I have a such a sweet and lovely book to share today – one that feels just right for the coming of Spring! AND a special treat – an activity from the author herself!
One look at this cover, and you’ll be hard-pressed not to pick this book right up for a peek inside! And you won’t be disappointed! 😊
Opening: “One shepherd opens up the gate. “It’s time to eat.” The sheep can’t wait!”
Brief Synopsis: When Shepherd calls his sheep in for dinner, Little Ewe is too busy to listen. Before long, she finds herself lost! What’s a little lamb to do?
text copyright Laura Sassi 2021, illustration copyright Tommy Doyle 2021, Beaming Books
Links To Resources: Today we have a special resource from author Laura Sassi!
A LITTLE EWE BOOK-THEMED GAME: “Where are you, Little Ewe?” “I am here, Shepherd, dear.”
Did you know that sheep recognize the sound of their shepherd’s voice? Likewise, shepherds know their flocks well and recognize their sheep’s “baa-ahs”? In fact, that’s how Little Ewe and Shepherd find each other at the end of the story! Inspired by this caring connection, here’s a fun variation of the traditional “hot potato” game you can play as part of a LITTLE EWE storytime. To play, you will need music that you can turn on and off, a little toy lamb that can be passed around a circle (like the hot potato) and at least six children.
Select one child to be Shepherd. The rest will be the sheep. Have the sheep sit in a circle around the Shepherd, who will sit in the middle.
Show them the little sheep toy. Explain that when the music plays, the Shepherd will close his/her eyes and the sheep will quietly pass “Little Ewe” around the circle.
When the music stops, the Shepherd (eyes still closed) will see if he/she recognizes the the voice of Little Ewe by asking: “Where are you, Little Ewe?”
The child holding Little Ewe will answer: “I am here, Shepherd, dear.”
Allow the Shepherd a few guesses, if needed, to identify the sheep’s voice. Then celebrate as a flock with a chorus of baahs.
6. Rotate who gets to be Shepherd until every one has a chance. 7. At the end of the game marvel together just how wonderful it is that just as sheep have loving shepherds who care for them, we too have shepherds (brainstorm who those might be) who care for us.
Why I Like This Book: Written in trademark perfect rhyme, this sweet story with its charming illustrations shows a busy youngster caught up in the wonder of the world. Exploring one interesting thing after another, chasing three lizards and watching four spiders, bouncing on five floating logs and splashing with six frogs (note there is also a delightful counting element to this book!) it’s no surprise Little Ewe is too distracted to heed the shepherd’s call. What preschooler hasn’t found her/himself in that predicament!? 😊 When the sky begins to darken, Little Ewe suddenly realizes she’s lost, and oh! what a scary feeling that is! But the shepherd, kind and caring, has of course noticed one of his flock is missing. He goes right back out into the gathering shadows and finds his little lost lamb. Such a comforting resolution that will make every child feel safe and snug. Another gem from Laura 😊
text copyright Laura Sassi 2021, illustration copyright Tommy Doyle 2021, Beaming Books
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Welcome to this week’s scintillating edition of Tuesday Debut!
Sue Heavenrich has been a long-time follower of this blog, and a devoted participant in Perfect Picture Book Fridays for years, and today I’m thrilled to be welcoming her as the author of her own perfect picture book! What could be more perfect than 13 Ways To Eat A Fly? 😊
13 Ways to Eat a Fly By Sue Heavenrich Illustrated by David Clark Charlesbridge, February 2021 Nonfiction picture book, ages 4-8
Math meets science as a swarm of flies meet their demise. Whether they are zapped, wrapped, liquefied, or zombified, the science is real – and hilariously gross. Includes a (non-human) guide to fine dining, complete with nutritional information for a single serving of flies.
SUSANNA:Welcome, Sue! Thank you so much for joining us today! I don’t think any of us can wait to hear about where the idea for this book came from! Please tell us!
SUE:I was reading something and jotted down “how to eat a fly.” I figured a book about animals and their fly food might be fun… and a good way to highlight the diversity of the order Diptera. Most people think flies are just pests, but they are amazing. Some pollinate the flowers in my garden, and some even eat crop pests!
Cool flower flies from Sue’s garden, and Sue with her fly-catching net and instructions for what to do with them 😊
SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?
SUE: Counting the research and revisions – five or more years. I started with the basic idea: pair up predators with specific flies they eat. That took more time than I expected, and I even emailed a few experts. I created a spreadsheet of predators and flies, then looked for 13 different fly families to highlight.
SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?
SUE:Oh yes! In its first version it was pretty “listy”. I imagined each spread presenting a fly and its consumer. I think it went through about a dozen revisions. It needed more context, so I added an introduction, and some back matter. I sent it out, got a bit of interest, though the comments were usually along the lines of “this is interesting but…” it needed a hook. I put it aside for a few months and then one day while smacking cluster flies with a swatter I found myself saying “one down, twelve to go”. I’m pretty sure a lightbulb went off over my head and I restructured the entire manuscript. It became a reverse counting book. At the same time, I was working on a middle grade book about eating insects with Chris Mihaly, and I began thinking – from a predator’s point of view – what would make flies a good food source? I goofed around, creating a nutrition label (flies are full of protein) and a dining guide for insect-eaters concerned about whether the flies they order in a restaurant are “locally sourced”. After another handful of revisions, and feedback from critique partners, I felt this new, improved manuscript was ready for submission.
SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?
SUE: I took my original story to the 2012 Falling Leaves nonfiction retreat where I met my editor, Alyssa Pusey (Charlesbridge). I got great feedback and submitted it to her. But, in fly terms, my book was still a larva and needed to mature – and Alyssa suggested that I revise and resubmit. After a couple years of agent rejections and feedback, I realized that I needed to let go of what I had and find a completely different structure. So appropriate – this is exactly what happens when a fly larva undergoes metamorphosis: it totally dissolves and rebuilds something completely different. So four years later I finally resubmitted the (17th? 29th?) revision.
SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! 😊)
SUE: I didn’t so much get “the call” as an email from Alyssa saying – hey, this has potential, and are you willing to revise? After a couple of months of back and forth with revisions, she emailed that she was taking it to acquisitions, and could I answer two quick questions. Then a couple weeks later it was “good news, we’d like to make an offer”.
SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?
SUE: I thought I would be jumping up and down and popping the cork from a champagne bottle, but the truth is… I just jumped up and down a few times. I’m pretty sure chocolate was involved.
SUSANNA: Ah! A kindred spirit! 😊 Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?
SUE: I knew, when I submitted to Charlesbridge, that the advance would be smaller than other houses, but the quality of their books is so high that I wanted them to publish my book. I did negotiate for more author copies.
SUSANNA: Can you tell us a little about the editorial process?
SUE: Given the revisions I’d made prior to signing the contract, I thought everything was pretty much finished. But over the next two years we continued with occasional revisions. Overall, though, Alyssa enthusiastically supported my initial vision for the story and I felt like we were working as a team.
SUSANNA:What was your experience of the illustration process like?
SUE: I was included to some extent in the whole process. It started with an email from Alyssa: what style of illustration did I see for my book? Did I have any suggestions for illustrators? I sent her a short list. Some weeks later, she asked what I thought about David Clark. I am a big fan of his work and was so thrilled that he would be part of the team – even though it meant waiting longer for publication.
Because 13 Ways to Eat a Fly is, at its core, nonfiction, I created a file of reference photos of fly-eaters and their flies. I had also included art notes in the manuscript (listing the specific flies). Through the process I got to see sketches, and was asked for comments. And I got a package of proofs in the mail. It was so cool to see how David had interpreted the story! He’s a genius.
text copyright Sue Heavenrich 2021, illustration copyright David Clark 2021, Charlesbridge
SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc?
SUE: The publicists sent me a preview of BookList review – it got a starred review! And I found the Kirkus review online.
SUSANNA: Starred review first time out – that is amazing! Congratulations! How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?
SUE:At least ten years.
SUSANNA: What is the most important/helpful thing you learned on your way to publication?
SUE: It is easy to be discouraged. I had faith in this book, and I kept telling myself that it was worthy of a book jacket. But I also set projects aside when I need a break. And truthfully, this business is so subjective that you can’t let rejection mean anything more than “it’s not right for me at this time in the universe.”
SUSANNA: Sue, thank you so much for joining us today and sharing your journey to publication! I know I speak for everyone when I wish you the best with this and future titles!
Readers, if you have questions for Sue, please post them in the comments below and if she has time I’m sure she’ll respond!
You may purchase Sue’s book at: (all links below are book-specific)
Welcome to the first Perfect Picture Book Friday in March!
Here on Blueberry Hill, no one seems to have gotten the memo that it IS March and therefore enough with the snow! It still seems to be snowing every day, at least for a while, even if only flurries. Pretty much not a day goes by when some amount of snow shoveling isn’t required!
So this Picture Book seems Perfect for today – an adorable story of a little snow plow doing his job!
Title: Small Walt Spots Dot
Written By: Elizabeth Verdick
Illustrated By: Marc Rosenthal
Publisher: Paula Wiseman Books, September 2020, fiction
Suitable For Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: jobs (plowing, keeping public spaces clear), teamwork, animal rescue, kindness
text copyright Elizabeth Verdick 2020, illustration copyright Marc Rosenthal 2020, Paula Wiseman Books
Opening: “Whoosh! Wind’s howling. Swoosh! Snow’s flying. Small Walt and Gus are on the road – and on the job. They’ve got lots of parking lots to plow.”
text copyright Elizabeth Verdick 2020, illustration copyright Marc Rosenthal 2020, Paula Wiseman Books
Brief Synopsis: Walt and his driver Gus are plowing a parking lot when a blur of fur catches Walt’s eye. It’s cold and snowy. Will Walt and Gus be able to help the stray?
text copyright Elizabeth Verdick 2020, illustration copyright Marc Rosenthal 2020, Paula Wiseman Books
text copyright Elizabeth Verdick 2020, illustration copyright Marc Rosenthal 2020, Paula Wiseman Books
Why I Like This Book: I love this book because it instantly reminds me of Katy And The Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton, one of the classics from my childhood, I think because of the style of the art as much as the fact that it’s about a snow plow. 😊 Small Walt is such an earnest, careful, and responsible little plow, able to get into those smaller spaces where the big plows can’t. He and his driver, Gus, take their job seriously. It is important and they do it well. But Walt also has his eye out for the community, and when he spots a stray dog, he knows he has to help. Together with the policewoman, Walt and Gus manage to catch the shivering stray and take her to the animal shelter. I like that the police person is a woman, and that she is not white (as well as that there is diversity in several of the illustrations.) And (spoiler alert!) I always like books that show animals being adopted from shelters. With its sweet story and engaging illustrations, this book will please the truck lovers and the dog lovers in your house or classroom!
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
It’s another Perfect Picture Book Friday, and not only do I have a wonderful book to share, I also have a giveaway thanks to Sterling Children’s Books!
Leave a comment on this post to be entered in the random drawing and you could be the lucky winner of a hot-off-the-presses copy of Bindu’s Bindis when it releases March 16!
Let’s have a look at this wonderful book! 😊
Title: Bindu’s Bindis
Written By: Supriya Kelkar
Illustrated By: Parvati Pillai
Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books, March 16, 2021
Opening: “Every month Bindu’s nani sent her a new set of bindis from India. Bindu adored her bindis. She wore them to the temple. She wore them on holidays. She wore them at home.”
Brief Synopsis: Bindu loves her family, especially her nani, and she loves the bindis that nani sends her. But sometimes, she feels different in a way that doesn’t feel good. But with her nani beside her and a lightning bolt bindi for courage, she finds she’s able to embrace who she is even if others sometimes find her differences strange.
Links To Resources: an author’s note at the end offers wonderful information and details about bindis; we are all unique – what are some things about you that others might find different, strange, or hard to understand about you even though they seem completely normal in your family?; we all have things in common – what are some things you share with people who seem different in some ways?; Bindu chooses certain bindis to match her mood/emotional state – a lightning bolt for feeling brave, an oval for pride, squiggly lines for feeling unique. Would you choose as Bindi does? What shapes would you choose to match feeling shy? Fierce? Uncertain?
