answers to this question.
#1
One year. The Hula Painted Frog was the fourth picture book manuscript I wrote, the first one I ever got feedback on, and I signed a publishing contract on it less than a year after writing the draft. Fairytale, right? Read on . . .
#2
Twenty years. I’ve written book-length manuscripts consistently for decades, have three complete novels, and a YA series. We’re talking thousands of pages of unpublished fiction that I absolutely loved creating and getting lost in, but did not have sufficient confidence (and the Teflon-coated ego) needed to continue to query until I was agented.
So while my path to a picture book publication was quick, I’ve struggled for over two decades now to get my novels into the world.
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?)
AMBER: Find your personal currency of success, because it’s most likely not going to be monetary, or in the form of numerous publications. Very few children’s book writers are going to make enough to pay the monthly mortgage. For me, the reward is in the act of creating (I love to write!), the kidlit community (quite possibly the best bunch of people in the world), and inspiring children (author visits are The Best).
SUSANNA: SO true, Amber, and such excellent advice! Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?
AMBER: A surprise for me: I didn’t realize until after I was holding a copy of The Hula Painted Frog in my hands and practicing reading it aloud for a school visit that the ending page, “Sing your froggy song,” really begged for an actual song to accompany it – so I wrote one. I used to be an outdoor educator and incorporated music into my curriculum, so this was a fun pivot back to the songwriting for kids I once did. It’s been really rewarding. I’ve sung at a few author visits and at the Austin Zoo with SCBWI. Playing my guitar for children and inspiring them with a story about nature fills me with joy.
What advice for writers to moving forward
Don’t ride solo!
Reach out to the kidlit community. They are a special bunch of people and incredibly supportive, regardless of someone’s publishing status. We all have a common goal: creating for children.
Immerse yourself – enter contests, form a critique group, attend SCBWI meetings, and volunteer for things like World Read Aloud Day.
Ex: I entered your Holiday Writing Contest* in 2024 and received an honorable mention. I was still a newbie with picture books and this recognition meant a lot to me. And, the contest prompt got me to write a fun new picture book draft that wouldn’t have come into the world otherwise!
*For every one contest I mention here that I had success with, there were 10 rejections for something else I submitted to. As my CP, Emily Starr, says after each disappointment: ONWARD!
SUSANNA: Wow! So much great advice, Amber! Thank you so much for taking the time to join us today and share your knowledge and experience. We so appreciate and value the opportunity to learn from you! Wishing you all the best with this and future titles – and you novels!!!
Readers, if you have questions for Amber, please post them in the comments below and if she has time I’m sure she’ll respond! And remember, your comment on today’s post by Monday July 13th at 3 PM Eastern put you in the running to be one of the two randomly selected winners who will each receive winner’s choice of a copy of Amber’s amazing book, The Hula Painted Frog, OR A Picture Book Manuscript Critque (non-rhyming)
Author Amber Novak
Insta: @amberanovak, @PJLibrary, @green_bean_books, @maya_gonen_illustrator, @pbmix26
Bluesky: @amberanovak
You may purchase Amber’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 Friday! Maybe today is the day you’ll write your debut picture book 😊
Missed any previous Tuesday Debuts? Check them out HERE!
Susanna Leonard Hill 
SusannaI don’t thinkMy comment went throughTo Amber“Thank you for sharing your journey with us. You shared business details that I found interesting and never knew before. Good luck with the book. I can’t wait to read it!Elyse Trevers
Thanks for taking time to read and respond, Elyse!
I’m glad you enjoyed Amber’s interview, Elyse, and I can recommend the book – I really enjoyed it!
Amber, you’re book looks amazing! Congratulations and thank you for the great information! Looking forward to reading!
I appreciate your support! I love the Kid Lit community!
I think you’ll really like the book! It’s terrific!
What an interesting story, Amber! Thank you for sharing your journey and congratulations!
I’m so happy to share with other writers, and thank you for the warm words!
Glad you enjoyed Amber’s story, Kim!
Congratulations! Thank you for sharing the details of your amazing journey.
Thanks, Christy! This comment thread means a lot to me and I appreciate your words.
I’m glad you enjoyed hearing from Amber, Christy! She had so much great information to share!
What better reason to research and write than helping a loved one – or oneself – through pain. Congratulations, Amber and Maya!
Right?! If only there were dozens of species that refused to stay “extinct” that I could write about!!!
I agree, Julie! The best kind of inspiration!
I am reminded,again, how curiosity sparks ideas and persistence pushes us forward. Congratulations!
Thanks Kathryn! Your comment makes me realize that children’s Curiosity is one of their super powers – and luckily it’s very contagious.
So true, Kathryn! Thank goodness for curiosity and persistence!
What a fun interview! Congratulations, Amber! Your book and its story sound amazing!
Thanks Kim! I really appreciate your support.
So glad you enjoyed the interview, Kim, and I can recommend the book – it was a fun and interesting read!
Hi Amber! I enjoyed getting this in-depth look into your journey. Your book is well-researched, interesting, and so much fun to read. Congratulations!
