Susanna Leonard Hill

Beth Anderson – An Inconvenient Alphabet: Ben Franklin And Noah Webster’s Spelling Revolution

Annie Romano – Before You Sleep: A Bedtime Book Of Gratitude

B.J. Lee – There Was An Old Gator Who Swallowed A Moth

Kathleen Cornell Berman – The Birth Of Cool: How Jazz Great Miles Davis Found His Sound

Jill Mangel Weisfeld – Riley The Retriever Wants A New Job (self pub)

Christine Evans – Evelyn The Adventurous Entomologist

Karen Kiefer – Drawing God (religious market)

Ciara O’Neal – Flamingo Hugs Aren’t For Everyone (self pub)

Theresa Kiser – A Little Catholic’s Book Of Liturgical Colors (religious market)

Kirsten Larson – Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents An Airplane

Susi Schaefer – Cat Ladies

Heather Kinser – Small Matters: The Hidden Power of the Unseen

Kelly Carey – How Long Is Forever?

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Kelly Carey!

April 14, 2020April 13, 202012 Comments

Welcome to Tuesday. Debut, Everyone!

Today I’m delighted to introduce you to Kelly Carey! We’re going to jump right in because she has a lot of great information to share that I know you’re going to find very interesting and helpful. Let me just take this opportunity to say don’t miss her video on the Charlesbridge site (link below) – she did a terrific job and, as a writer who does not perform well on camera!, I admire her greatly! 😊

Title: How Long Is Forever?
Author: Kelly Carey
Illustrator: Qing Zhuang
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Pub Date: April 7, 2020
Genre: Picture Book – Fiction
Age Range: 3-7

Synopsis: In How Long Is Forever?, Mason is waiting for the first blueberry pie of the season and it’s taking forever. At least that’s what Mason thinks, until Grandpa asks him to prove it and sends Mason searching the family farm to find the meaning of forever.

Fans of Guess How Much I Love You will love figuring out how long forever is alongside Mason and Grandpa.

SUSANNA: Welcome, Kelly! Congratulations on your debut and thank you so much for joining us today to share your publication experience! Where did the idea for this book come from?

KELLY: The nugget that inspired How Long Is Forever? happened when I was a teenager. A song I loved came on the radio and I excitedly squealed, “Turn it up! This is the best song ever.” My friend’s Dad scoffed, “Really? This is the best song ever?”

That exchange stuck and launched the interaction between Mason and his Grandpa in How Long Is Forever?. Mason is waiting for the first blueberry pie of the season and it’s taking forever. At least that’s what Mason thinks, until Grandpa sends Mason searching the farm to find the meaning of forever. I loved the idea that what can seem like the best song ever to a teenager or feel like forever to an eight year old can be very different for an older adult.

The idea for a story can come from childhood memories that linger in your brain. Those standout moments that hold a reserved space in your mind, are probably the moments that will resonate with a reader. Those are the archives you should mine when you are looking for a book idea.

By the way, my friend’s father was right. Thomas Dolby’s, She Blinded Me With Science was NOT the best song ever! And Mason is going to find out that waiting for a blueberry pie to bake is not forever.

SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book? Did you go through many revisions?

KELLY: I wrote the first draft of How Long Is Forever? in 2013. At that point, the story was in first person and almost 800 words and my main character was a boy named Billy waiting for his parents to bring a new sibling home from the hospital. The opening line read:

Grandpa’s rocker creaked slowly on the front porch. I tapped my foot on the front steps.

By 2014 the story was in third person and just under 500 words. In all the manuscript went through six major revisions and a bunch of minor tweaks. I got help from critique partners and writing workshops. The final draft that sold in 2017 was about a boy waiting for the first blueberry pie of the season. It went through a few more revisions with the help of my editor, Karen Boss. Now, the opening line reads:

Grandpa’s rocker creaked. Mason’s foot tapped.

Patience and persistence is the key to creating a manuscript that will become a book.

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

KELLY: This is a hard one. Looking back, I know I’ve sent drafts out on submission much earlier than I should have. It’s the classic mistake. But it’s easy to get excited about a project and push it out too soon. It’s important to let manuscripts marinate. If you are really excited about a manuscript, and you think it’s ready for submission, the best thing you can do is put it away for a week or two. Sometimes, when you pull it out again, you’ll see the places that still warrant revision. I recommend reading your story aloud and taking it for a few turns through critique group before submission. This method helped with How Long Is Forever?.

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

KELLY: I am unagented and I submitted directly to the publisher. I credit The Writers’ Loft in Sherborn, MA for my first book sale. I took classes offered by Karen Boss, Editor at Charlesbridge Publishing at The Writers’ Loft and Karen bought How Long Is Forever? about a year after that class. I could argue that my book would have found its path to publication on its own merits, but I think connecting with Karen, forming a professional relationship through the classes, and applying her excellent teaching to my manuscript, certainly helped speed up the process.

Figure 1 Karen Boss, Senior Editor, Charlesbridge Publishing

SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! 😊)

KELLY: Karen Boss at Charlesbridge actually took another manuscript of mine to acquisitions and it died there. I think she was more disappointed than I was judging by the huge hug she gave me the next time we saw each other. So while I was overjoyed to get “the call” for How Long Is Forever, I was a bit reserved until I actually had the contract in hand. And the lag between “the call” and the actual contract can be weeks or months – its super nerve racking! My contract came just before Christmas and I actually wrapped up a gift with the news and gave it to my mom on Christmas Eve – that was the best moment ever!

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

KELLY: I love the Charlesbridge model. They offer a lower advance but keep the book on their backlist for a longer time. I liked the idea that my book will continue to be sold for years. As a result my advance was smaller but I will get 5% royalty on hard cover, 3% on paperback and I just got my 15 author copies in the mail. And yes, I did the obligatory video reveal of the un-packaging.

SUSANNA: There aren’t too many things as amazing as opening the box with the copies of your very first book! 😊 Can you tell us a little about the editorial process?

KELLY: It was so helpful that I had taken a class with my editor so I had a sense of her work style and we had a rapport before we began the process. Karen did ask me to make a major change to the ending that would allow my main character to have the last word, and it was spot on!

The other changes were more minor word tweaks and I really appreciated that Karen and I collaborated on making those edits. There was plenty of room for me to accept, or push back on her feedback and the results were a stronger story that I’m very proud to put out into the world.

Kelly’s work space

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

KELLY: I had more of an opportunity for input into the illustration process than I expected.

My editor sent me the names of three illustrators they were considering and asked for my input from the start. I instantly fell in love with Qing Zhuang’s work and advocated for her to be the illustrator. I’m so happy I did and that Charlesbridge was able to bring her into the project!

While Qing was working, I had no contact with her and my manuscript had NO illustration notes. It was tough but Qing’s creative energy was able to flow without any interruptions from me and the results were more than I expected!

I was sent black and white sketches, then color files and finally proofs and was invited to send my comments at each phase.

Illustrator Qing Zhuang

Sketch and final of one illustration

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

KELLY: I knew when advance copies were sent and started clicking a google search with my book title and Kirkus pretty much daily. Yes, it was insane BUT as a result I think I found my Kirkus review the minute it went out and I was actually the one who shared it with my editor!

I know Kirkus can be tough and I was thrilled that they gave time to two debut creators and that they gave How Long Is Forever? a glowing review https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/kelly-carey/how-long-is-forever/ . I know we have a great book, but it was wonderful to have that confirmed by Kirkus.

SUSANNA: (Just butting my two cents in, but in case anyone doesn’t know, you can make google alerts for your name, your book titles, etc so you’ll get a notification if anything goes up about you or your book on the internet!) How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?

KELLY: From the signed contract to publication, it was two years. It seems long, and it is, but that gave me plenty of time to get all my marketing ducks in a row. I worked on my website, contacted blogs for guest interviews, talked to bookstores about visits, and designed school visits.

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

KELLY: My publisher sent advanced reader copies out and helped me design downloadable activity sheets. You can check those out here https://www.charlesbridge.com/products/how-long-is-forever. My publisher has also helped me set up bookstore visits and they have set up author videos on their website. You can find the videos here: https://www.charlesbridge.com/pages/remote-author-content

Link to Activity Pages: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0750/0101/files/how-long-is-forever-activity-guide.pdf?4191

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

KELLY: The two best things I did to prepare to market my book was first to take Colleen Riordan’s Fan By Fan online course. Colleen’s course broke down the huge beast of marketing a book into doable chunks with great instructions. I highly recommend her course. You can find information on it here: https://courses.wildinkmarketing.com/p/fan-by-fan.

The next thing I did was join The Soaring ‘20s Debut group. We are a group of authors and illustrators who all have debut’s launching. There is a huge learning curve to all the marketing efforts that go into a book launch; pooling my energy and knowledge with those of 36 other folks has been key!

I could never accomplish everything individually that the debut group is doing collectively. We’ve got folks working on our website, a team running a blog, a committee handling giveaways and the efforts go on and on! The amazing illustrators in the group have produced wonderful book birthday graphics that I would never have been able to manage. Some members are librarians while others are booksellers and their expertise is super helpful.

My advice is to seek out a group of folks with debuts launching and pool your efforts. Kirsten Larson, author of WOOD, WIRE, WINGS (Calkins Creek, 2020) has put together a fabulous guide for starting a debut marketing group. You can check it out here: https://www.soaring20spb.com/author-illustrator-resources

SUSANNA: Wow! So much great information! Thanks, Kelly! How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?

KELLY: It took me 15 years from the time I got serious to the first book sale.

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

KELLY: For me getting serious met taking a class on children’s literature through The Institute for Children’s Literature. That class helped me figure out the basics, learn about the industry and get feedback on my writing. I sold my first magazine fiction story the same year I took the class, and then I was hooked. I’ve sold a magazine story every year since and kept taking classes and workshops to hone my craft. All that work paid off. You can learn about the classes at the Institute for Children’s Literature here: https://www.instituteforwriters.com/free-aptitude-test/about/institute-of-childrens-literature/

Author Kelly Carey

Social Media:

website:http://www.kcareywrites.com/ and https://www.qingthings.com/
twitter: https://twitter.com/KCareyWrites
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellycareywrites/
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KCareyWrites

SUSANNA: Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this series, Kelly, and paying it forward to other writers! You provided a lot of really interesting information that I know readers are going to find extremely helpful. We so appreciate you sharing your expertise and wish you all the best of luck with this and future titles!