Why I Like This Book: Bindu is a delightful and charming main character who bounces believably between exuberant self-confidence and sudden worrying uncertainty, but no matter what she faces she feels surrounded by and grounded in the love of her family, especially her beloved nani. I love the warm feeling of family, Bindu’s deep connection to nani, and the way culture and tradition come through as a natural part of the story without feeling forced or contrived. The bright, colorful art is a perfect complement to the brighter moments of the story, dimming to more subdued colors on the pages where Bindu’s confidence and security are challenged, and rising to a swirl of bright pink dress in the purple background of the stage when Bindu finds the courage to join nani. A lovely book that will introduce young readers to the meaning and importance of bindis.
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Don’t forget to leave a comment to get entered in the random drawing to win a copy of this lovely book!
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to another exciting episode of Tuesday Debut!
Today’s debut-ess and I are clearly kindred spirits! Her book is being published by Nancy Paulsen, who has one of my books due out next year, her publication date is one of my daughters’ birthday, and her name is Rebecca, which is my sister’s name! There’s a pretty good chance we are twin princesses separated at birth 😊
So I am delighted to introduce you to Rebecca Kraft Rector and her fun-looking book, Squish Squash Squished! (I don’t have my copy as of the writing of this post but I hope it will be here soon!)
Squish Squash Squished Written by Rebecca Kraft Rector Illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte Published by Nancy Paulsen Books, Penguin Random House February 16, 2021 Fiction, ages 2-6
When Max and Molly complain about being squished in the back seat of their gracious-spacious automobile, Mom invites their animal neighbors to ride along. They’d better figure out what to do before they’re truly SQUISH SQUASH SQUISHED!
SUSANNA:Welcome, Rebecca! Thank you so much for joining us today! We’re excited to hear all about how Squish Squash Squished came to be! Where did the idea for this book come from?
REBECCA: Family car rides were a big part of my childhood. But the story was not inspired by us kids being crowded in the back seat, because we were very well behaved. 😊 In fact, SQUISH SQUASH SQUISHED grew out of another story I was working on. That story was about the car itself. Gradually I started focusing on the children and adding humor and word play. My most successful stories happen when I’m making myself laugh.
SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?
REBECCA: I wrote and revised the story with the help of my critique group in about three months. It didn’t sell and I put it away. That was twenty years ago!
SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?
REBECCA: SQUISH SQUASH SQUISHED was revised at least 15 times before it was submitted.
I revise before sharing with critique partners and then I revise again. (and again) When I think a story is finished, I do a few more passes. I use Word to turn the text into a 4 x 8 table. It’s an easy process under Insert/Table/Convert Text to Table. Each cell of the table represents a page of a 32-page book. The table lets me see where page turns will fall, if one page will have more words than another, if I’m repeating things unnecessarily, etc. A new revision tool I use is Read Mode in Word. I can see the text spread across two pages, just like a book. And if I enlarge the font to 18 (or so) it has fewer words on the page, so it reads like a picture book. I also like to change the font size and color of the text. It gives me a totally new perspective on the story.
SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?
REBECCA: After many revisions and feedback from my critique group, I felt I had a solid story. It made me laugh and the words flowed smoothly when it was read aloud.
Rebecca’s work buddies, Ollie and Opal 😊
SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?
REBECCA: My agent submitted the story three times before we parted ways. Then I submitted to publishers that took unsolicited manuscripts. I put the story away when it was rejected and only pulled it out again, almost 20 years later, when I needed a story to work on for a workshop. Cecilia Yung, Art Director at Penguin Random House, saw the story at the workshop (text only since I can’t draw), loved it, and took it to editor/publisher Nancy Paulsen. A week later, I received an email from Nancy offering to publish the story!
SUSANNA: Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?
REBECCA:This was my first picture book contract so I only had a vague idea of what to expect. The advance was divided into two payments—half on signing the contract and half on “delivery and acceptance of the manuscript.” I believe “delivery and acceptance” referred to a revised manuscript after editorial feedback. The number of author copies was negotiated from 10 to 24. The contract’s timeline for publication was 18 months after acceptance of text and illustrations. 18 months seemed a long, but reasonable time to wait. However, the timeline was actually about three and a half years. Publishing is sloooow.
SUSANNA: Can you tell us a bit about the editorial process?
REBECCA: The editorial process was wonderful. Nancy was awesome to work with—responsive and open to discussing any questions I had. Yes, I had to make some changes. But she really did listen to my concerns. One example is that she had revised the story so that the animals exited the car in one paragraph—the dogs got out at the puppy school, the ducks got out at the duck pond, and the pigs got out at the market. I really wanted to show the car gradually emptying—the dogs got out but Molly still had two ducks on her head quack-quacking and Max still had a pig on his lap oink-oinking. (Those lines are all paraphrased.) Nancy’s changes were made so that the story would fit into a 32-page picture book. After some discussion, she decided to go with a 40-page picture book so that we could include my original text!
SUSANNA: What was your experience of the illustration process like?
REBECCA: I was included in the illustration process from the start. I had input on illustrators and I was able to give feedback on sketches. I hadn’t included any art notes but I had pictures in my head, of course. It took a little time to adjust my vision when I saw the sketches. But they quickly grew on me. I was so lucky that illustrator Dana Wulfekotte came on board to create the world for SQUISH SQUASH SQUISHED. She even made some changes based on my suggestions.
text copyright Rebecca Kraft Rector 2021, illustration copyright Dana Wulfekotte 2021, Nancy Paulsen Books
SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc?
REBECCA: Nothing yet.
SUSANNA: How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?
REBECCA: July 2017 to January 2021. Three and a half years.
SUSANNA: What was the initial print run for your book?
REBECCA: 10,000 copies.
SUSANNA: What kind of marketing and promotion has your publisher done for this book?
REBECCA: The associate publicist is pitching widely to national and regional media, targeting trade and book-interest sites, illustrator and educator media, and parenting media.
SUSANNA: Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.
REBECCA: I’m doing blog interviews and I’ve joined a debut picture book group—21 for the Books. It’s been a great, supportive group. We have a blog https://oneforthebooks.wixsite.com/2021 and we create graphics and interviews to publicize each other’s books.
