Hey, Everyone!
Do you know what time it is?
It’s time for everybody’s favorite show – Tuesday Debut! – where we talk about who’s new in the picture book world!
And who’s new today?
Well, I’ll tell you. . . as soon as we announce the winner of Mary Zychowicz’s wonderful giveaway from last week – a signed copy of her debut picture book, LITTLE BUDDY!
Drum roll, please rat-a-tat-tat rat-a-tat-tat rat-a-tat-tat!
And the winner is. . .
laurastewartstories!!!
Congratulations, Laura! I hope you’ll enjoy your prize! Please email me at your earliest convenience so I can get your book to you!
AND, to make today even better, we have a new giveaway! Actually, TWO! Today’s debutess is offering 1) a copy of her book, A KNIGHT AND HIS TRUSTY… and 2) 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 of one of these two fabulous prizes is leave a comment on today’s post by Monday October 26th at 3 PM Eastern!!!
So now, let’s get to it, shall we? It is my great pleasure to introduce you to the dazzling and dynamic Deb Buschman and her debut picture book, A KNIGHT AND HIS TRUSTY. . .! Please join me in giving her a. . . chivalrous? welcome!
Title: A Knight and His Trusty…
Author: Deb Buschman
Illustrator: Mr. Tom [Tom Uleau]
Publishing House: The Little Press
Date of Publication: October 6, 2026
ISBN: 978-1956378580
Fiction or Nonfiction: Fiction
age range of your book: 4-7
A fairy tale narrator is determined to tell a proper story. You know the kind—once upon a time, a brave knight, and a trusty steed. But before he can even finish the opening sentence, he’s interrupted. Again. And again. And again. Because a parade of unlikely animals keeps bursting into the tale, each convinced they should be the knight’s trusty steed.
SUSANNA: Welcome, Deb! We are THRILLED to have you here today to share your journey to publication with this absolutely delightful looking book (which you can be sure I will be reading to my grandkids as soon as possible!😊) Where did the idea for this book come from?
DEB: This story came from you Susanna. You had posted a writing prompt and we had to choose two characters and an emotion. I chose a prince and an alligator and I think the emotion was frustrated. I can’t remember. So my first version only had those two characters and it was not very funny. So then I decided after sending it to my critique group for input to add more animals and then the Prince turned into a Knight and the animals started multiplying. I remember writing on my front porch and my son was working on his computer inside the house and yelling to him that I needed one more animal. He yelled, “shark!” That was the animal that pulled the story together to what it is now.
SUSANNA: You must be referring to one of the prompts from one of the May Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Challenges! It makes me so happy that one of those prompts helped you on your way to a published book! How long did it take you to write this book?
DEB: I wrote this in a few months and then it went through some revisions with my critique group. It was not a huge long process like some of my other manuscripts.
SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?
DEB: This went through six revisions and it also got a different title. This is Not a Proper Fairy Tale. The reason I changed the title was because of a critique I got from an agent who didn’t like the original title. Because I had such a clear idea of what this story was going to be it didn’t go through as many revisions as my other manuscripts. I hear the story in my head and the characters talking to each other and I see the scenes like a movie.
SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?
DEB: I knew it was ready when I laughed at the parts I wanted to laugh at and when I had my critique partners say “Send it, it’s ready.” That’s how we talk to each other. I also had a critique from Brian Gehrlein the author of Book of Rules. He read it to his son and his son laughed.
SUSANNA: That is high praise indeed! When and how did you submit?
DEB: I do not have an agent. I am querying for one at the present time. I submitted this directly to The Little Press publishing when I saw they had open submission for picture books and was specifically looking for fractured fairy tales.
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”?
DEB: I submitted to them in December 2021 and in December 2022 the editor and publisher of The Little Press, Michele McAvoy sent me an email asking if I had sold the manuscript or if it was still available.
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 😊)
DEB: I was over the moon when I got the email and when I responded saying I still had the manuscript then we set up a time in January for a Zoom call. We discussed the book and I agreed to have Little Press publish it. No big celebration. I had so many family and friends congratulate me.
SUSANNA: How long was it between getting your offer and getting your contract to sign?
DEB: It was only a week or two from our initial Zoom meeting to me signing the contract.