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

You may purchase Kelly’s book at:
(all links below are book-specific)

The Silver Unicorn Bookstore (order signed copies)
Indiebound
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!

Christy Mihaly – Hey! Hey! Hay! A Tale of Bales And The Machines That Make Them

Beth Anderson – An Inconvenient Alphabet: Ben Franklin And Noah Webster’s Spelling Revolution

Annie Romano – Before You Sleep: A Bedtime Book Of Gratitude

B.J. Lee – There Was An Old Gator Who Swallowed A Moth

Kathleen Cornell Berman – The Birth Of Cool: How Jazz Great Miles Davis Found His Sound

Jill Mangel Weisfeld – Riley The Retriever Wants A New Job (self pub)

Christine Evans – Evelyn The Adventurous Entomologist

Karen Kiefer – Drawing God (religious market)

Ciara O’Neal – Flamingo Hugs Aren’t For Everyone (self pub)

Theresa Kiser – A Little Catholic’s Book Of Liturgical Colors (religious market)

Kirsten Larson – Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents An Airplane

Susi Schaefer – Cat Ladies

Heather Kinser – Small Matters: The Hidden Power of the Unseen

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Heather Ferranti Kinser!

April 7, 2020April 6, 202029 Comments

Hey, Everyone!

Welcome to today’s installment of Tuesday Debut!

I’m delighted to be introducing you to Heather Ferranti Kinser, the talented author of Small Matters: The Hidden Power of the Unseen, a nonfiction picture book about the tiniest details of animal adaptation. I believe she has the distinction of being the first debut author in this series to have a book “illustrated” with high resolution photographs from scanning electron microscopes (cool, right???!!!)

So let’s hear what she has to share!

SMALL MATTERS: THE HIDDEN POWER OF THE UNSEEN
Written By: Heather Ferranti Kinser
Millbrook Press (an imprint of Lerner Publications)
April 7, 2020
Nonfiction
Ages 4-9

Take a super-close look at animal adaptations too tiny to be seen with a light microscope. High-resolution images from scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) show shark skin, bird feathers, gecko toes, and more—proving that tiny details can make a BIG difference.

SUSANNA: Welcome, Heather! Thank you so much for joining us today! We’re so excited to hear about your book’s journey! Where did the idea for this book come from?

HEATHER: The initial credit goes to Tara Lazar’s StoryStorm challenge. In 2018, idea #12 on my StoryStorm list was “Magnify Me!” What was on my mind when I wrote that? Probably my older daughter’s love of insects, and the times she went into our yard (as a preschooler) to observe ants, mites, mosquito larvae—whatever tiny living things caught her interest.

The following month, I expanded on that idea for Vivian Kirkfield’s “50 Precious Words” contest. I posted my 50-word entry, Magnify Me, on my blog (you can read it here: http://www.heatherkinser.com/blog/archives/03-2018). It didn’t win, but the real ‘prize’ came later, when I expanded the concept once more.

The final push came from an open call for submissions, which Millbrook editorial director Carol Hinz posted on the Lerner blog in early 2018. My long-time critique partner, Gabi Snyder (author of Two Dogs on a Trike), alerted me to it. I thought I’d try to expand my little Magnify Me poem. A little research on magnification quickly brought up images from scanning electron microscopes, and wow! I thought it would be incredible to share those high-resolution images with young readers.

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

HEATHER: From the time I sat down to expand on my “50 Precious Words” poem, to the time I submitted—about 15 days. During that time, I saved my document under 30 different names! I’m not sure if I would officially call that 30 revisions, but suffice to say, I was putting in a lot of work. After I submitted, I received an invitation from Millbrook editorial director Carol Hinz to revise and resubmit the piece in a prose format (the original was in rhyme). Boy oh boy, did Carol’s note get my attention! In roughly 20 days—with loads of advice from my fabulous critique partners—I produced not one but two new manuscripts. One was a longer, more expository option, and the other was a shorter option with a literary tone and layered text.

Heather’s nearly non-existent work space – kitchen table by day, living room chair by night!

SUSANNA: What was your research process like? And did you go through many revisions?

HEATHER: Absolutely! My ever-ready critique partners saw them all and generously offered their time and opinions. Meanwhile, I was writing, revising, and madly researching each animal feature. In the revise and resubmit process, Carol had asked me to include just a few more creatures and a bit more information about how each nano-sized adaptation helps its animal to thrive.

Developing that new layer of depth proved challenging. In the world of nano-sized animal features, the minute you begin to describe an adaptation, you’re plunged into complex physics—topics like tensile strength, drag, lift, iridescence, thin-film reflection, friction, and van der Waal’s forces. Luckily, I discovered the Google Scholar search engine, and my husband is a rocket scientist with an undergrad degree in physics. We had plenty of fascinating consultations during the writing/revising process—often about a small but critical word choice. For the back matter on SEMs, I wrote the material first and then consulted with an expert at Stanford University. And much later on, during the editing process, Millbrook searched long and hard to find the perfect technical consultant—the director of a SEM lab specializing in biomimicry—to review the book in its entirety. I’m so glad to have received her stamp of approval.

My decision process for which animal features to include in the book began with Internet searches for fascinating SEM photos. First and foremost, the visuals had to pop. Very early on, I made a decision to only write about animals that kids had some chance of being familiar with. I didn’t want to get too obscure. So that was another criterion. And there needed to be something cool and surprising that had recently been discovered about that animal feature—the discovery had to address a previously unanswered “how” or “why” question.

Once I found a promising animal feature, I’d research it through a combination of news articles and reports from scientific journals. As I mentioned, the Google Scholar search engine was a lifesaver. There, I found scientific research reports pertaining to each animal feature in the book. (And if I couldn’t find research reports, that animal was dropped, and I’d go back to the drawing board.) I didn’t need to understand every nitty-gritty detail or calculation in the reports. For my purposes, I could usually gain enough information by perusing the Abstract, Introduction, and conclusions. (To get to the Google Scholar search engine, all you need to do is type “Google Scholar” as a search term. This search-engine-within-a-search-engine will pop up as the first option!)

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

HEATHER: For my longer manuscript (Zoom In!)—I knew because my critique partners had fewer and fewer critiques and started telling me it was good to go. Also, I was up against a deadline. So, ready or not, here it came! For my shorter manuscript (Small Matters)—I knew because I felt the work pulling at my heartstrings with a deeper level of meaning that was hard to quantify.

By the way, I labored over Zoom In! for weeks, but I wrote the first draft of Small Matters in a single evening. I had Zoom In! all polished and ready to submit. The only task left was to spend an evening with the Chicago Manual of Style, creating a reference list. I took my work with me to my daughter’s choir rehearsal. Maybe it was procrastination (I did not want to create that reference list), serendipity, or the angelic voices from the girls’ choir drifting into the room, but something magical happened that night. I started over, with the title Small Matters as my inspiration, and wrote the lyrical piece that eventually became my book—all within that two-hour choir-rehearsal time period. Roughly a week later, after two short days of back-and-forth with critique partners, I submitted BOTH manuscripts to Carol. She was “taken with” the shorter one, brought it to an acquisitions meeting, and the rest is history.

Heather’s writing buddies: her dog, Chelsea (above) and her golden mystery snail who is elegant but nameless 😊 (below)

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

HEATHER: I don’t have an agent yet. I submitted via email, directly to Millbrook’s editorial director, Carol Hinz, in response to and open call for submissions which she had posted on Lerner’s blog in early 2018. (That open call has ended, by the way, and Lerner is not generally open to unsolicited work.)

SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! 😊)

HEATHER: On October 24, 2018, I received an email from Carol, informing me that things had gone well at the acquisitions meeting and Millbrook wanted to publish my manuscript. It was the day after my older daughter’s birthday. What a gift, to be able to tell your kids that mom’s hard work has paid off, and she’s going to be an author!

SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?

HEATHER: I believe my critique partners were first to know. They are my biggest cheerleaders, and I love sharing successes with them. I rejoiced with my family (squealing and dancing around) and privately enjoyed a big root beer float (with chocolate ice cream, never vanilla) on my patio. But there was still lots of work to be done to develop the book’s highly condensed back matter, so I didn’t pause to celebrate for long. I remember being too newbie-nervous to let my hair down until the revision process was done.

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

HEATHER: I received a fair advance, a percentage of the net royalties, and 15 copies of the book. I don’t have an agent yet, so I negotiated on my own, with a little guidance from my neighbor and his sister, who are both lawyers. (I think I owe them each a bottle of wine). My contract was just what I would expect, considering that Small Matters is my first book and the publishing house put loads of work into seeking out excellent photographic images and purchasing the rights to use them.

Heather’s picture book reference library

SUSANNA: Tell us about the editorial process. . .

HEATHER: During the editorial phase of production, I worked with Allison Juda at Millbrook. Allison went through my text with a fine-toothed comb, kept me honest on every fact and word choice, and made sure my language was on target for our young reading audience. It was an intense time of cordial communication, careful fact checking, thematic refinement, more careful fact checking, lots of particular wordsmithing, still more careful fact checking, and thoughtful attention to the needs of our future readers. We worked on edits for a little over three months.

SUSANNA: Can you tell us about your experience of the illustration process?

HEATHER: My book is photo-illustrated. I knew it would be, even at the concept stage, because that was one of the parameters of the call for submissions. Just prior to the acquisitions meeting, Carol asked me to provide suggestions for the types of photos they might include. Once the book was in production, the photo-acquisitions team at Millbrook took over and worked magic in hunting down high-quality photos and obtaining permissions.