SUSANNA: How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?
REBECCA: It was a long time—at least thirty years.
SUSANNA: What is the most important/helpful thing you learned on your way to publication? (Or what is your most helpful piece of advice for up and coming writers?)
REBECCA: The most important thing I learned was Don’t Give Up! Keep writing and keep trying. This might not be the right time for this story, but who knows? Maybe it’ll sell next year (or twenty years from now).
SUSANNA: Thank you so much for taking the time to join us today and give us a glimpse of your publication process, Rebecca! It is such a privilege to get to learn from you! I know I speak for everyone when I wish you the very best of luck with this and future titles!
Readers, if you have questions for Rebecca, please post them in the comments below and if she has time I’m sure she’ll respond!
You may purchase Rebecca’s book at: (all links below are book-specific)
I’m thrilled to introduce you to Melanie Ellsworth and share a glimpse of her journey to publication with this delightfully lively and fun-looking picture book due out on February 23 (so pre-order your copy now! 😊)
Are you ready?
Hip, hip, Beret! 😊
HIP, HIP…BERET! written by Melanie Ellsworth illustrated by Morena Forza Fiction Picture Book for ages 4-7 HMH Books for Young Readers February 23, 2021
Bella’s beret blows away on a windy day, taking a ride through the seasons and landing on a variety of heads along the way. Full of rhyme, repetition, and humorous word play, with a few touchable berets to engage young readers.
SUSANNA: Welcome, Melanie! Thank you so much for joining us! We are so looking forward to hearing Hip, Hip…Beret!’s birthday story 😊 Where did the idea for this book come from?
MELANIE: Thanks so much for having me on your blog today, Susanna. I’m thrilled to be here!
I often play around with common sayings, idioms, or nursery rhyme phrases and see what happens if I change a word or two. I remember playing around with the phrase, “Hip, hip hooray!” to see what would happen if I changed the last word. One of my early ideas was “Hip, hip moray!” a non-fiction picture book about moray eels. (It’s probably best I didn’t follow that idea too far…) Fortunately, it didn’t take long from there to get to “Hip, hip…beret!” and imagine where a beret might travel on a windy day.
SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?
MELANIE:I wrote the first draft in one sitting once I hit upon the structure of the book, and I revised over the next month and a half while also working on other projects. Unlike a number of my ideas, which sit around in a Word doc on my computer for months or years before I write them, I was eager to write a first draft for HIP, HIP…BERET! as soon as I got the idea. It seemed like tons of fun to write, and it was. Rhymezone.com was my best friend on this journey as I needed many words that rhymed with “hooray” for the repeating phrase!
SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?
MELANIE: I wrote eight drafts of this story, sharing with my critique groups along the way, before sending this off to an editor. For many of my books, I write twenty or thirty drafts, so writing HIP, HIP…BERET! went much more quickly than usual for me. (Thank goodness! We could all use one like this from time to time!)
Because I established the simple structure of the story quickly, the various drafts don’t reflect major differences from the first to the eighth – just minor word tweaking. It was one of those rare stories that came to mind almost fully formed, although early on in the brainstorming process, I tried a few rhyming stanzas like this:
A beret sails away
One very windy day
Frog tries it on
And flings it to a fawn
I did like the idea of the beret passing from one head to another, but I threw out that stanza pattern and went with a structure that involved the repetition of “Hip, Hip…” followed by various words like “soufflé” and “ballet.” (Turns out a lot of French words rhyme with “hooray!”) That simplified structure fit better with the story I was telling and also allowed readers/listeners to predict the next rhyming word. I wanted the tone to be lightweight and breezy like the wind carrying the beret.
SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?
MELANIE:By the eighth draft, I had done all the wordsmithing I could do, and my critique group members thought it was ready. One of them suggested I submit HIP, HIP…BERET! to an editor who was already considering another one of my manuscripts because it seemed like a good companion to that book. That turned out to be a great idea because the editor ended up acquiring both books! Thank goodness for critique groups who often give you the push you need at the right time!
Melanie’s writing buddy, Baxter, working hard in her office 😊
SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?
MELANIE: For HIP, HIP…BERET! I had a connection with an editor I had met at the Agents/Editors/Writers conference in Belgrade Lakes, Maine. She was considering a different manuscript of mine from that conference, and I asked if she would be interested in this one as well. She said yes, so I sent HIP, HIP…BERET! along to her in May of 2018.
SUSANNA:How long after you found out about your book going to acquisitions (if you did) or after you submitted did you get your offer?
MELANIE:I emailed HIP, HIP…BERET to the editor in May and received an offer on August 13th, so it was about three months from submission to offer for that one. (My other book being considered by the same editor around that time, CLARINET AND TRUMPET, took a lot longer – with an initial submission of November 7th, a revise/resubmit request, and an offer seven months later in June. )
SUSANNA:When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! 😊)
MELANIE:In June, I heard back from the editor at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt by email with an offer on my other manuscript (CLARINET AND TRUMPET). At that point, I reached out to a few of the agents on my list and ended up signing with Christa Heschke of McIntosh & Otis. She negotiated the contract for CLARINET AND TRUMPET with my editor. Then in August, I had an offer on HIP, HIP…BERET! from the same editor, and Christa negotiated that contract as well. It was definitely a joyful summer for me! The two books were originally scheduled to come out about 6 months apart, but due to the pandemic, CLARINET AND TRUMPET was pushed from 2020 to 2021, so now the two books are practically twins, due out in February and March of 2021. (I imagine HIP, HIP…BERET! elbowing CLARINET AND TRUMPET out of the way so it could come out first!)
SUSANNA:How long was it between getting your offer and getting your contract to sign?
MELANIE: I got the offer for HIP, HIP…BERET on August 13, 2018 and had the contract (which my agent negotiated) two months later on October 4th.
SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?
MELANIE:I remember letting my critique groups know first thing – they did some happy dances with me over email/phone. My husband suggested I frame the first advance check that I got, so I did, and it’s hanging on my office wall. I was especially excited to share the news with my daughter; she had been watching my picture book writing journey since she was a little picture book reader herself, and even though she was moving into chapter books and early middle grade by then, she was still thrilled for her mom. (Plus, no one is ever too old for picture books!)