SUSANNA: Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?
DEB: Since I didn’t have an agent, I used the contract in the SCBWI The Essential Guide to Publishing for Children to know what I should be looking for and ask for. The Little Press is a smaller press so I was not concerned about an advance or huge royalties. We discussed timelines and author copies. I asked for more author copies than normal and Michele was great about giving those to me. I think the timeline was what was hardest for me. Having to wait until Fall 2026 was a really long time but she couldn’t do it any sooner.
SUSANNA: Can you tell us a little about the editorial process?
DEB: Michele was and is an absolute dream to work with. She completely saw my vision for my book. When we discussed the fact that I had a different title now [This is Not a Proper Fairy Tale] she said that she envisioned this as more of a boy book even though all kids will love it. So she didn’t want fairy tale in the title. I was thrilled because I have four boys and I always write with them in mind. The only change that was made was after the cover was completed. Tom the illustrator had unintentionally change the first word of the title from “The” to “A”. When I caught it and talked to Michele she asked me which I preferred and we agreed on Tom’s unintentional change of “A” was the way to go.
SUSANNA: What was your experience of the illustration process like?
DEB: I got to see sketches and art as soon as Tom started to complete them. He is brilliant and really understood the humor of the book. He included things I never even envisioned and upped the humor to another level. You can’t argue that the shark in the bag on the cover is hysterical. There are more little additions like that in many of the spreads that make you laugh. I had very few art notes for this story. When the shark is introduced my art note was [jaws coming out of moat.] The spread is probably one of my favorites and it is a POV from inside the sharks mouth looking out. Brilliant!!!!
But I am a huge supporter of art notes in humorous picture books because they help with landing a joke or giggle. Think of when the picture and words don’t match or when the reader is in on the joke and the main character is not. When I forget an art note my critique partners remind me by saying “What’s happening”.
text copyright Deb Buschman 2026, illustration copyright Mr. Tom [Tom Uleau], The Little Press
text copyright Deb Buschman 2026, illustration copyright Mr. Tom [Tom Uleau], The Little Press
SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc? What was that like?
DEB: I received the Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection. I started crying my eyes out. I couldn’t believe it. I was going to have their gold seal on my book. WOW! I never could have dreamed it for my debut pb.
SUSANNA: What an honor! Congratulations!!! How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?
DEB: A long time. It’s been 5 years. Then the book took longer to print. So I had my book launch without my book. But the launch went great because I have so many supporters and Books &Company in Oconomowoc Wisconsin did a great job promoting it. There were 60 people including kids. JLG asks for 2,400 books and my publisher usually does a print run for 1,000.
SUSANNA: That is great news for you and The Little Press! What kind of marketing and promotion has your publisher done for this book?
DEB: ARC Distribution on Edelweiss, Trade announcements in Publishers Weekly and Publishers Marketplace, Amazon A+ Content, Instagram Promotion + Giveaway hosted by The Little Press, Social media promotion across all Little Press channels, Newsletter promotion to our full subscriber base- 2,000+ contacts, CBC Hot Off the Press submission, Inclusion in TLP catalogs
Submission to the top trade reviewers:
- Kirkus
- School Library Journal
- Horn Book
- Midwest Book Review
Submission to major institutional opportunities:Junior Library Guild consideration Publishers Weekly Open Calls / Children’s Preview Children’s Book Council (CBC) list calls and opportunities.
- Submission to One Children’s Book Award
- Marketing outreach to either Folette, Mackin, or direct postcard mailer (to be decided by publisher)
- State List Review, Assessment & Application for Consideration
- Showcase visibility at national conferences (via IPG):
- ALA Annual Conference
- Children’s Institute (ABA)
- ALA Annual Conference
SUSANNA: Wow! That sounds like a lot! Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.
DEB: Little Press provided us with a Sell Sheet and Educational Guide. I did a little color tweaking on them and then I made a postcard with my info on it for schools and libraries and bookstores that I have been visiting. I am setting up presentations in all those venues. You are my second blog but I am going to do a couple more.
SUSANNA: How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?
