Hello, Everyone!
Welcome to Tuesday Debut! One that is actually on a Tuesday! 😊
I hope everyone has our theme song from last week still stuck in their head so we can all sing it together! 😊 🎶
Tra la!!! 🎶 🎶 🎶
Let’s start today’s festivities by announcing the winner of the giveaway from last week. Laura De La Cruz, author of LOWRIDER FOR SALE, offered winner’s choice of a copy of LOWRIDER FOR SALE OR a Zoom AMA!
And the winner is. . .
Robin Currie!!!
Congratulations, Robin! I’m sure you’ll enjoy your prize! Please email me at your earliest convenience so I can get it to you!
And, today’s debut-ess is kindly offering 2 giveaways: first, a signed copy of her book, READY TO RIDE, with swag, AND second, a 30-minute Zoom session, (focus TBD by the winner from these options: a virtual read-aloud and brief discussion with a class or library group, a Q and A with a critique group, or a writing-related AMA with the winner.) Wowza! All you have to do to put yourself in the running to be one of the randomly selected winners of one of Diane’s two prizes is leave a comment on today’s post by Monday October 5th at 3 PM Eastern.
And now, please join me in a hearty welcome for today’s debut-ess, Diane Mittler!
Title: Ready to Ride
Author: Diane Mittler
Illustrator: Andrea Altamirano
Publishing House: Beaming Books
Date of Publication: October 13, 2026
ISBN: 979-8889837077
Fiction or Nonfiction: fiction
age range of your book: 4-8
SUSANNA: Welcome, Diane! Thank you so much for joining us today. We are really looking forward to hearing about your journey to publication with READY TO RIDE! Where did the idea for this book come from?
DIANE: When SCBWI-New Mexico (my home region) hosted a contest in 2023 prompting members to write about “a journey,” nothing I’d written seemed as compelling or important as the life journey I was traveling at that time because of my health. Though I’d been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 25 years earlier, my ability to walk was quickly declining, leaving me unable to maneuver in the hills nearby. My husband designed and built a mobility device– four knobby tires, two electric batteries and a throttle– and re-opened my access to nature AND provided the basis for my contest entry.
SUSANNA: Wow! Your husband is clever guy! How wonderful that he was able to help you keep doing what you love. How long did it take you to write this book?
DIANE: Months, not years. I crafted a free verse poem for the contest, won an agent critique, revised the poem into a picture book which became a finalist in PBParty 2024. The imposed deadlines helped build momentum to continue moving forward with it.
Diane’s work space – wow!
SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?
DIANE: I struggled with finding the entry point for the story. Since the biggest diversion from my own experience was the age of the character, I felt like I needed to provide a lot of background in order to justify the situation she found herself in. Once I started listening to the wise people guiding me, I jumped in at the “now.” Take away? Start with action in the moment it matters.
SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?
DIANE: As the story evolved, I knew it was getting stronger, but I wasn’t confident it would be successful at PBParty 2024. My critique partner believed it would get noticed, and she was right.
SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?
DIANE: As a finalist at PBParty, I received a “heart” from Elizabeth Schleisman (now Elizabeth Patterson), Acquisitions Editor at Beaming Books. I submitted it directly to her.
SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”, which these days is more likely to be “the email”?
DIANE: About a month later I received an email that Liz was “enthusiastic” about the story and was going on vacation so follow-up might be a while in coming. I heard from her two months later that Beaming Books was interested. I was also juggling some agent interest at that time and shared with them that I had a Book Deal offer. I signed with an agent and we moved forward with the deal and contract. Side note: The agent and I have since amicably parted ways, initiated by her for personal reasons. I’m grateful to have had an agent on my side through contract negotiations.
Diane’s writing buddy!!! (I didn’t catch its name 😊)
SUSANNA: How long was it between getting your offer and getting your contract to sign?
DIANE: This took several months because the agency I signed with hadn’t had a client contract with this publisher previously, so a lot of time was spent as the groups and legal departments negotiated back and forth.
SUSANNA: Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?
DIANE: Having an agent was great at this time because as a newbie, I wouldn’t have known what areas to negotiate. She negotiated the advance higher than the original offer which covered the amount the agent earned from this deal. I received 25 author copies of the published book and have the opportunity to purchase more at 50% of cost as the process moves forward. I think those things are fairly standard.
I was interested to learn (from language in the Book Deal actually) that there were things I would have “meaningful consultation” on (like final title and the cover) and other things I would have “mutual approval” on (like final text and author bio). It’s all legalese but I was pleased to hear they’d at least be willing to discuss these topics. Liz and Beaming Books as an organization were wonderful to work with. When my input was requested, I felt strongly that my opinions were valued.