SUSANNA: That is so true! Picture books are for everyone! Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?
MELANIE: My contract was fairly typical, with an advance in the 3-6K range, and the standard royalties, and 20 author copies. I thought the initial advance offer was generous for a debut author, and my agent was able to increase it even more.
SUSANNA: Can you tell us a little about the editorial process?
MELANIE: It was fun to work on revisions with my editor; I’m one of those writers who (most of the time) loves the editing process. I think we went back and forth with a few changes here and there about five times before we had a final version. Most of it was small word changes, but there were some larger stanza changes as well. I had a stanza featuring an old oak tree that we ended up replacing with a ballet scene which was more dynamic. I originally had a hawk swooping down to grab the beret – “hip, hip…my prey!” and I really didn’t want to cut that scene at first, but the editor convinced me that it darkened the tone of an otherwise lighthearted book. We replaced it with a balloon carrying the beret skywards until the balloon pops. Morena Forza, the illustrator, also played a role in some text changes; she felt like the donkey stanza would result in illustrations too similar to the horse stanza, so the donkey hit the cutting room floor (Hip, hip…br-aaay!!). We made the ending a bit brighter as well, with the beret almost sprouting from the ground as the spring flowers emerge. In retrospect, it’s surprising how many revisions you can make on a story that is less than 300 words long! But every word is gold and needs to shine.
SUSANNA: What was your experience of the illustration process like?
MELANIE: I didn’t have much to do with the illustrations, as publishers wisely like to give illustrators freedom to explore their own vision. I had very few art notes in my initial submission, except one for a plot point at the end that wasn’t clear in the text and one at the beginning suggesting that the illustrations show Bella looking for her missing beret throughout the story. As it turned out, the illustrator and design team disregarded that note because they felt that having Bella searching in each spread, even as an inset, would make the spreads too busy. I had also suggested that Bella not be white, feeling like more of our young readers need to see themselves reflected in text and/or illustration, but they made a different decision on that. But there is diversity reflected in other characters in the book.
My editor thought that it would be fun to have a few touchable, felt berets throughout the book, and I think children will enjoy the search for those. I got to see the art early on in the process in case I wanted to make comments, and I was happy to let Morena (and the art department) pursue their vision. As I sit here holding an author copy in my hand, I’m thinking that the vivid color and whimsy that Morena brings to the illustrations perfectly matches the tone of the text, and I love her work.
SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc.? What was that like?
MELANIE: I haven’t seen reviews yet, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed!
SUSANNA: How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?
MELANIE: Let’s see – offer on August 2018 and first copy in hand January 22, 2021! So about two and ½ years.
SUSANNA: What kind of marketing and promotion has your publisher done for this book?
MELANIE: My editor shared HMH’s 50-page marketing guidelines PDF which helps authors with social media promotion. Other publishers might have something similar – for writers debuting, it’s worth reaching out to your editor or publicist to ask. My editor suggested I pass marketing questions by her, but some editors prefer that an author work directly with their assigned publicist. I asked about doing book giveaways, and they offered to do an Instagram giveaway. When I inquired, my editor also said they are willing to send books to winners (living in the U.S.) of my blog tour giveaways, so it’s helpful that I don’t have to use all of my author copies for that. The publisher has also reached out to their usual sources for reviews of my books. As a debut author, I have been reluctant to ask tons of marketing questions – not wanting to be a major pest! – but I do think it helps to be as proactive as possible in promoting your work. Ultimately, that will benefit the publisher as well. And being part of a debut book group is very helpful – I’m part of the Soaring ‘20s Picture Book Debut Group (https://www.soaring20spb.com/) – because you can get a lot of marketing questions answered by folks who have debuted before you, and they can help you figure out what you need to ask your publisher.
SUSANNA:Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.
MELANIE: I’ve arranged for a number of blog tours, particularly on blogs that I’ve been following regularly – like this one! – for years. I’ve also participated on Matthew Winner’s The Children’s Book Podcast (and soon on KidLit TV) with my Soaring ‘20s debut group. It has been helpful for our group to promote and review each other’s books and provide useful content to other writers. I’ve also set up a library event with my local library, offering signed/personalized books through my local bookstore. For both of my books, the illustrators have agreed to be part of Zoom book events, which is wonderful (especially since Morena Forza lives in Italy – quite the time difference!). A website seems like a must for authors/illustrators, and you can certainly create one for yourself if you are willing to put in a lot of time. I started down that route for a while before realizing I was better off putting my website into more capable hands. 😊
SUSANNA: How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?
MELANIE:About 6 years. I started writing and joined a critique group in 2012 and sold my first picture book in 2018.
SUSANNA: Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?
MELANIE: It can get a little stressful as you approach your debut date and think about all the marketing you still need to do, but I’d advise anyone debuting to be sure to also have fun and enjoy the crazy journey! And for writers who aren’t sure if they’ll ever get that first book out there, keep the faith. You have your own stories to tell, and the world needs them.
Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this series and paying it forward to other writers, Melanie! We are so grateful to you for sharing your time and expertise, and wish you all the best with this and future titles!
Readers, if you have questions for Melanie, please post them in the comments below and if she has time I’m sure she’ll respond!
You may purchase Melanie’s book at: (all links below are book-specific)
With Valentines Day on the horizon (and the Valentiny Contest fast approaching!) I thought today was a good day for this lovely book about feelings!
Title: In My Heart: A Book Of Feelings
Written By: Jo Witek
Illustrated By: Christine Roussey
Publisher: Abrams Appleseed, October 2014, informational fiction
Suitable For Ages: 2-4 (but I think up to 6 would like!)