We ran into a few snags along the way. For instance, there used to be an octopus in my book, but good SEM photos of octopus skin in the process of changing its texture could not be found. (Go figure!) So, after a bit of a research scramble, I swapped my octopus for a snake!

SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc?

HEATHER: I did get to see an advance review from Kirkus. I received it roughly two weeks before publication. What a thrill! As pleased as I have been with the book’s production process, it’s a different feeling to have that first glimpse of a book entering the world—and being well received. I hope there will be many more reviews to come! But the best reviews will be (I hope!) from kids loving the book.

SUSANNA: I’m sure kids are going to love it, Heather! How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?

HEATHER: I received my offer letter on October 25, 2018 and first held an advance copy of the book on January 13, 2020. So altogether, about a year and 3 months.

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

HEATHER: So far… My book is listed in Lerner’s Spring Catalog. They have submitted it for review to Kirkus and a number of other journals. Early copies seem to have gone out to some bloggers, too. And Lerner displayed Small Matters at their booth at the ALA Midwinter conference. I’m not sure what other marketing tricks they have up their sleeve, but I can’t wait to find out.

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

HEATHER: I’ve created bookmarks to promote Small Matters. I’ve joined a book debut group, the 2020 Debut Crew. We help promote each other’s debut books on social media, and I run the Twitter giveaways for the group (follow us: @2020DebutCrew). Additionally, I’ve created a book trailer, which I’ll post in early March. And I’m working with my daughter’s school librarian to plan a book-talk presentation. Oh, and thank you, Susanna, for allowing me to tell my story here! I’ve also reached out to a few other bloggers, and to KidLit411.

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

HEATHER: About 5 years. I’ve identified as a ‘writer’ since I was in the third grade. But I started seriously focusing on studying picture-book craft once my youngest child entered grade school.

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

HEATHER: The best moments of this experience so far have been with my daughters. When I received my contract, my older daughter picked it up and began reading long passages of the ‘legalese’ in a formal British accent—while I was in hysterics. And when I received my big box of advance copies, my younger daughter opened it with me, lifted out the first copy, and said, “It’s Mommy’s book!” I know this book is not about me. It was a group effort in every sense, and we all hope the real benefactors will be young readers. Still, it’s been a dream come true to share these moments of hard-earned success with my daughters, who are among my most valued readers, critics, and supporters.

Author Heather Ferranti Kinser (Photo by Di Starr)

My Website Link: www.HeatherKinser.com
Find me on Twitter here: @hethfeth

SUSANNA: Thank you so much for sharing your time and expertise with us, Heather! I think we’ve all enjoyed the opportunity to learn something not only about your journey to publication but about nonfiction research, so thank you so much for expanding our knowledge! We wish you all the best with this and future books!

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

You may purchase Heather’s book at:
(all links below are book-specific)

Lerner Publications
Indiebound
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!

Christy Mihaly – Hey! Hey! Hay! A Tale of Bales And The Machines That Make Them

Beth Anderson – An Inconvenient Alphabet: Ben Franklin And Noah Webster’s Spelling Revolution

Annie Romano – Before You Sleep: A Bedtime Book Of Gratitude

B.J. Lee – There Was An Old Gator Who Swallowed A Moth

Kathleen Cornell Berman – The Birth Of Cool: How Jazz Great Miles Davis Found His Sound

Jill Mangel Weisfeld – Riley The Retriever Wants A New Job (self pub)

Christine Evans – Evelyn The Adventurous Entomologist

Karen Kiefer – Drawing God (religious market)

Ciara O’Neal – Flamingo Hugs Aren’t For Everyone (self pub)

Theresa Kiser – A Little Catholic’s Book Of Liturgical Colors (religious market)

Kirsten Larson – Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents An Airplane

Susi Schaefer – Cat Ladies

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Susi Schaefer!

March 31, 2020March 31, 202024 Comments

Hello, Everyone!

I truly hope this morning’s post finds you and your loved ones all healthy and well!

We are certainly in unusual times. A lot of sad and scary things are happening in the world. But at the same time, trouble seems to bring out the good in people and there are shining examples of love and kindness, people helping other people, all over the world. In New York City at 7 PM each evening, a cheer goes up to thank all the health care professionals who are working so tirelessly and selflessly to help everyone – a moment of gratitude and solidarity that is profoundly uplifting. (Turn your sound up so you can really hear the clapping and cheering, the clanging and cowbells and whooping!)

And that is just one example of so many around the world.

Here in the world of children’s literature, we have our own little moments. For many debut authors whose are books are coming out between today and the end of June, the excitement of launching their very first picture books has been dampened by current events. Bookstores and libraries are closed, so launch events have been cancelled. Book festivals of all kinds have been postponed. There can be no in-person publicity or promotion. It doesn’t feel like much of a celebration of something they have worked so hard for.

So let’s pull together and do everything we can to help today’s debut author and all the others who will be introduced to you in the coming weeks celebrate and find joy in their launches. Let’s help them spread the word. Let’s cheer them on online through social media and to our friends and relatives over the phone. Let’s help them enjoy this most wonderful moment in their lives and get their books the attention they deserve!

Without further ado, I am thrilled to present to you today’s debut author, Susi Schaefer, a talented writer and illustrator, a graduate of Making Picture Book Magic, and a fellow member of our kid lit community who needs our help to show off her book, which releases next Tuesday on April 7!

CAT LADIES
Written & Illustrated by Susi Schaefer (Author/Illustrator)
Published By Abrams Books For Young Readers
April 7th 2020
Fiction Picture Book

This witty picture book explores the loving bond between a cat and her humans.

SUSANNA: Welcome, Susi! Thank you so much for joining us today to share your journey to publication so we can all learn! Where did the idea for this book come from?

SUSI: Thank you for having me on your blog, Susanna! Here is a little background story on how CAT LADIES came to be.

My dad’s cousin, Maridl, lives in the Austrian Alps (where I was born and raised). Maridl has a semi-feral cat that chose her garden as her ”home”, and Maridl took on the task of feeding her. She named the cat Poppele, and the two have a loving bond. But when Maridl, who is in her 90s, experienced some health challenges, she had to move into a care home. Now my parents have taken over the cat’s care, and they still bring Maridl to the house often to visit with her beloved Poppele!

I was trying to imagine what it would be like if Poppele would have been able to go with Maridl to the care home. What would her life be like? What would matter to her, and what wouldn’t? How could I turn this into a story?

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

SUSI: I started the manuscript in late 2017, and publication is on April 7th, 2020. While I always knew the POV, I wasn’t sure if first person or third person would be stronger. Also, since I’m the illustrator as well, I put together a dummy with several finished illustrations. So, that took some extra time.

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

SUSI: I went through a fair amount of revisions, but I don’t mind the process. I wrote the first draft in literally a day and also created a couple of initial illustrations. It was so much fun; I still smile thinking about that day. When I showed the idea to my family, critique partners, and illustrator friends, I knew that I had something worth pursuing further. Once I got the story to a point that felt substantial, I sent the project to my agent. He shared my enthusiasm and, with his editorial prowess, he made the story a lot stronger. And, after CAT LADIES was acquired, it was made even better by the fantastic notes of my editor, art director, and book designer.

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

SUSI: As I mentioned, I work with an agent and he sent the dummy to a list of houses that felt like a good fit.

SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! 😊)

SUSI: The book was picked up quickly, and I was thrilled that more than one publisher was interested in CAT LADIES. It ended up selling at auction.

SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?

SUSI: I volunteer for a cat rescue, so I gave all the cats extra treats that week.

SUSANNA: Oh! I love that! What a special way to celebrate! Can you tell us a little about the editorial process?

SUSI: My editor didn’t have any big changes, just some logistical input. I was happy to implement everything because it made the story more streamlined. Plus, I am a firm believer that the book creating process is a team effort.

SUSANNA: Please tell us about illustrating – something that is a bit of a mystery to many of us!

SUSI: As the illustrator, I got to work closely with the art director. The notes I received were pretty minor, so the whole process went smoothly. I didn’t use art notes for CAT LADIES, but overall I find them useful and include them whenever I show a new manuscript to my agent. The trick is to keep them short and sweet, like (Art Note: Chases balloon).

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

SUSI: Yes! It was exciting and, naturally, a little nerve-wracking. But reviews are a great tool to help promote a book, so it’s par for the course.

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

SUSI: It took about two years to receive my advance author copy.

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

SUSI: My publisher has been promoting my book on social media, has sent it out for reviews, and brought it to literary conventions, amongst other things. However, several events had to be canceled due to the COVID-19 crisis.

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

SUSI: I created a book trailer, some coloring sheets and scheduled blog interviews (including this fabulous one). In addition, I hosted a giveaway on Twitter and Instagram. I also have a YouTube channel where I post free drawing tutorials for artists of all ages, including a tutorial for Princess, the cat from my book.

Sadly, my in-person events had to be put on hold for now, to keep everyone safe.

SUSANNA: We will certainly all do what we can to help you out, Susi! How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?

SUSI: I started writing seriously in 2014, and I sold CAT LADIES in 2018.

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

SUSI: I had a lot of help, motivation, and inspiration along the way by joining the SCBWI, participating in Storystorm, Twitter chats, and Instagram prompts. Also, online courses like Making Picture Book Magic and SVS Learn helped me grow, both as an author and illustrator.

CAT LADIES is a story I would have told whether it ended up published or not. It brought me so much joy to tell, even if only my family and friends would have seen it. I find it rewarding to write for the love of storytelling. Luckily, my agent and publisher felt the same way I did about this book 😊

Maridl – upon whom this wonderful story was based

SUSANNA: Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this series, Susi, and paying it forward to other writers! We wish you all the best of luck with this and future books!

Author/Illustrator Susi Schaefer

Here is my website:

https://www.susischaefer.com

Here are my Twitter and IG handles:

susischaeferart

Here is the cat drawing tutorial:

https://youtu.be/BmgroAovFVk

Here is the animal rescue group link:

https://www.apawsitiveapproach.com

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

You may purchase Susi’s book and have it in your hot little hands on publication day at:
(all links below are book-specific)

Abrams
Indiebound
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!