SUSANNA: That sounds very positive. Can you tell us a little about the editorial process?
DIANE: Before I signed the contract, I’d revised the beginning which, as I said, was a focus area of mine. My editor targeted a few points for revision but not many. One of the most important bits of feedback she sent me were the positive comments, highlighting the parts she loved. That meant a lot to me to see what she believed to be the strongest portions.
During several rounds of revision, perhaps more appropriately called consideration, we would look at the text in conjunction with the illustrations. Liz and I (and I’m sure she did the same with the illustrator) discussed if words and illustrations were coming together to create the most complete, accurate and meaningful story possible.
I went back recently and reviewed the original manuscript I’d submitted to her. There were several sentences that she’d cut and I hadn’t even noticed as the book evolved. I believed it was pretty tight when I submitted but clearly there were things stated that weren’t needed. That’s a great lesson for me to keep examining if each sentence, each word is really necessary. I know that but the fact I didn’t even miss them was a poignant reminder to continue chopping or at least trimming.
The most important thing I have to say about the editorial process is that Liz had a comprehensive vision for the book. She saw how Jules, this plucky inquisitive kid, went after what she wanted and needed in her life. Liz‘s vision took this story to a higher level– emphasizing themes of persistence, resilience and empowerment, as well as community. It gives me chills to hear what readers are taking away from this book; I give Liz credit for bolstering that.
SUSANNA: What was your experience of the illustration process like?
DIANE: YOWZA! It was truly incredible to see Andrea’s illustrations bring my words to life and then raise them to another level. I love Andrea’s bold colors, the little details embedded on each spread and, most of all, the range of emotion she captured throughout.
text copyright Diane Mittler 2026, illustration copyright Andrea Altamirano 2026, Beaming Books
When I saw that Andrea included an illustration in which Jules rides up to a sign on a page of vignettes near the end of the book, I knew that Andrea’s vision matched mine closely. The sign offers Jules the choice of GO! in one direction and YAY! in another. To me that sums up the theme of empowerment. Because Jules identified what she wanted and made it happen, she positioned herself, literally in the driver’s seat, deciding how to move forward.
text copyright Diane Mittler 2026, illustration copyright Andrea Altamirano 2026, Beaming Books
SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc? What was that like?
DIANE: Not yet.
SUSANNA: How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?
DIANE: I received the offer and book deal in late summer of 2024, signed a contract in March, 2025 and my book will be published on October 13, 2026.
SUSANNA: What kind of marketing and promotion has your publisher done for this book?
DIANE: The marketing team at Beaming Books held an informational meeting for authors and illustrators, and gave a comprehensive overview and handout, as well as important contact information. In addition to providing inhouse support for authors, Beaming Books partners with Publisher Spotlight to hype books to trade reviewers, educators, librarians and other kidlit influencers.
SUSANNA: Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.
DIANE: My part has included identifying influencers outside of kidlit. It has been very interesting and fun to make connections with businesses and non-profits that promote accessibility and inclusion. My favorite example is reaching out to companies who design and build specialized mobility devices. I hope to partner with these groups to ensure their clients are aware of my book so they can see themselves represented in print.
I’m also planning live and virtual classroom visits and have loved creating swag to share with students.
SUSANNA: How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?
DIANE: I retired in summer 2020, because of the pandemic and concern about my health. I was thrilled to have writing as a distraction to everything going on then, personally and globally. I dedicated myself to writing at that point. My knowledge grew exponentially as did my awareness of what more I needed to learn.
SUSANNA: Any helpful pieces of advice for up and coming writers?
DIANE: Build your writing community and cherish everything each person has to offer. Study the craft and play with each new thing you learn. Have fun every day. Find your way to many Go! / Yay! signs; choose wisely each time and then travel your path with excitement. You never know what is coming around the next corner. Look for opportunities and pursue them.
SUSANNA: What wonderful advice! Thank you so much for taking the time to join us today and share your knowledge and experience with us, Diane! It’s such a valuable opportunity for all of us! Wishing you all the best of luck with this and future titles!
Readers, if you have questions for Diane, 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 October 5th at 3 PM puts you in the running to be one of the randomly selected winners of one of Diane’s two giveaway prizes – a signed copy of her book, READY TO RIDE, with swag!, or a 30-minute Zoom session, (focus TBD by the winner from these options: a virtual read-aloud and brief discussion with a class or library group, a Q and A with a critique group, or a writing-related AMA with the winner.)
Author, Diane Mittler
Diane:
Website: https://mochadiane.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/writerdi2020/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diane.mittler
Andrea Altamirano:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yeahndrea/
Beaming Books:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beamingbooksmn/
You may purchase Diane’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!