Themes/Topics: emotions
Opening: “My heart is full of feelings. Big feelings and small feelings. Loud feelings and quiet feelings. Quick feelings and slow feelings. My heart is like a house, with all these feelings living inside.“
Brief Synopsis: Happiness, sadness, bravery, anger, shyness . . . hearts can feel so many things! Some make us feel as light as a balloon, others as heavy as an elephant. How does your heart feel?
text copyright Jo Witek 2014, illustration copyright Christine Roussey 2014, Abrams Appleseed
Links To Resources: make a collage of different colored hearts to represent your emotions/how you feel; draw a picture of what happy, sad, angry, brave, hopeful, shy, or any other emotion looks like to you; write a haiku or poem about being happy, sad, angry, brave, hopeful, shy, or any other emotion; make heart cookies (recipe HERE) and color the icing so you have a rainbow of emotions!
text copyright Jo Witek 2014, illustration copyright Christine Roussey 2014, Abrams Appleseed
Why I Like This Book: Emotions can be tricky even for adults. For kids, who have less experience of the world and a harder time understanding and articulating emotion, it’s wonderful to have a book like this that describes and shows the feel and the look of different basic emotions. The words are lovely, describing how different emotions feel in lyrical and accessible language (e.g. “Sometimes my heart feels as heavy as an elephant. There’s a dark cloud over my head, and tears fall like rain. This is when my heart is sad.“) And the art enhances the words by showing even further what the emotion looks like. The book is beautifully done, with heart cut-outs that run through the center of the book growing smaller on each page, and I think would be an asset to any library! 😊
text copyright Jo Witek 2014, illustration copyright Christine Roussey 2014, Abrams Appleseed
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Roll out the red carpet! It’s time for another Tuesday Debut!
Today I’m delighted to introduce a graduate of Making Picture Book Magic! I am always so proud when one of my students gets published! Not that I have that much to do with it – it is all their own talent, creativity, commitment to their craft, and hard work! But still. . . 😊
So without further ado, let’s welcome Hope Lim and have a look at her beautiful picture book, I Am A Bird!
I AM A BIRD written by Hope Lim illustrated by Hyewon Yum Candlewick, February 2, 2021 Fiction. Age for 3-7.
On her daily bike ride with her dad, a bird-loving little girl passes a woman who frightens her—until she discovers what they have in common.
SUSANNA: Welcome, Hope! Thank you so much for joining us today! We are eager to hear all about your journey to publication! Where did the idea for this book come from?
HOPE: The idea for I AM A BIRD started after an encounter with a stranger in Golden Gate Park. I thought she was strange at first, but I immediately recognized my perception was unfair and started to reflect on our innate fears and biases toward each other. When I came home, my husband told me about how my daughter made joyful birdcalls on their way to school on the back of his bike. I was struck by the contrast between my daughter and my simultaneous experiences. At that moment, I knew I had to write a story about exploring the fear of the unknown and combined it with my daughter’s soaring spirit. That’s how I AM A BIRD was born – a story of celebrating kindred spirits discovered unexpectedly, all told from a child’s perspective.
SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?
HOPE: To answer this question, I looked back at the folder of I AM A BIRD on my computer. The first draft was written in October 2015. I distinctly remember the moment when I felt the urge to work on this story. It was after finishing two poetry books, BOOK OF NATURE POETRY and WINTER BEES. I had already started a draft, but after reading these books, the lines started to pour out of my heart and I simply transferred them onto paper. I realized again the importance of reading poetry for picture books, especially when your mind is still fresh with a story idea. After that first draft, I wrote 14 revisions in the next three months. Over the following year, I revised it several more times while working on other projects.
Hope’s work space
SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?
HOPE: A resounding yes. I went through many revisions. First on my own, then with my CPs, then with my agent, and finally with my editor. The most dramatic revision was with my editor who encouraged me to look for another way to strengthen the connection between the girl and the woman. Up until then the main focus of the revision was mostly polishing language. It was the first time for me to work with an editor whose vision clearly guided me to look at the story from a new perspective. The moment I discovered another critical connection (the bird calls) felt so exuberant.
SUSANNA:When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?
HOPE:This question has always vexed me. First, do what it takes to get the story ready, such as sharing it with CPs, revising, putting it away and revising and sharing again. Second, when it feels as polished as possible, I put it away for at least two weeks. When you read it with fresh eyes and feel something, either joy, sadness, humor, or the emotion you hope your story will evoke, then the story is ready for submission. Once, Mem Fox said, “…the thing that I look for most in a book is something that will change the emotional temperature of the children who are listening.” I use that as a final gauge for each of my stories to see if they are ready or not.
SUSANNA:When and how did you submit?
HOPE: I submitted to agents, mostly, until I found my current agent. I entered a contest once and submitted manuscripts for critiques at a local conference and the LA summer conference. Early on, when I was blissfully ignorant about the publishing industry, I submitted to a few publishing houses directly, which I wouldn’t have done if I knew then what I know now. At that time, my story wasn’t ready, and I had no idea what it takes to get an agent or get a story published. What worked for me was to submit the strongest story widely. Chose the one that represents who you are as a person and a writer. For me, it was MY TREE and when I started to attract positive responses, I knew it was my strongest one and submitted it widely. MY TREE landed me an agent and my first book deal. I think you should have three or four complete and polished manuscripts, in addition to the one you are submitting.
SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! )
HOPE:My experiences with submissions have been very different and each story has had a unique journey to find the perfect home. For I AM A BIRD, fortunately, the initial interest came quickly and it ended up having two houses with serious interest. My agent and I decided to go with the first house, for her thoughtful comments helped me see my story in a new way. It was like discovering something buried in the story that I hadn’t thought of before. She didn’t ask for a revision, but I had already revised the story based on her comments and after we sent the revision, we got the call immediately.
SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?
HOPE: I shared the news with family and seeing them happy and excited was a celebration itself. That same week, good friends visited from the east coast and we had champagne before dinner at a great place in San Francisco. Little did I know how precious that moment would be given the new norm brought by COVID-19.
SUSANNA:Can you please tell us a little about the editorial process?
HOPE: I remember I was taken aback when I received comments from my editor on I AM A BIRD. The text was already very spare, but she removed a few lines, which I thought were essential for raising tension. After trying to see the story from her perspective, I accepted her most of suggestions, but kept some lines in the text. My editor allowed me to keep those lines until I came to realization that they could go after seeing the text with the illustrations. It was an eye-opening experience for me to learn about how illustrations can sometimes effortlessly replace what the text tries to deliver in PBs.
SUSANNA:What can you tell us about your experience of the illustration process?