Christy Mihaly – Hey! Hey! Hay! A Tale of Bales And The Machines That Make Them

Beth Anderson – An Inconvenient Alphabet: Ben Franklin And Noah Webster’s Spelling Revolution

Annie Romano – Before You Sleep: A Bedtime Book Of Gratitude

B.J. Lee – There Was An Old Gator Who Swallowed A Moth

Kathleen Cornell Berman – The Birth Of Cool: How Jazz Great Miles Davis Found His Sound

Jill Mangel Weisfeld – Riley The Retriever Wants A New Job (self pub)

Christine Evans – Evelyn The Adventurous Entomologist

Karen Kiefer – Drawing God (religious market)

Ciara O’Neal – Flamingo Hugs Aren’t For Everyone (self pub)

Theresa Kiser – A Little Catholic’s Book Of Liturgical Colors (religious market)

Kirsten Larson – Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents An Airplane

Indiebound
Amazon
Barnes&Noble

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Janet Johnson!

March 10, 2020March 9, 202033 Comments

Hi Everybody!

Tuesday Debut is always a fun and exciting day, but it’s especially fun and exciting when the debut-ess is a hackey-sack queen and a personalized license plate fan 🙂

I am thrilled to introduce you to Janet Johnson and her debut picture book!

Help Wanted, Must Love Books
Written by: Janet Sumner Johnson
Illustrated by: Courtney Dawson
Published by: Capstone
Fiction, ages 4-7
March 1, 2020

When Shailey’s dad starts a new job, and it gets in the way of their bedtime story routine, Shailey takes action! She fires her dad, posts a Help Wanted sign, and starts interviews immediately.

SUSANNA: Welcome, Janet! Thank you so much for joining us today! We are so excited to have you!!! Where did the idea for this book come from?

JANET: This story idea came from my husband and daughter’s own bedtime story routine. One night, my then-7-year-old came in and announced it was time for bedtime stories. My husband had a work presentation the next morning and lots to prepare, so he told her he couldn’t. My daughter didn’t beg. She stomped her foot and said, “I’ll read my own story!”

I laughed, and said, “I think you just got fired!” And boom! The idea struck. It wasn’t fully formed, but over the next hour, I asked myself a bunch of questions: If she fires her dad, what will she do next? And if she puts up a help wanted sign, who can actually apply for the job? Siblings? Mom? Neighbors? I didn’t like those ideas, so I kept digging until I stumbled on the idea of book characters. That led to brainstorming a list of possible candidates, and what problems they would each bring to the story.

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

JANET: My first draft went fast. I had it done in about an hour. That is unusual for me. What really helped was that I had a great model for who my character was (through my daughter). I knew what my character’s problem was. I knew what she would do to try to fix the problem. And I knew how I wanted it to end. By answering those questions before I began writing, the actual writing went very quickly.

Revision took much longer.

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

JANET: Haha! Yep. Lots of revision. First, I had several rounds with my critique partners. They pointed out some problems I hadn’t thought of. For example, while Shailey put up the help wanted sign, she didn’t really do anything else in that first version, so I needed to make her more pro-active.

It was hard to hear, because I loved what I’d written, but I turned off that urge to argue, and instead worked on finding a solution. That took some more brainstorming. I had to re-organize my characters, and find some new ones that would work with the new structure. And amazing, I liked that new version even better!

My agent also asked for several revisions. She pointed out some characters who might be too obscure for kids. She also pointed out inconsistencies with who I’d chosen. For example, in that earlier draft, one candidate was the monster in her closet, who, she rightly pointed out, was not a book character. That meant more brainstorming to find more characters.

The key to good revision is listening. Readers could see things I couldn’t because I was too close to the story.

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

JANET: When my agent had no more comments on my draft! I’m a huge proponent of agents, and critique partners. If it had just been me, I would have sent that first draft because I loved it so much. If that had happened, it would not be a book now.

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

JANET: I have an agent, so when the manuscript was ready, my agent sent me a list of publishers she was sending it to. She forwarded responses as she got them, and my main job was to sit back, forget all about it (haha!), and write the next thing.

SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! 🙂 )

JANET: The whole submission process was quite the ride. We went out in January, and in February, I got an R&R. The editor really liked it, but felt the ending was too obvious. I talked with my agent about it, and we decided to go for it, because we had ideas. This isn’t typical, but my agent decided to send the change to every editor who had it.

Once we did that, I had a lot of interest. My book went to several acquisitions meetings (some with the old ending, and some with the new), and I had a lot of close calls, but in the end, none of them offered. That was really hard.

By July, my agent and I had moved on to submitting the next book. So, when she called, I had zero expectations. I was in the kitchen, texting with some author friends, glumly reporting that I had nothing to report. And then everything changed with those four magic words: “We have an offer!”

And because I’m guessing some of you are curious, my editor allowed me to choose my preferred ending. I went with the original which she confessed was her favorite, too. Writing really is so subjective!

SUSANNA: Those words, “We have an offer!” really are magical, aren’t they? There is nothing like them (except for maybe it’s a girl! or it’s a boy! 🙂 ) How did you celebrate signing your contract?

JANET: I went out to dinner with my family. (After an impromptu dance party in the kitchen!)

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

JANET: Because I had already published a middle grade book with my publisher (Capstone), my expectations were pretty grounded. However, the advance was significantly lower than I expected (under 5K) because they had recently gone through a re-organization.

We sold World Rights and negotiated royalties to 6% for hard cover and paperback, 12% for digital products, and 5% for audio. They were willing to negotiate on percentages, but not on the advance, which I found interesting. I will receive 20 copies as the author, and my agent will receive some as well.

Some other interesting contract things: we negotiated the non-compete clause to make it more narrow. We negotiated how much say I would have on images and cover (spoiler alert, not much, but more than zero!). And the contract included deadlines for both the publisher and me. It was a pretty straight-forward contract.

SUSANNA: What was the editorial process like for you?

JANET: The editorial process really surprised me. I had an initial chat with my editor, who had almost no changes for me at the time. They wanted a new title, and we discussed adding back matter. I spent a month working on that.

Over the next several months, I got periodic emails with suggested changes—some big, some small. Often, they came because of feedback from another department (like marketing). This continued up until the day it was being sent to print (we literally made the last change that day!).

I considered all the comments thoughtfully, but there were times I still didn’t agree. When that happened, I would share my concerns with my editor, and explain why I disagreed. At that point we could talk it through and come to a solution we both felt good about—sometimes that meant we left it as it was, and sometimes that meant changing it.

I think communication is so important. There is so much give and take in the process—as an author you need to both listen and speak up for yourself. It can be a delicate balance. It helped to remember that we both loved the book and had the same goal of making the best story possible.

SUSANNA: I have to say that the back matter in your book is one of my favorite parts – so entertaining! 🙂 Can you tell us a little about your experience of the illustration process?

JANET: As per my contract, I got to see the sketches and give input. However, in the case we disagreed, the publisher had the final say. Everything was sent digitally, so no F&Gs.

For the most part I loved what I saw. We were all definitely on the same page in terms of vision. However, I did have some concerns.

The publisher made a few changes based on my comments, but also chose not to make others. Some of that came down to cost, which I can respect. But it also meant that I had to change some of the text to work a little better with the images. I definitely hadn’t expected that! Still, I love how the book turned out.

My manuscript had quite a few art notes, and to my surprise, my editor made a point to thank me for having as many as I did. Here is one example of how my art note went from text to image:

This arrangement worked perfectly . . . until her dad got a new job.

[ART: Dad on cell phone; Dad studying a book; Dad tapping at laptop; Dad snoring on couch]

This is probably my favorite spread! I’m so happy with how it turned out.

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

JANET: The marketing department sends me all the advance reviews shortly before they publish. I’ve had some not-so-nice reviews in the past, so I have mixed feelings about this. I have to let those emails sit while I build up the courage to look.

When the reviewers like your book, it’s fabulous. And since they don’t review everything, it’s a really happy thing when they do. But the not-nice reviews are tough. I remind myself that not everyone will like my book, and that it’s not a critique of me personally.

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

JANET: From offer to copy in hand (I’m estimating, because I don’t actually have one yet!) was about 20 months. For a picture book, that feels really fast. The publishing date changed a couple of times and ended up being faster than expected.

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

JANET: My publisher offered advanced copies at ALA in 2019, and also put it on NetGalley. That’s made a huge impact on getting the word out about my book. They sent ARCs to bloggers and review groups, as well as to the industry reviewers like Booklist and Publisher’s Weekly. They regularly post about it on their social media accounts, and they also support my tweets. Recently they hosted a free webinar for teachers and librarians, and they book-talked all their upcoming titles, including mine.

One thing I’m really excited about is that they’re making a book trailer! It should be out soon.

SUSANNA: Ooh! I can’t wait to see the book trailer! Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.

JANET: Marketing and promotion is something I’m constantly learning. One of the best things I’ve done is join a debut group for picture books: the Debut Crew 2020. We work together to promote each other’s work and to find opportunities to build our platforms. It’s been super helpful!

In addition, I had bookmarks made, and still plan to make some stickers and other swag for future events. I also hope to get some coloring pages made, as well as an activity guidebook.

While I’m not doing an official blog tour, I’ve been fortunate to be invited to interview or write a guest post on several blogs in the weeks surrounding my book’s release.

I’ve also booked several in-person events over the next few months: a book launch, bookstore signings, school visits, book festivals, conference presentations, and NerdCampSoCal. You can see the full list on my events page. I’m excited to have so many opportunities to make connections and promote my book.

A lot of these opportunities have come because of connections I’ve made with people at previous events or through online discussions. Others have come from participating in groups on social media where others have shared calls for proposals or information about upcoming events. Making connections is key.