DEB: It was 12 years. I went to my first SCBWI conference in 2011 with my 1,800 word picture manuscript and I knew that I would be a great writer. Ha-ha! I was momentarily shocked to learn that I had a lot to learn but then I dug in and joined a critique group who taught me so much and were so incredibly patient with me. I try to return the favor as often as I can helping new writers learn the ropes.
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?)
DEB: The friends I have made through all the years of writing are people I will be friends with forever. I love to write and critique and hopefully help other writers get published. There were times I wished I was published right away but then I think of all the laughs and tears and fun I’ve had along the way. Nothing beats climbing that hill with people you love.
SUSANNA: Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?
DEB: I want to say thank you to you Susanna for creating such a giving and caring writing community with your blog. You have given so much to all of us and I love reading and learning from the authors and illustrators you lift up here in your blog.
SUSANNA: Thank you for those kind words, Deb. I truly appreciate them. And I really love doing everything I do here, so it is a pleasure. Thank YOU so much for taking the time to participate in this series and paying it forward to other writers! We so appreciate the opportunity to learn from your knowledge and experience and wish you all the best with this and future titles!
Readers, if you have questions for Deb, 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 26th at 3 PM Eastern puts you in the running to be one of the two randomly selected winners of one of Deb’s two amazing giveaways: 1) a copy of her book, A KNIGHT AND HIS TRUSTY… or 2) a Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming)!!!
Author Deb Buschman
Website: www.debbuschman.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debbuschman1/
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/deborah.buschman.1
You may purchase Deb’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!
Congrats for the Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection! 🙂
It’s such an honor, Art! It says a lot about how good the book is!
congratulations, Deb! This looks like a book kids will love!
Thanks so much Rose!
I heartily agree, Rose! I can’t wait to read it!
Congratulations! This book looks like so much fun!
Thank you so much Melissa!
It looks like tons of fun, Melissa! Such a clever idea. I am really looking forward to reading it!
I’m so glad that all your hard work paid off. I would love to win a critique.
Thanks it was a long journey!
I’m glad for that, too, and I think a lot of kids are going to love this book!
Congrats Deb!! Over the moon for you and so happy you had a full house for your book launch! You had our critique group in stitches with this manuscript — I know families will love it and can’t wait to get my copy. 🙂 How cool that Susanna’s prompt help inspire the story!
Thanks Sam! You never know where that next idea will come from. I love have you as a critique buddy.
I bet your critique group was in stitches, Samantha! This book looks like so much fun!
One year between submitting to The Little Press’ open call and the editor’s email of interest…and that’s not even the longest gap in this book’s timeline! I learn so much from reading these blog posts. Congrats to Deb!
Thank you so much. It was a long haul.
Wow, congratulations! Looking forward to reading this PB !
Doesn’t it look like so much fun, Susan?! 🙂
There’s no doubt, Ching – publishing is usually not a quick process! (Although there are always exceptions 🙂 )
Congrats Deb!! This book sounds amazing! Can’t wait to read!
Thank you for your support!
I’ve got my copy on order – that’s how much I can’t wait to read it! I mean, technically, it’s for my grandkids (but that’s kind of an excuse because I would want to read this myself anyway 🙂 )
This book sounds delightful! Congratulations on your debut!
Thank you Jenn! It’s very exciting.
It really does sound like tons of fun, Jenn!
I’m so excited about Deb’s new book! Congratulations on the JLG!! Love the behind-the-scenes, too.
Thanks Teresa! I’m thrilled. It was so great seeing you at the SCBWI conference. Loved your presentation.
It was soooo awesome to see you, Deb, and super fun to hang out, even if it was too short a time 😍
I am also so excited about this book, T! It looks like such fun, and the JLG is such an honor!
Deb, I am cartwheels-on-the-front yard-happy for you and this super fun book. I’m sorry I missed your Oct. 17 book party at Books and Company in Oconomowoc; it looked like your 60+ audience got the giggles! Congratulations! Let’s get out there and yell SHARK!!!
Thanks Joyce! You have been one of my biggest cheerleaders! I know you will be the first one to jump into the moat!
This looks like such a fun book! Congratulations on your debut and for sticking it out all these years!
Thanks Lisa! Working hard always makes the prize sweeter.