HOPE: My experiences with the illustration process have been very rewarding. Trust and respect for the vision of my editor and illustrator is critical, as the author may not be able to influence the final outcome. Still, I believe that my editors get an understanding of my vision through our conversations. I have been involved in that my editor has sent draft sketches and proofs as they became available. I have known from early on that an illustrator will bring depth and layer to a story beyond what is written in the text. I have other books scheduled for publication and the draft illustrations fully evoke the emotions as described in the story. I am thrilled to provide the foundation on which beautiful art can be created.
SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc. ? What was that like?
HOPE:My editor emails me advance reviews whenever they are available, and Kirkus gave a starred review to I AM A BIRD.
SUSANNA: How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?
HOPE:I received the offer for I AM A BIRD in July 2018 and the first copy on the first week of November 2020!
SUSANNA: Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.
HOPE: Joining a debut picture book group was very helpful in terms of sharing information and supporting each other. I have done several blog interviews, including yours. and I have found them helpful by keeping the momentum going.
SUSANNA: How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?
HOPE: I wrote solo for a year before I realized I had no idea how to improve my stories. That’s how I found your class in 2014 and afterward joined 12×12. I signed with my agent in November 2016, who sold my first book, MY TREE, to Neal Porter in July 2017.
SUSANNA: Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?
HOPE: Keep dreaming and reading and writing. And enjoy the process before you land an agent. I call that period your time in the cocoon, as you are making something beautiful on your terms, with no time demands. For that reason, it can be cozy and comfortable without worrying about the realities of the publishing industry. Try to focus and be productive in that time and you will be rewarded later with your hard work.
SUSANNA: Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this series and paying it forward to other writers, Hope! We so appreciate your time and expertise! I know I speak for everyone when I wish you the best with this and future titles!
Given that a bitterly cold weekend is on its way in, what better activity than reading a pile of picture books snuggled up in a cozy blanket with a cup of hot cocoa? 😊
My pick for today is an absolutely charming picture book about friendship, something it’s always nice to be reminded to cherish and celebrate. And to make it even better, it was written and illustrated by my friend, Lisa! Wait until you see the art!
Title: A Friend Is. . .
Written & Illustrated By: Lisa Thiesing
Publisher: Aladdin
Suitable For Ages: 4-8 (though I think many 3 year olds would enjoy as well)
Themes/Topics: Friendship
Opening: “A friend is. . . for making. A friend is. . . for skating and for catching. . .“
text and illustration copyright Lisa Thiesing 2020, Aladdin
Brief Synopsis: [from the publisher] For many reasons and through many seasons, people need friends in their lives. Whether sniffing a sweet flower or star gazing, building a snowman or jumping into a pile of leaves, ice skating or playing hide and seek…who better to share everything with than a friend?
text and illustration copyright Lisa Thiesing 2020, Aladdin
Why I Like This Book: This book is so charming! In simple text and delightfully appealing and engaging pictures it celebrates all the many wonderful things about having and being a friend. Friends are for singing and giggling, sharing and listening, playing, and wondering. Friends are always, always there. The story not only shows the joys of friendship, but also serves as a model for how to be a good friend. And I can’t say enough about the art – so sweet! I literally cannot decide which page is my favorite, although singing, giggling, growing, wondering, and the last page are top contenders 😊 Share this lovely book with all your little friends!
text and illustration copyright Lisa Thiesing 2020, Aladdin
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
We had a kind of a long stretch without any new debuts, but today’s marks the first of at least 9, so get ready to meet some great new authors!
Today I’m thrilled to introduce you to Amy Mucha, whose interview I’m sure you’ll enjoy. It’s entertaining and she has lots of interesting and helpful information to share.
Let’s start with a look at her beautiful book!
A Girl’s Bill of Rights written by Amy B. Mucha illustrated by Addy Rivera Sonda Beaming Books February 2, 2021 Fiction, ages 4-8
In a world where little girls must learn to stand tall, A Girl’s Bill of Rights boldly declares the rights of every woman and girl: power, confidence, freedom, and consent. Author Amy B. Mucha and illustrator Addy Rivera Sonda present a diverse cast of characters standing up for themselves and proudly celebrating the joy and power of being a girl.
SUSANNA:Welcome, Amy! Thank you so much for joining us today! Where did the idea for this book come from?
AMY:I had written the original text years ago, purely for myself, as a pledge to help me be more assertive and confident. I had always heard that agents and editors wanted picture books with characters and plots, and that “concept books” were tough sells, so I never gave much thought to pitching it as a picture book. But when it came time for #PitMad I thought, heck, why not at least try? And go figure, the one that broke all the rules was the one that sold!
SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?
AMY:The first version took only ten or twenty minutes, burbling out in a single churning flow of resolution. This was one of those books that seemed to know what it wanted to be and didn’t require much kneading or pushing. It’s always nice when that happens!
SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?
AMY:Very few. I had the original which I wrote for myself, and it only took one or two rounds to get it into picture book form (with the right number of pages, etc.). Then, after it was signed, the editor at Beaming Books asked me to rewrite the ending to make it more positive. The last line of my original draft was, “If you don’t like it you can go eat socks!” It made me laugh, but Beaming Books was absolutely correct; the new ending works SO much better. Once I rewrote it, I took it to my wonderful critique group who helped make sure it was polished and ready. And that was it!
Amy’s workspace and one of her many work buddies 😊
SUSANNA:When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?
AMY:Honestly, I didn’t give it too much thought. I had other manuscripts I was actively querying, and those I had spent plenty of time on to make sure they were submission-ready. But A Girl’s Bill of Rights was one I pitched more as a lark.
I should say that one thing I *did* do, and this was key, was hire Katie Frawley (https://katiefrawley.wordpress.com) to write the pitch. I’m dreadful at pitches, and she’s got a gift for them. Without her help I’m sure this never would have happened. I recommend her to everyone who struggles with pitching!
SUSANNA:When and how did you submit?