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

JANET: It took about 8 years to get that first picture book deal. Granted, I was focusing on middle grade for a lot of that time, but I’ve had the dream of getting a picture book published from the beginning. It’s still hard to believe I’m a published picture book author!

Thanks so much for having me, Susanna! Your classes made such a difference for me!

Author Janet Johnson

Social Media Links:

Website: http://janetsumnerjohnson.com/
Twitter: @MsVerbose
Instagram: @janetsumnerjohnson
Facebook: @janetsumnerjohnson

SUSANNA: Thank you so much for joining us today and sharing your experience, Janet! It was so interesting and enlightening – a real benefit for our readers! I know I speak for all of us when I wish you all the best with this and future books!

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

You may purchase Janet’s book at:
(all links below are book-specific)

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!

Christy Mihaly – Hey! Hey! Hay! A Tale of Bales And The Machines That Make Them

Beth Anderson – An Inconvenient Alphabet: Ben Franklin And Noah Webster’s Spelling Revolution

Annie Romano – Before You Sleep: A Bedtime Book Of Gratitude

B.J. Lee – There Was An Old Gator Who Swallowed A Moth

Kathleen Cornell Berman – The Birth Of Cool: How Jazz Great Miles Davis Found His Sound

Jill Mangel Weisfeld – Riley The Retriever Wants A New Job (self pub)

Christine Evans – Evelyn The Adventurous Entomologist

Karen Kiefer – Drawing God (religious market)

Ciara O’Neal – Flamingo Hugs Aren’t For Everyone (self pub)

Theresa Kiser – A Little Catholic’s Book Of Liturgical Colors (religious market)

Kirsten Larson – Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents An Airplane

Let’s Dance! Coloring Sheet

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Valerie Bolling!

March 3, 2020March 2, 202011 Comments

Hi there, everyone! It’s time for another exciting episode of Tuesday Debut!

As writers, I think we’ve all had the experience of getting a fantastic idea, writing the story . . .and then finding out that someone else has beaten us to it! Great minds think alike, right?

But great minds may also begin at the same starting point and go in divergent directions.

I have a manuscript I love in my haven’t-got-it-quite-right-to-submit-yet file (and I’m not even going to tell you how many years it’s been sitting there waiting for the spark that will make it work 🙂 ) that has the same title as today’s debut, but is a completely different story! Funny how that works!

It just goes to show how we all bring our own unique twist to ideas.

Today, I’m happy to introduce you to debut author Valerie Bolling and her unique and delightful twist on Let’s Dance!

Title: Let’s Dance!
Author: Valerie Bolling
Illustrator: Maine Diaz
Age Range: 3 – 7 years
Publisher: Boyds Mills & Kane
Release Date: March 3, 2020

Let’s Dance! celebrates dances from around the world and the diverse children who enjoy them.

SUSANNA: Welcome, Valerie! Thank you so much for coming to chat with us today! Where did the idea for this book come from?

VALERIE: I have noticed that whenever music is played, most children start to dance. Babies who can barely walk will sway and /or raise their hands. Whenever music is played, my nieces dance. When they were two and four, they even danced while brushing their teeth. Now at ages five and seven, they still love to dance! They definitely inspired this book.

I thought it would be fun to write the book in rhyme to mimic the rhythms of music and dance movements.

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

VALERIE: I wrote the first draft in May 2017 and continued to revise the book throughout the year.

An earlier draft was entitled I Love to Dance, as this line was repeated between stanzas. Marianne McShane, a friend who is a writer, storyteller, and retired librarian, suggested I read Summer Wonders by Bob Raczka as a mentor text and that I start the story with a line that appeared later in the text: “Tappity-tap/Fingers snap.” Her recommendations helped significantly in revising the book.

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

VALERIE: I felt it was ready when my scansion was tight. Scansion must be perfect for rhyming picture books.

Valerie’s work space

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

VALERIE: I sent my first query on Jan. 1, 2018 – what a way to start the year, huh?! I sent two more queries on Feb. 25, 2018, and an agent was interested in the story! She requested I send her two more manuscripts, but when I did, she wasn’t as interested in those stories, saying, “I foresee a harder sell for the other projects.” Thus, she decided to pass. I continued to submit queries and also participated in two Twitter pitches in June. I received a “like” in #PitMad that was turned down when I sent the manuscript, and I received another “like” later in the month during #PBPitch. When I sent the manuscript to Jes Negrón at Boyds Mills & Kane on June 18, 2018, she emailed me two weeks later on July 2, requesting to have a conversation. During that phone call, I learned that Jes was interested in acquiring the story!

I do not have an agent. I started with query letters. I had already been querying other stories since June 2017, so I was not new to querying when I started with Let’s Dance! I submitted to agents, editors, and publishing houses that accepted unsolicited manuscripts. I entered Twitter pitches but didn’t submit this story to contests, though, more recently, I have submitted other stories to contests.

SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! 🙂 )

VALERIE: My editor is connected directly with a publisher, so there was no “shopping around.” The original publisher was StarBerry, an imprint of Kane Press. In May 2019 I received an email from the publisher that Kane Press had merged with Boyds Mills. My book would now be published by Boyds Mills & Kane.

SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?

VALERIE: I didn’t celebrate, per se. I did share the news with family and friends who were all excited for me. My gratitude and their congratulations were celebration enough.

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

VALERIE: I honestly didn’t know what to expect in a contract. When I received the deal memo, the precursor to the contract, I reached out to author friends who I believed could offer some advice. One friend, Ramin Ganeshram, suggested I join the Authors Guild because that organization has lawyers who would read my contract and offer advice. I also reached out to SCBWI, and Stephen Mooser read through my contract. I was told by him and by the Authors Guild that my contract was fair for a debut author. I did negotiate a couple of things, like my percentage (after selling 20,000 books, my royalty percentages will increase by 1%), and I was able to get 25 author copies instead of 10. There may have been a couple of other changes, but I don’t recall now.

SUSANNA: How did you find the editorial process?

VALERIE: My editorial process was atypical. It’s remarkable that my editor, Jes, changed not ONE word of my manuscript. I did have to delete two stanzas to fit within the 32-page format though.

Jes had a vision for my story that I did not originally have, but I was thrilled with her ideas! She asked me to write illustrator notes next to each stanza to signify what type of dance my words described. I hadn’t connected all of my words to particular dances, so this was an interesting exercise. I shared with Jes that “I want a lot of brown kids in this book!” Jes assured me there would be. I also said I wanted children of differing abilities and from diverse backgrounds. I said I wanted the ballet spread to have a boy in a tutu, and Jes agreed. (In the end, I got something even better, a child in a blue tutu whose gender is indiscernible.) In October 2018, Jes shared that she thought we were missing out on an opportunity to make the story more global. She recognized that some of my words could describe cultural dances. For instance, where I saw “Tappity-tap/Fingers snap” as tap dance, Jes imagined flamenco from Spain. I envisioned the electric slide for “Glide and slide/Side to side,” but Jes suggested long sleeve dancing from China. I am thrilled to have this added layer of cultural representation in my book!

Jes later requested that I write two descriptive sentences about each dance to be included in the book as back matter. This wasn’t an enjoyable exercise for me, but I’m so glad that this is a component of Let’s Dance!, which, I believe, may add to its appeal and marketability.

SUSANNA: I love that you and your editor insisted on diversity and representing all different kinds of kids in dance! What was your experience of the illustration process like?

VALERIE: Jes allowed me to weigh in on the selection of an illustrator, and she also shared sketches with me two or three times throughout the process and considered my feedback – even making changes based on it. I am aware that this does not usually happen. When I received the PDF of Let’s Dance!, before the F & G, I was THRILLED! Maine Diaz is such a talent. She brought my words, my vision, and Jes’ vision to life. Her gorgeous, energetic illustrations truly make my book dance!

One example:

My note:

Turn, twirl.

Twist, whirl. [Partner dancing, maybe ballroom but not sure how many young children do that; a child/ren could be looking over his/her/their shoulder as his/her/their body spins in the opposite direction]

Jes’note:

Turn, twirl.

Twist, whirl. [Kathak, Indian dance]

And here’s how the spread looks in the book:

text copyright Valerie Bolling 2020, illustration copyright Maine Diaz 2020
Boyds Mills & Kane

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

VALERIE: The publisher will share all reviews with me. So far, I’ve seen only one review from Kirkus. I was pleased to have Kirkus review Let’s Dance!, and it was mostly positive. The reviewer said, “Bolling encourages readers to dance in styles including folk dance, classical ballet, breakdancing, and line dancing. Read aloud, the zippy text will engage young children.” Also, “The snappy text will get toes tapping …”

There were two aspects of the review with which I disagreed, but I know that all reviews are subjective. Overall, I’m happy with my first official review. What has meant even more to me, however, is the enthusiastic reaction of librarians and bookstore personnel.

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

VALERIE: As I said, the book was picked up on July 2, 2018; I received two F & Gs on Nov. 21, 2019. I shared one with my husband that evening and took it to work the next day to share with my colleagues and boss. On January 27, 2020, I received my 25 author copies!!!

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

VALERIE: My publisher sent me an email in July 2019, detailing the marketing plan. I was also requested to complete a questionnaire with contact information for local libraries, bookstores, media, and my alumni magazines. Those are the contacts that have received F & Gs of Let’s Dance!

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

VALERIE: I have a website; I have emailed over 130 bloggers requesting reviews and/or interviews; I have an email list; and I’m trying to remember to tell everyone I know or meet about my book. I really want to spread the word. It’s a delicate balance of sharing news about the book but not sounding as if I’m boasting or as if my book is the only thing I can talk about.

I have already had several articles written about Let’s Dance!, and/or myself. Feel free to look at the bottom of this page to see them. I’ve done a podcast and have several school and library events already planned.

Lisa Stringfellow, a friend and fellow author, created a beautiful flyer for my book launch event that I emailed and posted on social media. In addition, the library where I’m hosting my event, will display their own flyers. The publisher created postcards for me; I plan to pass them out to dance studios and stores that sell dance apparel. My editor also designed a coloring sheet, using the end pages of the book, which I can give to children at my launch event as well as school, library, and bookstore events. I decided that I would share information about my book, where to purchase it, and how to make contact with me on the back of the coloring sheet, making use of both sides of the paper.