Sticking it out is the difference between those who get published and those who don’t, Lisa! There’s probably a tortoise and hare comparison here somewhere – slow and steady wins the race? 🙂
Wow! This is fun! I love how your son contributed that last animal! Congratulations!!
Thanks Angie! It’s always great to have resources. Ha-ha!
I love that too, Angie! Kids can be so useful! 🙂 🙂 🙂
This book just looks hilarious. Congratulations! SHARK!
The whole concept is just so much fun, Grace!
Congrats Deb! I can’t wait to read this to my youngest! I’m sure she is going to love it!
Kids are going to be lining up to hear this one, Deborah! 🙂
Congratulations Deb! The story (and illustrations!) look so vibrant and kid centric.
Totally agree, Wendy! Also very appealing to adults who love picture books 🙂 🙂
What a great read-aloud! Kudos for doing it without an agent.
Seriously! That is such an accomplishment!
Congrats, Deb! What a fun idea for a book – and I love the way you describe your process. Can’t wait to read this book…
I think there was a bit of delay in the delivery, Sue, but I am chomping at the bit to read this one 🙂
Deb, I’m so happy and proud for you! the Junior Library Guild Gold Standard is the cherry on the top! It’s been fun to journey beside you as you went. Excited to finally hold it in my hands and read it. Congrats!!!!!
So many people cheering for Deb’s success – it’s lovely! And the JLG is SUCH a cherry on top!
This looks like such a fun read aloud! Congratulations on the JLG! That’s such a big deal and also congratulations on having a huge successful launch even though the books weren’t there! LOL, You are amazing to not let that stop the fun!
I know! It’s incredible that she had such a great launch without books! Hurray for Deb not letting that get her down or make her cancel her launch!
Congrats, Deb, on the amazing book launch and your wide-ranging marketing efforts. What a fun-sounding book! I love that one of Susanna’s prompts provided your initial inspiration.
I love that too, Marty! Someday I’m going to figure out a way to make a list of all the writers who got an agent or sold a book based on one of the contest or Mix ‘n’ Match Mini prompts, just for fun! There have been quite a few!
I liked the part about Brian and his son laughing. That’s a good recommendation
I know, Ellie, wasn’t that great! An amazing recommendation indeed!
Congratulations Deb – what a terrific [not fairy] tale!
And agree 1000% with your nice words about Susanna and her community of book friends!
Such a fun book, Cathy! And thanks for your kindness 🙂
Woohoo, Deb! Congratulations!! I’m so excited for this book. Very cool that it started with a prompt from Susanna. Love that.
The book really looks terrific, doesn’t it, Judy? And I’m delighted that it started with one of the prompts from one of my many hare-brained scheme writing challenges – it makes me want to do one of them again!
CONGRATULATIONS Deb. Sounds so fun❤️ I’m asking my library to order it❤️❤️Sent from my iPadOn Oct 20, 2026,
So kind of you, Emmie! So helpful to Deb!
Congratulations-this book sounds like great fun!
It really does, Janetha! I’m so looking forward to reading it!
I loved reading the backstory behind the book. Congrats on a wonderful books kids will love!!
It’s always great to hear the back story on books, isn’t it, Kris? It makes the book extra special to read!
So fun! I can’t wait to read it. I’ve suggested it be purchased by the library 😉
So kind of you, Patti! I know Deb will appreciate that!
Congratulations on your debut, Deb! Thank you, Susanna and Deb, for the generous giveaways. Please put me in the running for the picture book manuscript critique (non-rhyming).
Thanks for stopping by to support Deb! You will be in the running 🙂
Thank you so much, Susanna! I’m grateful to be in the running, and thank you again to you and Deb for the generous giveaways.
On Mon, 26 Oct 2026 19:14:07 +0000, Susanna Leonard Hill
When I replied to your comment the first time I had just done the drawing so I already knew you were getting the PB critique 🙂
Thank you so much, Susanna! I just saw your comment that you had already done the drawing when you first replied to me â I’m thrilled and grateful to be getting the picture book manuscript critique. Thank you again to you and Deb for the generous giveaways. Could you let me know how you would like me to send the manuscript?
Starr
On Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:17:35 +0000, Susanna Leonard Hill