Welcome to Tuesday Debut, everyone!

I’m especially excited about today’s debut-ess and her book! You’ll see why in a minute!

But first we have two giveaway winners to announce from Deb Buschman’s debut last week. Deb kindly offered 1) a copy of her book, A KNIGHT AND HIS TRUSTY… and 2) a Picture Book Manuscript Critique non-rhyming!

And the winners are . . .

Marty Bellis (book)

and

salniswander (critique)

Congratulations, Marty and salsinwander! I’m sure you will both enjoy your prizes! Please email me at your earliest convenience so I can get your prizes to you!

AND we have a new giveaway for this week! Julie is offering winner’s choice of a signed copy of IF MY SISTER WERE A WORM with swag OR a picture book manuscript critique (<750 words, non-rhyming). All you have to do to put yourself in the running to be the randomly selected winner is leave a comment on today’s post by Monday November 2nd at 3 PM!

And now it is my very great pleasure to introduce you to the delightful Julie Hauswirth and her very entertaining-looking book, IF MY SISTER WERE A WORM!

Title: If My Sister Were a Worm
Author: Julie Hauswirth
Illustrator: Jessica Goeke
Publishing House: Holiday House
Date of Publication: October 20, 2026
Fiction or Nonfiction: Fiction
ISBN: 978-0823461158
age range of your book: 3-8

What do you do when your sister steals your thunder? You turn her into a worm, of course!

SUSANNA: Welcome, Julie! We are so excited to have your here today to tell us all about your journey to publication with IF MY SISTER WERE A WORM! Where did the idea for this book come from?

JULIE: This idea actually came from the 2023 May Mini Mix n’ Match challenge! One of the prompts challenged writers to pair a character from column A with an object from column B and write a story with a structure like If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. The idea was to follow a domino-effect progression, but I chose to do it a little differently and instead created a character who daydreamed of all the glorious possibilities that would come from being able to change her sister into a worm. Here’s the original:

If my sister were a worm, she wouldn’t get all the attention.

Worms don’t steal the show at your birthday party.

Instead, my best friend Emma would say,

“Ew! There’s a worm on my chair!” and put the worm outside.

If my sister were a worm, I wouldn’t have to share a bedroom with her.

Worms don’t sleep in big-girl beds.

Instead, mom and dad would say,

“Why is this worm in your room?” and put the worm outside.

If my sister were a worm, I wouldn’t have to sit next to her at dinner.

Instead, our pet parrot would eat her.

My parents would say, “Julie! Turn your sister back into a human THIS MINUTE!” and then I would probably be grounded.

I’ll turn her into a kitten instead.

Obviously, the story has had many revisions since this initial draft. As I worked toward a full picture book manuscript, the narrator evolved into a character that more closely resembled my younger sister, who was often annoyed by my antics throughout our childhood and probably would have loved to turn me into a worm.

SUSANNA: OMG! I love this so much! Even in its original form it has such a great voice and so much humor. I literally can’t wait to read it! How long did it take you to write this book?

JULIE: The initial mini draft that I created for the mix n’ match challenge only took one or two writing sessions. It was really more like a stream of consciousness exercise! I think that having so little pressure to produce a full manuscript draft or even a perfect contest entry, since this was a low-stakes challenge, helped eliminate my need to self-edit as I wrote and allowed for more silliness. I worked on expanding that first draft into a longer manuscript for about six months.

Julie’s workspace

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

JULIE: Once I decided to turn the story into a longer picture book manuscript, I added additional scenes piece by piece, stretching the story out slowly. Those first few scenes came easily as I drew on simple moments from my own childhood, like riding the bus with my sister competing for our parents’ attention. After valuable feedback from my critique partners, the story felt polished and I had a manuscript I felt confident querying to agents. But I didn’t spend all six months completely focused on this manuscript. It was actually one I worked on more for fun while I polished up and queried other pieces.

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

JULIE: I decided this manuscript was ready in an act of defiance! I had received feedback from a paid critique that I thought was pretty harsh. The reviewer did not find my main character likeable at all and they were not a fan of the structure. I am a writer who is very open to feedback and I love trying new angles, but my gut was telling me that this particular critique didn’t align with my vision for the story. I shared the feedback with my critique partners and ultimately decided to move forward with submission despite the negative feedback.