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

VALERIE: I wrote two PBs in December 2016; each featured one of my nieces as the main character. I wrote other stories in 2017, and Let’s Dance! was acquired in July 2018. Therefore, it took a year and a half from the time I started writing seriously to the time I sold my first picture book.

Author Valerie Bolling

My social media links are:

Website: http://valeriebolling.com

Twitter: @valerie_bolling

Instagram: @valeriebollingauthor and @letsdancebook.

SUSANNA: Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this series and pay it forward to other writers! We so appreciate your time and expertise and wish you all the best with this and future books!

VALERIE: THANK YOU for your willingness to feature me in a Tuesday Debut!

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

You may purchase Valerie’s book at:
(all links below are book-specific)

Indiebound
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!

Christy Mihaly – Hey! Hey! Hay! A Tale of Bales And The Machines That Make Them

Beth Anderson – An Inconvenient Alphabet: Ben Franklin And Noah Webster’s Spelling Revolution

Annie Romano – Before You Sleep: A Bedtime Book Of Gratitude

B.J. Lee – There Was An Old Gator Who Swallowed A Moth

Kathleen Cornell Berman – The Birth Of Cool: How Jazz Great Miles Davis Found His Sound

Jill Mangel Weisfeld – Riley The Retriever Wants A New Job (self pub)

Christine Evans – Evelyn The Adventurous Entomologist

Karen Kiefer – Drawing God (religious market)

Ciara O’Neal – Flamingo Hugs Aren’t For Everyone (self pub)

Theresa Kiser – A Little Catholic’s Book Of Liturgical Colors (religious market)

Kirsten Larson – Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents An Airplane

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Kirsten Larson!

February 25, 2020February 24, 202026 Comments

Greetings, everyone!

What with the Valentiny Contest and such, we haven’t had a Tuesday Debut for a couple weeks, but I’m thrilled to be back today featuring the birthday of a wonderful book I’ve watched come along pretty much from its inception. And I can’t wait for you to meet our Tuesday Debut-ess, the lovely and talented Kirsten Larson (who once upon a time participated in Phyllis’s World Tour back in March of 2012 by taking Phyllis to the Mojave Desert to ride on an F-117 Night Hawk! 🙂 )

First, have a look at this terrific book!

WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane
by Kirsten W. Larson
illustrated by Tracy Subisak
Calkins Creek, Feb. 25, 2020
nonfiction for ages 7 to 10.

Even as a girl, Emma Lilian Todd saw problems like gusts of wind – they set her mind soaring. When Lilian saw the earliest airplane designs, she knew she could build something better, trying and failing repeatedly until her biggest dream took flight.

SUSANNA: And now, please help me welcome Kirsten Larson! We are so excited to have you join us today, Kirsten! Where did the idea for this book come from?

KIRSTEN: In 2014, I was exploring an idea I’d jotted down in my writer’s notebook: Rosie the Riveter. I had a stack of books from the library including Andrea Beatty’s Rosie Revere, Engineer, illustrated by David Roberts, which included Lilian Todd in a list of female aviation firsts. I have no idea what made me pick up a fictional picture book (in rhyme) only tangentially related to my original topic, but I’m so glad I did. Reading books of all kinds has always given me ideas and improved my craft.

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

KIRSTEN: Well, as you know, I wrote the first draft of this book in your March 2014 Making Picture Book Magic class, and you were one of my first readers! I had started my research that February and worked on this book until August 2014 when I started a new project.

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

KIRSTEN: A million! Even after those first six months of concerted effort, I revised the book periodically in response to conference critiques or a brainstorm I had for a new way of approaching things. I even wrote it as a middle grade historical fiction (only a chapter). Because I started my career writing school and library books to spec on tight deadlines, I don’t become too attached to my words. And in Making Picture Book Magic you encouraged a flexible approach, making us write multiple first lines and endings, for example. Honestly, revising and tinkering with structure and approach is my favorite part of writing and revision.

SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?
KIRSTEN: Do we ever REALLY know? I think our instincts get better as we go along, but all of us submit work before it’s ready. This book was no different. I sent it to agents when I probably shouldn’t have (including the half-written middle grade opening. Yikes!). But once I’d made it the best I could with the help of many critique partners and professional critiques, and wasn’t making meaningful changes, I felt it could go out to agents. Now that I have an agent, I’m happy to have another sounding board for when work is ready.

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

KIRSTEN: Early on I decided writing for children was going to be my career, and I wanted an agent. I only sent this book to one publisher via an SCBWI conference submission. In my opinion, it’s important to pick a path: either submit directly to publishers or to agents, not both. One or two submissions to publishers while querying agents may be fine, but if you query too many, you’ve limited an agent’s options. And they won’t take you on as a client.

SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! 🙂 )

KIRSTEN: When my agent took WOOD, WIRE, WINGS out on submission, it racked up the rejections over a period of seven months. I’ll be forever grateful to Carolyn Yoder who saw the potential in Lilian’s story, was willing to work with a developing writer, and asked for a revise and resubmit. I finally had an offer about nine months after we first sent the story out. I truly believe it’s about finding the publishing partner who’s the right fit for a particular book. And Calkins Creek was so worth the wait.

SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?

KIRSTEN: For me, I’ve always found the most magical moment to be when you get an offer (from an agent or a publisher) since contract negotiations can take awhile. Still, when my contract finally arrived, I made my kids pose for a signing photo with me even though they had no idea what was going on. And my husband bought me some really cool paper airplane earrings.

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

KIRSTEN: If it hasn’t been mentioned already, I would refer folks to author Hannah Holt’s survey of picture book advances. (link: https://hannahholt.com/blog/2017/9/25/writing-picture-books-a-look-at-the-number-part-2) I will say my offer was in line with what one would expect from a small-to-mid-sized publisher, and I am thankful to have an agent negotiating my advance, royalty rates, and other elements of my contract. But compensation is really only one consideration when evaluating an offer. It’s important to know about a publisher’s reach (distribution and marketing), the editor’s vision for the book, and in my case, the fact-checking process. The best offer isn’t always the highest offer. You have to look at the whole package.

SUSANNA: What can you tell us about the editorial process?

KIRSTEN: My editorial process began before I even sold the book, since my wonderful editor, Carolyn Yoder, bought the book on a revise and resubmit request. The R&R focused on adding historical context. After I sold the book, I revised again, focusing on adding interiority and emotional truth the story. Finally, in an unusual twist, we did another revision after we saw illustrator Tracy Subisak’s dummy. There was so much of the story Tracy was able to tell visually, allowing me to cut portions of the text. Going through these revisions changed my writing process going forward. I have learned to consider what part of the story illustrations can carry, and what I absolutely HAVE to say with words.

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

KIRSTEN: One thing that surprised me for this particular book was the amount of input I had into the illustration process. I was offered input into who might illustrate and was thrilled when Tracy Subisak came on board. Very early in the process, I was asked to provide art references. These were visual descriptions from my written sources, as well as copies of historic photographs Tracy could use. I had input into the art at every stage, and in some cases, editor Carolyn Yoder and I made suggestions for better historical accuracy. For example, we asked Tracy to revise the shape of the room at the Patent Office to make it more historically accurate. I have such utter respect for illustrators of nonfiction, who must marry such attention to detail with their artistic vision.

SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc? What was that like?
KIRSTEN: Waiting for reviews was one of the most nerve-racking parts of the process. Because I wrote this book so many years ago, I feel my writing has changed significantly, and I was nervous about how this earlier work would be received. I was so thrilled when the book got a positive review from Kirkus. I felt like the reviewer really “got” the book, including the deeper messages about failure being a natural part of invention and engineering, and perseverance being an essential trait for any creator. Link to full review: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/kirsten-w-larson/wood-wire-wings/

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

KIRSTEN: I got my formal offer Feb. 10, 2017 and received my advance copy just before Christmas 2019 all wrapped up with a shiny red ribbon from my publisher. So that’s just shy of three years.

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

KIRSTEN: One of the most fascinating parts of my publishing journey has been learning what a good publisher can do in terms of marketing. While it’s very early in my publishing process, my publisher has sent F&Gs (folded and gathered copies of the book) out to professional reviewers like Kirkus and book influencers, like Alyson Beecher at KidLit Frenzy. As soon as professional reviews were published, the publisher was able to feed review snippets to Amazon, B&N, and Edelweiss, which is used by book buyers. I know Calkins Creek has wonderful distribution through Penguin Random House with a team of sales reps who are knowledgeable about my book and are able to sell the book into bookstores and museum gift shops. And Calkins Creek has a presence at many conferences, where I’m sure my book will make an appearance.

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

KIRSTEN: I think one of the most powerful things I did (along with 37 of my best book peeps) is create a book-marketing group, the Soaring 20s. I’ve also recently joined @STEAMTeam2020, which is cross promoting STEM/STEAM-focused books for all ages. Sometimes it feels weird to scream and shout about your own book, so working as part of a team to cheer each other on is much more comfortable for me. Aside from boosting each other on social media and creating original blog and social media content to reach potential book readers, my groups are focused on early reviews, reaching out to book influencers, and library purchases.

I think another positive marketing approach for this book was to reach out to like-minded groups who are natural audiences for a book about a female aviation pioneer. I’ve booked some speaking opportunities and pitched articles for their publications. For me, those groups included the Experimental Aircraft Association and Women in Aviation International.

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

KIRSTEN: I wrote the first terrible draft of a magazine article for kids in October 2011, and started writing picture books in 2012 through Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 challenge. So, it will be more than eight years of honing my craft, finding an agent, learning book marketing, etc.

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

KIRSTEN: I’ve always thought writing is a lot like inventing/engineering. It’s a flash of inspiration followed by years of perspiration and perseverance as you tinker with and tweak your initial idea until it can soar.