Thank you, Judy! Woot Woot PB Mix 26! I appreciate our supportive cohort so much.
It’s great book, isn’t it, Judy? I really enjoyed it!
What a fascinating story. I also love that your daughter helped you “find” this story.
Thank you, Carol! She’s the inspiration to many many drafts (that need to be polished).
That makes it super special, doesn’t it, Carol?! 🙂
Congratulations! I also love the fact that your daughter helped tp spark this story! Looking forward to reading it! 🐸
Thank you. When showed her Susanna’s post this morning and her picture, she ran around the living room yelling, “I’m famous!” Kids rule.
They sure do!!!🤩
It’s really good, Susan! I recommend it! I enjoyed it myself, and I read it to my granddaughter who is 4 and she loved it, too!
Thank you for your candid peek behind the scenes and insightful advice! You show how inspiration can strike at any time and perseverance pays off!
That’s high praise coming from you, Emily!!!! Next I will put that perseverance to use organizing my workspace.
So glad if you found what Amber had to share helpful, Emily!
Writing your own song? I had to go to your Instagram right away to check that out. What a great idea! Congratulations on your book!
Children are a VERY forgiving audience once a musical instrument is involved – otherwise I’d never do it! Thanks for the kind words, Kate.
I know! Me too, Kate 🙂
Thank you for being so open and honest about your writing journey! I love that you posted on your family’s brag wall and sing at book readings! Hearing your story has inspired me to revisit informational fiction ideas I’ve had. Congratulations!
Yes! Please give Info Fiction another chance – there are so many ways to write it! The NFFest facebook page might be a good resource for you.
I know, Sarah, that was really wonderful, wasn’t it? I’m glad if you’re feeling inspired to revisit some info fiction ideas. Go for it!
What a fun and interesting interview! Thanks for sharing your journey and insightful advice. I love that the story was inspired by wanting to give your daughter a happier answer. Congratulations!
Thank you, Beth! I appreciate that you took the time to stop by the blog and support me. Cant wait to see you at Lines and Letters!
I know, Beth! Isn’t that wonderful? Especially because a happier answer turned out to be possible?
Thank you for the inspiration to keep it moving and write! The Hula Painted Frog sounds like a great read…and thank you, Susanna for being such an asset to the PB world
The kindness of the picture book community has blown me away from the start. Susanna, thank you for the support you give authors through your blog.
It’s a wonderful book! So well written, full of interesting information at just the right level to be accessible to this age group and some of it is funny 🙂 Humor always helps make a book more fun!
I appreciate your encouraging words to keep going! Your story sounds very interesting as well. Looking forward to reading and learning!
Thank you, Sandra! We all need to be encouraged to keep writing!
It’s a great book, Sandra! I think you’ll love it!
Congratulations, Amber! I love your inspiration to write this story. So sweet!
Thank you Sarah! I really appreciate it!
Wouldn’t it be interesting to know exactly how many picture books are written because of someone’s child or grandchild, Sarah? I bed it would be A LOT!
The interview is very detailed and would appear to contain some insights for aspiring writers. For me, the environmental message in the book is of special interest, and I’m glad to see that the book exists. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
great interview. I love back from the brink stories!
It was great, wasn’t it, Leslie? I had never heard of the Hula Painted Frog before, but now it’s getting its due!
Yes! It’s rare we get a second chance on a species we almost wiped out, and it’s really interesting to see wetland reclamation occurring all over the earth as we learn from our mistakes.
I love the environmental message, too, Art. So important for kids to understand the effects of our actions, and so wonderful to see this tough little frog hanging on for a comeback!
Congratulations! Kids are going to love this book. Thank you for sharing your journey!
Thank you for the support, Barbara! That means a lot to me.
I think so too, Barbara! How often does an (almost) extinct animal come back? It’s such a hopeful story!
Thank you, Susanna! Thank you, Amber! Especially loved reading about your writing path and the step-by-step success you’ve had. Your persistence and connections with others (way to go, Diane and PBMix 26!) have paid off. And your guitar playing is the cherry on top for The Painted Hula Frog!
Thank you, Karen! Your words are so kind and supportive.
Amber gave us so much interesting and helpful information, Karen! I’m so glad you enjoyed hearing from her!
Oops!! Make that The Hula Painted Frog! My hasty typing got ahead of me.
🙂
Thank you so much for this, Amber. You’ve given such a great view on the ups and the downs and hard work that are behind them. And it’s so great that the book shows hope!
I appreciate your comments, Jodie! Agree on the hope front – which is a nontrivial task with anything political or environmental these days 😦
So glad you enjoyed hearing from Amber, Jodie!
I loved hearing the background on the story and seeing how your daughters freckles match the frogs! How adorable!! Congrats!
I agree, Kelly. Learning the background of the story was interesting and fun, and Amber’s daughter is adorable with the book!
I know I’m too late for the giveaway, but I just read this and wanted to say how amazing this interview was! I learned so much and feel super inspired 🙂