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

JULIE: I submitted the story directly to an editor who was seeking humorous picture books and was open to unagented submissions, and I was delighted to receive positive feedback right away. The story went to acquisitions, and while I waited, I queried a few agents I was interested in working with and shared that the manuscript was under consideration. I spoke with two different agents and ultimately signed a contract with CoCo Freeman of the Linda Chester Literary Agency! The first editor ultimately passed, but CoCo gave me a wonderful suggestion to tweak the manuscript a bit. Here’s how I know I was right about that paid critique: CoCo wanted to see even MORE of what the other reviewer had suggested I change, and making the edits CoCo suggested came naturally to me. After one round of revisions, CoCo sent the manuscript out on submission.

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”?

JULIE: We went on submission in March of 2024, and I had an offer by April. It happened very quickly!

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 ☺)

JULIE: While we were on submission, I learned that my manuscript had been selected as the fiction winner of the SCBWI Writers Digest – Ann Whitford Paul Most Promising Manuscript award. It was a very exciting time! CoCo called me with the news that we had an offer the first week of April, and I can still remember exactly where I was standing in my kitchen when I took the call! My husband and I whisper-happy-danced because our toddler had just gone to bed. It was a moment I’ll never forget. I couldn’t believe how quickly I’d gone from disappointing critique to award-winning manuscript to under contract with a major publisher!

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

JULIE: It took about two months from the initial offer to signatures on the contract.

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

JULIE: I made sure to review resources from the Author’s Guild and SCBWI prior to reading through my contract so I had a clear understanding of industry standards. My contract was in line with industry standards on things like royalties and author copies, and I was very lucky to receive a generous advance. My royalty rate increases after a certain number of copies are sold, and I get 20 author copies. My agent gets 10 copies, and I was very glad that her copies were guaranteed in the contract as well. The contract also included language that allowed my publisher the first right of refusal on my next project. CoCo is extremely knowledgeable and professional, and she made navigating the whole process a breeze. It also helps that my husband is a skilled contracts negotiator!

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

JULIE: I loved working with Sally on the editorial process. We did one round of revisions where she recommended some minor changes at the word/sentence level. Sally was open to hearing what was important to me, like keeping the name “Madison Elementary School” instead of just saying “school” because the name was a nod to my hometown. I feel very fortunate to have worked with an editor whose vision for the book was so in sync with my own!

SUSANNA: That’s wonderful! What was your experience of the illustration process like?

JULIE: Sally sent me the names and websites of some illustrators she was considering for the book, and she invited my feedback before she reached out to them. I was excited to see Jessica’s name among them; she and I were already connected on social media and I have always been a fan of her style. Once Jessica signed on, I couldn’t wait to see sketches! Many of the character sketches Jessica did early on ended up in the endpapers, which was such a delight to see when I got my advance copy. After the initial character sketches, Sally shared the initial artwork and later the full pdf. Sally and Jessica were open to my feedback, but I had none! I was blown away through each step of the process. I can’t imagine any other illustrator creating the art for this book: it was like Jessica could read my mind. She added details I hadn’t even known I wanted, and she drew facial expressions exactly the way I’d picture them in my mind.

text copyright Julie Hauswirth 2026, illustration copyright Jessica Goeke,2026, Hoilday House

The manuscript only had two art notes. The first one was [pet fish] and the second one I can’t share because it will give away the ending. But I will say that both of these art notes are something that was not included in the text and added meaning to what was said on the page. For the pet fish art note, Maggie says “So I would give them to Louie, and things would get messy.” She’s talking about giving her peas to her pet fish, but without the art note it wouldn’t have been clear who Louie was. The second art note was used for a similar purpose. I liked keeping the art notes limited and giving Jessica the space to create what came naturally to her. For example, Maggie imagines her friends saying, “Maggie! Your pet worm is escaping!” when the sisters attend summer camp. I could have used an art note to dictate what that escape might look like. Instead, Jessica drew an adorable worm sister wearing a scout uniform, taking a joy ride on an apple that’s flying through the air! I never would have come up with that on my own! I loved how Jessica’s imagination added to the story and enriched the characters beyond what is said in the text.