Author Kirsten Larson

My website: kirsten-w-larson.com

Twitter/Instgram/Pinterest: @kirstenwlarson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KirstenLarsonWrites/

SUSANNA: Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this series, Kirsten, and for paying it forward to other writers! Your knowledge and expertise are so helpful to all of us, and we wish you all the very best of success with this and future books!

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

You may purchase Kirsten’s book at:
(all links below are book-specific)

Indiebound
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!

Christy Mihaly – Hey! Hey! Hay! A Tale of Bales And The Machines That Make Them

Beth Anderson – An Inconvenient Alphabet: Ben Franklin And Noah Webster’s Spelling Revolution

Annie Romano – Before You Sleep: A Bedtime Book Of Gratitude

B.J. Lee – There Was An Old Gator Who Swallowed A Moth

Kathleen Cornell Berman – The Birth Of Cool: How Jazz Great Miles Davis Found His Sound

Jill Mangel Weisfeld – Riley The Retriever Wants A New Job (self pub)

Christine Evans – Evelyn The Adventurous Entomologist

Karen Kiefer – Drawing God (religious market)

Ciara O’Neal – Flamingo Hugs Aren’t For Everyone (self pub)

Theresa Kiser – A Little Catholic’s Book Of Liturgical Colors (religious market)

Christy Mihaly – Hey! Hey! Hay! A Tale of Bales And The Machines That Make Them

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Lindsey Hobson!

February 4, 2020February 3, 202022 Comments

Welcome to another exciting edition of Tuesday Debut, Everyone!

Now that everybody’s favorite groundhog (not that anyone around here is biased… 🙂 )

Punxsutawney Phyllis!!!

has announced to the world that we can expect an early spring, what better Tuesday Debut could we share today than one about a flower-loving dragon? So spring-y! 🙂 Please join me in welcoming Tuesday Debut-ess, Lindsey Hobson, as she shares her publishing journey!

Blossom’s Wish
Written by Lindsey Hobson
Illustrated by Katarina Stevanovic
Published January 2020
Fiction, ages: 3-8

Blossom is a flower-loving dragon living in a town full of people, who gives her flowers away in hopes of making a friend. When she catches a cold, her world is turned upside down.

SUSANNA: Welcome, Lindsey! Thank you so much for joining us today to share your journey to publication! Where did the idea for this book come from?

LINDSEY: My daughter went through a phase where she required an original story before bed. This is a version of her favorite story that I would tell her. I’m so glad that I will have a physical copy of this story to share with her, and her children one day.

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

LINDSEY: Writing the story didn’t take me very long, as I already had it in my head. I just sat down and typed it all out in one evening.

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

LINDSEY: I revised it several times based on critiques I received from a critique group, then hired an editor for developmental editing. I realized that, by listening and revising from several different critiques, I had strayed too far from my original story. I scrapped the draft I was on, went back to the original, and started over with the same editor. She loved the original story better than the revision we had been working on and had some great ideas to get it to where it is today.

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

LINDSEY: After working with the editor on the development and line editing, I asked for some more critiques from an online group and was happy with the responses I received. I felt like it was ready.

Lindsey’s writing buddies 🙂

SUSANNA: At what point did you decide to self-publish rather than submit to traditional publishers? Did you try traditional first? Or did you have specific reasons for wanting to self-publish?

LINDSEY: I decided to self-publish this book because it is so near to my heart. I wanted to have control over the content of the story, and how the illustrations looked. This is for my daughter, and I wanted to keep it that way. I did not try to submit this one to traditional publishers for that reason.

SUSANNA: How did you find an illustrator?

LINDSEY: I am a member of several Facebook groups, and I spoke to several illustrators that I found in those groups. I also joined Instagram to look for illustrators, and perused freelance websites. I ultimately found someone on Fiverr, and although I have heard negative things about that website, I really think you can find quality people that are looking to build their portfolios.

SUSANNA: Did you and the illustrator have a contract of any kind?

LINDSEY: We did not have a contract, just the specifics set forth in the gig (or package) that I purchased as far as having commercial rights, etc.

SUSANNA: Are you able to give a ballpark figure of any kind (or a specific one if you’re so inclined) about the cost of the illustrator?

LINDSEY: I had a budget, and I searched until I found someone that could work within that budget. I was able to keep it under $1000 for illustration and design.

SUSANNA: What was the illustration process like since you were directing it? Any particular challenges? Anything you particularly enjoyed?

LINDSEY: In working with my budget, we planned out where full page illustrations would be vs. spot illustrations. She wrote down an idea for each page before we started. Once she started, she sketched the page out then sent it to me, I would approve it or ask for slight revisions, then she would paint (she works in watercolor). Because of the time difference between where we live, I would often wake up with a new message from her in the morning. It was like Christmas every day!

SUSANNA: How did you format your book for publication?

LINDSEY: After the illustrator was finished, I asked her if she knew anyone who could do the formatting. She recommended someone who I hired to format the book and added the text. She also did the cover. It worked out well because if we hit a snag, she could talk directly to the illustrator.

SUSANNA: How did you select a printing service?

LINDSEY: I researched what others were doing in the Facebook groups I am in and ultimately decided to use Kindle Direct Publishing on Amazon because of the ease of getting my book online and their print-on-demand service.

SUSANNA: Did you do a print run so you’d have inventory, or is your book print-on-demand? (And where is your book available – online bookstores? brick and mortar bookstores?)

LINDSEY: I did not have it in my budget to do a print run, so I decided to use print-on-demand. I am also talking to a local bookstore about stocking my book in their children’s section.

SUSANNA: How long was the process from writing through publication of your book?

LINDSEY: Four months from start to finish.

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

LINDSEY: I have made an author page on Facebook, and joined Twitter and Instagram to connect with the KidLit community. I have posted updates throughout the illustrating and design phases to get people interested in my project. Because my book is about a dragon that grows flowers, I have contacted local greenhouses to see if they would like to do a meet-the-author event.

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

LINDSEY: There are so many helpful people in the KidLit community. I would highly recommend joining groups on Facebook, subscribing to other writers’ blogs, and reading articles. I have also found it extremely helpful to ask questions of the people who have been doing this for a while, and rewarding to be able to help answer questions for people just starting out as well.

Author Lindsey Hobson

Social media:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lindseybhobson
Twiter: www.twitter.com/lindseybhobson
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lindseybhobson

SUSANNA: Lindsey, thank you again for joining us today and for sharing all your helpful insights into the world of writing and self publishing. I can only imagine how many writers you are helping! We all wish you the very best of success with this and future books!

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

You may purchase Lindsey’s book at:
(all links below are book-specific)

Amazon

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!

Beth Anderson – An Inconvenient Alphabet: Ben Franklin And Noah Webster’s Spelling Revolution

Annie Romano – Before You Sleep: A Bedtime Book Of Gratitude

B.J. Lee – There Was An Old Gator Who Swallowed A Moth

Kathleen Cornell Berman – The Birth Of Cool: How Jazz Great Miles Davis Found His Sound

Jill Mangel Weisfeld – Riley The Retriever Wants A New Job (self pub)

Christine Evans – Evelyn The Adventurous Entomologist

Karen Kiefer – Drawing God (religious market)

Christy Mihaly – Hey! Hey! Hay! A Tale of Bales And The Machines That Make Them

Ciara O’Neal – Flamingo Hugs Aren’t For Everyone (self pub)

Theresa Kiser – A Little Catholic’s Book Of Liturgical Colors (religious market)

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Theresa Kiser!

January 21, 2020January 21, 202025 Comments

Hi Everyone!

I’m excited to share today’s Tuesday Debut because it’s something we haven’t really done before (although Karen Kiefer – Drawing God was similar in some ways.)

One of the fun (and educational) things about Tuesday Debut is that we get to learn about different paths to publication with different kinds of publishing houses.

I know that many of you are interested in writing for the religious market, so I’m thrilled to introduce Theresa Kiser who has published her debut picture book with Holy Heroes.

Title: A Little Catholic’s Book of Liturgical Colors
Author: Theresa Kiser
Illustrator: Chris Pelicano
Publishing House: Holy Heroes
Date of Publication: October 2019
Nonfiction
Age Range: 0-3

Synopsis (from the publisher’s website): Written in delightful rhyming verse by Theresa Kiser and illustrated by Chris Pelicano (the long-time illustrator of Holy Heroes’ products!), this board book will walk children through the different liturgical colors of the Catholic Church and where they will find them in the Mass. The rhythm of the poetry is tuned to a child’s ear, so you may soon find your little ones “reading” the book themselves!

SUSANNA: Welcome, Theresa! We’re so glad to have you with us today! Where did the idea for this book come from?

THERESA: My infant son’s FAVORITE book was a book about colors, and the liturgical colors are an important symbol in the Catholic faith. Holding my son, I knew I wanted him to understand how each of the liturgical colors points to God’s love, so I started brainstorming and drafting ideas.

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

THERESA: It took about a month to get through the first draft. First I researched the liturgical colors, and jotted ideas down on papers that–because I had an infant–ended up strewn all over the house. I brainstormed while nursing, and then, when the baby was sleeping, sat down to revise one stanza at a time.

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

THERESA: The biggest decision point for me was deciding on the structure and the rhyme scheme. Once I decided that each verse would begin “COLOR is for___” with an ABAB rhyme scheme, I worked through each verse on its own until the work felt ready as a whole.

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

THERESA: I always ask for feedback from other professionals in the field. Once I had done that with positive results, and felt proud sharing it, I knew it was ready to submit.

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

THERESA: Catholic publishing houses are generally small, so I could query directly without an agent. I was very lucky that my friend–who had done illustration work for this particular publisher in the past–guided me through the process and helped me submit. He ended up being the illustrator that the publisher chose for the book!

SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! ☺)

THERESA: The publisher let my friend announce the good news! It was very exciting! Afterwards, the publisher requested some revisions and additions, and after some back-and-forth, the final text was approved!

SUSANNA: Tell us about your experience of the illustration process?

THERESA: I was really lucky to know the illustrator ahead of time, and doubly lucky that he 100% understood the vision for the book. The liturgical colors are tricky to convey in illustration because you have to show both the color as represented in the church AND the meaning of that color.

Once he was assigned by the publisher to illustrate the book, Chris sat down with me and graciously asked what I envisioned when I wrote the text. Honestly, I had no idea how he would pull off without, as he put it, “drawing the inside of a church five times.” This is where trust in the illustrator’s expertise comes into play, and it definitely paid off! Chris did a great job showing not only what each color would look like on liturgical vestments, but also what it means for a child’s relationship with God.

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

THERESA: This was a small house with an amazing turnaround time. It was just six months from contract to print, and the publisher kept me well informed as production went along.

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

THERESA: If anyone out there has a story or manuscript that they believe there’s a market for but won’t be accepted by larger houses because it’s too “niche,” I’d just encourage you to do your research and use the specificity of the text to your advantage. Somewhere out there, someone is looking for the same kind of specific book, and we’re lucky enough at this time in the publishing world to have access to many niche publishers with different missions, as well as the opportunity to Indie-publish if you have done your research and are ready to take that on.

Sometimes publishing in a “niche” market can feel a little unusual when working on picture book craft. Most workshops and conferences focus on general market texts, and often advice regarding agents and submission strategies stems from an assumption that authors are looking for publication with a large house.

I hope that my experience shared here will encourage writers of “niche” books, such as small religious markets (like the Catholic market) that publication is possible, and readers in that niche may be waiting for your book!

We have more opportunities now than ever, so don’t discount your book if it is for a specific audience. Don’t be discouraged or give in to resistance…Write! Create!

Because somewhere there’s a child who will benefit from your book.

Author Theresa Kiser

Website: www.theresakiser.com
Twitter: @AuthorTKKiser
https://www.facebook.com/tkkiser

SUSANNA: 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 experience, and wish you all the best of success with this and future books!

THERESA: Thank YOU, Susanna!

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

You may purchase Theresa’s book at:
(all links below are book-specific)

Holy Heroes (order from publisher’s website)
Indiebound
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!

Beth Anderson – An Inconvenient Alphabet: Ben Franklin And Noah Webster’s Spelling Revolution

Annie Romano – Before You Sleep: A Bedtime Book Of Gratitude

B.J. Lee – There Was An Old Gator Who Swallowed A Moth

Kathleen Cornell Berman – The Birth Of Cool: How Jazz Great Miles Davis Found His Sound

Jill Mangel Weisfeld – Riley The Retriever Wants A New Job (self pub)

Christine Evans – Evelyn The Adventurous Entomologist

Karen Kiefer – Drawing God

Christy Mihaly – Hey! Hey! Hay! A Tale of Bales And The Machines That Make Them

Ciara O’Neal – Flamingo Hugs Aren’t For Everyone (self-pub)

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Ciara O’Neal!

January 14, 2020January 14, 202030 Comments

Hi Everyone!

Wow! It’s been a while since we had a Tuesday Debut, hasn’t it?!

That is partly because of the writing contests and the holidays, but also partly because I only have Tuesday Debut posts when people want to share their first-ever brand new picture books. (That said, I have a lot of availability in the coming weeks, so if you’ve got a debut picture book you’d like to get a little attention for, email me! 🙂 )

But we’ve got one today – the second self-published one we’ve had the opportunity to learn about here – so some interesting and different information.

Please help me welcome Ciara O’Neal as she shares her debut picture book Flamingo Hugs Aren’t For Everyone!

Flamingo Hugs Aren’t For Everyone
Written by Ciara O’Neal
Illustrated by Alicia Young
Published November 2019
Fiction, ages 6-10

Hugs are hard for a clumsy flamingo. But with daring disguises, delightful dances, and a few more tricks up her feathers, this bird is determined to win a little love from zoo-goers everywhere!

SUSANNA: Welcome, Ciara! Thank you so much for joining us today! We’re delighted to have you and opportunity to learn a thing or two about the self-publishing process for picture book writers! Where did the idea for this book come from?

CIARA: Flaminga’s story arose during a very loooooong trip to the ER with my daughter. After rejecting kisses from my stuffed flamingo keychain, our star was born! My daughter and I whiled away the endless hours by brainstorming all the different ways a flamingo might try to win affection. And, voilà Flamingo Hugs came to life. I still have my daughter’s first sketch of Flaminga in her hat. Alicia drew a wonderful rendition of it in our book!

Idea generation is one of my favorite phases in the whole process of creating picture book magic. I find that I am a very visual person. So whenever I want to find inspiration, I take a walk around my corner of the world. I try to look at ordinary things from odd perspectives. Sometimes, it’s hunkering down in the grass or leaning against a tree. (There might have been that time I flipped upside down on my kids’ playground. But we won’t talk about that.)

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

CIARA: Some stories demand I tell them from beginning to end in one sitting. Flamingo Hugs and many of my other picture books materialized in a matter of hours. But that being said, NONE of those stories look anything like the original draft. Especially not once my incredible critique partners got to them. (Love my critique partners!)

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

CIARA: All of my stories go through MANY rounds of revision. But I think my favorite stage is probably my second round of revisions. (My first round always focuses on plot, stakes, and character development.)

During the second round, I research. I find picture books with similar themes, Youtube videos, and Pinterest pins to help me develop my language. I create a list of verbs, nouns, and adjectives that fit my manuscript. I begin playing with the words, generating jokes, and flushing out “the world” in my story.

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

CIARA: This question is SO difficult to answer. I’m not sure there is a right one. I feel most confident about my story when my critique partners only give me words to tweak as opposed to fixing plot holes, etc. Once I reach that stage, I have done several paid critiques.

SUSANNA: At what point did you decide to self-publish rather than submit to traditional publishers? Did you try traditional first? Or did you have specific reasons for wanting to self-publish?

CIARA: A little over a year ago, I decided I wanted to finally chase my dream of being an author. I wrote my first few manuscripts and began querying agents and traditional publishers. During that time, I started sharing my stories with my dad.

We had so much fun brainstorming and dreaming up what characters would do. One day, he told me he believed in my stories and wanted to help make my dream a reality. Together, we decided my clumsy flamingo needed a little self-publishing love, and here we are!

SUSANNA: How did you find an illustrator?

CIARA: I found my first illustrator, Alicia Young, after searching the SCBWI page. I saw her illustrations and fell in love!

SUSANNA: Did you and the illustrator have a contract of any kind? What types of items did it address?

CIARA: Alicia and I did have a contract. I did a mini-interview with her before we agreed to work together. During the illustration process, we spoke often. It was important to me to find someone that I clicked with and shared my vision for the story.

SUSANNA: Are you able to give a ballpark figure of any kind about the cost of the illustrator?

CIARA: Illustrators are fabulous people! But they have to eat too! When it comes to cost, you will get what you pay for. Spot illustrations can cost anywhere from $20-$45. Elaborate full spreads can cost even more depending on the time needed to complete the page. It’s hard to give a ballpark figure because each story calls for a different number of spot illustrations and spreads. So needless to say, self-publishing with great illustrations can be costly.

SUSANNA: What was the illustration process like since you were directing it? Any particular challenges? Anything you particularly enjoyed?

CIARA: The illustration process was thrilling. Each email from Alicia was like Christmas morning. She is so creative and such a joy to work with. That’s not to say we didn’t do our fair share of revision, both my words and her illustrations. But it was one of my favorite parts of this journey!

SUSANNA: How did you format your book for publication?

CIARA: My beautiful illustrator formatted my story. Most illustrators I’ve had contact with an offer this as part of their services.

SUSANNA: How did you select a printing service?

CIARA: Alicia also helped me find our printing service. She had published with them previously. We were both impressed by the price, quality, and turn around time.

SUSANNA: Did you do a print run so you’d have inventory, or is your book print-on-demand? (And where is your book available – online bookstores? brick and mortar bookstores?)

CIARA: I did a print run. My book is also available on Amazon and through my personal website. I have it for sale in a few indie bookstores. I also tote around a few copies to sell at fairs, schools, etc. I even had it for sale at Christmas Tree farm. 🙂

SUSANNA: How long was the process from writing through publication of your book?

CIARA: For Flamingo Hugs, the whole process took about eight months.

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

CIARA: I have a book trailer that I created. Here is the link, https://ciaraoneal.weebly.com/flamingo-hugs-arent-for-everyone.html

I also created an educational guide to accompany my book. It is on the link above as well. Feel free to check it out. In my guide, there are coloring pages, word searches, stationery, and lesson ideas.

Aside from the trailer and guide, I have visited several blogs, sent out postcards to schools, and visited fairs. Near Valentine’s Day, I will be having a little giveaway. It’s all very exciting.

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

CIARA: I would love to definitely thank you. Last October, I found your “Would You Read It?” It was my first foray into the “critiquing” world. Your supportive community gave me the confidence to keep writing and dreaming!

Ciara Logo_yellow swirl background

Social Media-

Twitter- @ciaraoneal2

Instagram- authorciaraoneal

Personal Website- ciaraoneal.weebly.com

SUSANNA: That is really wonderful to hear, Ciara – that Would You Read It helped you in your writing pursuits! Thank you to all our generous, helpful readers for their part in that. And to anyone who is considering submitting a pitch to Would You Read It, maybe this will give you a little incentive 🙂 Thank you so much for joining us today, Ciara, and for sharing all your helpful advice! We so appreciate it and wish you all the best with this and future books!

Readers, if you have questions for Ciara, please post them in the comments below and if she has time I’m sure she’ll respond! (And if you’re interested in the other self published Tuesday Debut, please see HERE)

You may purchase Ciara’s book at:
(all links below are book-specific)
Amazon

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, 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!

Beth Anderson – An Inconvenient Alphabet: Ben Franklin And Noah Webster’s Spelling Revolution

Annie Romano – Before You Sleep: A Bedtime Book Of Gratitude