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

JULIE: So far, we’ve received advance reviews from Kirkus, Booklist, and Publisher’s Weekly, and they have all been lovely. I’m beyond grateful for the positive reviews and excitement surrounding the book. If I’m being thoroughly honest, I had really dreamed of a starred review, but alas, stars are few and far between for humorous books. I’m still pinching myself that the words I’ve written have been reviewed by such wonderful and prestigious organizations. It’s surreal.

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

JULIE: It took about two years and three months! My editor sent me an advance copy back in July. Holding the book in my hand for the first time is a moment I’ll never forget.

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

JULIE: Holiday House has been an amazing publisher to work with. About six months prior to pub day, we had a meeting with the marketing team to discuss strategy- everything from trade reviews and award submissions, social media marketing, school and library outreach, pitching the book for gift roundups, conferences and events to grassroots efforts in my community. I’m very fortunate to work with a publisher that has the resources to support marketing and promotion, and the team at Holiday House/Walker Books Group is stellar. They’ve been so helpful and supportive.

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

JULIE: In addition to doing a blog tour (thank you for having me!), I went door to door to independent booksellers in my community to schedule author visits and created book swag (bookmarks, stickers, coloring/activity pages). I also made business cards with a QR code that leads to the pre-order page and have had no shame in handing them out generously! I did a pre-order giveaway and used my personal and social media networks to spread the word about the book. My publisher pitched me for a conference for independent booksellers in August called New Voices New Rooms, where I was able to talk about my book and even play literary trivia during the opening night reception (my table won! Go, Table 4!). Having the opportunity to promote the book in person and meet with booksellers, librarians, and educators has been my favorite part.

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

JULIE: I began writing picture books with the goal of securing a traditional publishing deal in January of 2023 and achieved that goal in April of 2024. But I’ve considered myself a serious writer for quite some time. I was a creative writing major in college and taught English for years, and I’ve written poetry and short stories. Oh, and I won first place in my local bookstore’s scary story contest in 1993! So even though my picture book journey to publication seems short, I have spent much of my life sharpening my author skills.

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?)

JULIE: Absorb as much as you create. Never stop reading in the genre you write in, study mentor texts, and reach out to other creators. Writing and creating for children is something that can’t be done in a silo. There are countless (free) resources out there for writers, and I recommend finding what works for you and sticking with it! Also, contests! Entering contests such as Valentiny, 50 Precious Words, Fall Writing Frenzy, and others really helped me practice polishing and submitting my work. They also helped me generate new ideas and find critique partners! You don’t have to do ALL the things, but you should do something. Here are a few of my favorite resources:

Kidlit 411
Mighty Kidlit Firefly
SCBWI
Writer’s Rumpus
Picture Book Summit Podcast
Picture Book Builders
12 x 12

SUSANNA: A fabulous and very helpful list! I use all of those, too, except for Mighty Kidlit Firefly which I somehoe only recently heard about. Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?

JULIE: My critique partners are incredibly helpful, and we have become good friends. Their feedback and support continue to help me grow as a writer, and I know my journey would have been much more difficult without them! I encourage everyone to find critique partners that lift them up and give honest, actionable feedback. Having the right support can make all the difference!

SUSANNA: Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this series and paying it forward to other writers, Julie! We so appreciate your time and willingness to share your knowledge and expertise! Best of luck with this and future titles!

Readers, if you have questions for Julie, 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 November 2 at 3 PM Eastern puts you in the running to be the randomly selected winner of winner’s choice of a signed copy of the book with swag OR a picture book manuscript critique (<750 words, non-rhyming).

Author Julie Hauswirth, whose favorite snack is ice cream – cookies and cream or coffee – clearly indicating that she and I are twins separated at birth 🤣

Website: https://www.juliehauswirth.com/
Instagram: @juliehauswirthbooks @jessica.goeke (illustrator) @holidayhousepeachtree (publisher)

You may purchase Julie’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!