AMY:Because I’d been actively querying agents and purposefully NOT submitting directly to publishers, I always assumed my first offer would come through an agent. But because of that pitch event, it ended up happening the other way around. Thankfully I had been querying a middle grade novel at the same time that I received the offer from Beaming Books, and I was able to contact the agents who had shown interest in my work and let them know about the offer. That’s how, in what was one of the magical months of my whole life, I ended up signing with the fabulous Ginger Knowlton of Curtis Brown AND signing my first book contract, all within a few weeks. What a summer!
SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! 😊)
AMY:I was fortunate to have it all happen in a few months. The pitch event was in early-June and I sent the manuscript within days of it being “liked”. A few weeks later I was sitting in the waiting room of my daughter’s dentist when I received the email from Beaming Books that there was a “strong possibility of acquiring” my book. I did a happy dance right there in the waiting room! It took another month to get the formal offer, then maybe two weeks later I was sitting on the runway in an airplane, having just landed, when I received an offer of representation from Ginger. They had just turned off the seat-belt light and I was so excited I was having joy conniptions in the aisle. Soon three rows ahead and behind me were clapping and congratulating me — I felt like I was in a movie!
SUSANNA:What a great story!!! 😊 How did you celebrate signing your contract?
AMY:I celebrated with strangers on an airplane, lol! It was wonderful.
SUSANNA: What can you tell us about the editorial process?
AMY:As I mentioned above, my editor at Beaming Books, Naomi Krueger, asked me to rewrite the ending to make it more positive, since the original manuscript ended with “If you don’t like it you can go eat socks!” I’ll admit I did have an initial brief pang. The sassiness of the line always made me laugh, and I had envisioned making “Go eat socks!” socks and tossing them out as prizes at school events. But as soon as I had the new ending come to me, I liked it so much better. And the socks? I decided to go ahead and make those anyway! Because who doesn’t want a pair of “Go eat socks” socks? (You can find them on my website: http://www.amybmucha.com.)
SUSANNA: Can you tell us a little about your experience of the illustration process?
AMY:It’s always such a nervous moment for any picture book writer, finding out which illustrator has been assigned to their work. I had the enormous luck of being matched with Addy Rivera Sonda. She is a dream! And because my book has no plot or characters, she had a harder job than most. I hadn’t included any art notes, since I’d been taught that the writer ought to leave all of that to the artist, so the task in front of her must have felt daunting. Take this page, for example:
The text says, “I have the right to say ‘STOP!’ and even the right to SCREAM it!”
Addy could have chosen any situation at all to illustrate this line, using any sort of characters. Choosing to draw a paper airplane being thrown on a school bus was perfect! It’s so relatable, and exactly the kind of situation where we’d want girls to stand up for themselves. It would have been easy to end up with a scenario that was too heavy and serious for the book, or too frivolous. In making perfect choices like this page after page, she turned what had started as a mere pledge or a creed into a complete story. And not only that, but she created an amazing array of diverse, stereotype-busting characters to boot. I will be forever grateful to her for making this book what it is!
text copyright Amy Mucha 2021, illustration copyright Addy Rivera Sonda 2021, Beaming Books
SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc? What was that like?
AMY: I saw the advance review from Kirkus less than a week ago, and — this is funny — you made me curious so I just now looked it up on Publishers Weekly, and it appears that they’ve posted a review as well! It’s never a guarantee that you’ll get a review from either, so I’m just glad for the notice. And the fact that both were quite positive makes it all the better! Phew!
SUSANNA: How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?
AMY:Let’s see… the offer came in July 2019 and I got my author copies on the last day of 2020. That’s not really fair, though, since my original pub date was delayed five months thanks to Covid. Without that it would have been only a year, which is quite fast in the publishing world.
Amy upon receiving her author copies 2nd week of January 2021
SUSANNA:Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.
AMY: First, I created my website, adding activity guides for parents and teachers created by Debbie Gonzales (http://www.debbiegonzales.com). Then I created a line of merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, phone cases, etc.) with the goal of donating my portion of the sales to girl power organizations. I’m also donating a portion of my book earnings, though I haven’t figured out how to publicize any of this yet, so most people don’t know unless they happen to stumble across it on my website.
Probably where I’ve put most of my marketing energy so far is in reaching out to reviewers and interviewers. I made a huge spreadsheet of bloggers, reviewers, Twitter ARC-sharing groups, Instagrammers, YouTubers, local media, etc., then spent days sending emails, thankfully with great response so far. I’m also planning several book giveaways soon, including a “StoryGram” Instagram tour set for the first week of February.
Next on my list is to figure out how to contact independent bookstores and libraries to see if they’d be willing to stock my book. One advantage for those with a big-name publisher (one of the “big five”) is that bookstores and libraries are more likely to automatically stock their book, whereas with a smaller publisher you have to do more of the outreach yourself. I made postcards to mail and will be looking more into that next week.
Among the very wisest choices I made was joining a fabulous debut group (https://oneforthebooks.wixsite.com/2021). A good debut group isn’t just about boosting your book; it’s about sharing wisdom and creating community. I suggest to all writers that they start looking for one immediately after signing their first contract, since good groups fill up fast. They can be tricky to find, too. The best way is to be active on social media and start asking around.
There are a couple common marketing strategies I have NOT done yet. One is plan a book launch party, another is schedule school visits. Thanks, Covid! <eyeroll> Some authors are moving their school visits online, and I do have a couple of those lined up. If those go well and the kids seem to like them, I may add a “Author Visits” section to my website and give it a go.
SUSANNA: How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?
AMY:Twelve years, but that was by choice. I spent the first ten in an amazing critique group, learning the craft, learning the industry, and making connections. I didn’t begin querying in earnest until a couple of years ago. From then to signing the offer was only around a year, I think.
SUSANNA:What is the most important/helpful thing you learned on your way to publication? (Or what is your most helpful piece of advice for up and coming writers?)
AMY:Instead of the most important piece of advice, here are several smaller bits:
Join a critique group! Lots of critique groups have moved online. I recommend one of Susie Wilde’s groups if they’re not all filled. (http://ignitingwriting.com)
Join SCBWI and once Covid lets up, go to some of the conferences in person.
Don’t query a picture book until you have at least three polished and ready to submit.
If you’re serious about getting published, get active on Twitter and Instagram, following your favorite writers, agents, and editors. Also join the KIDLIT411 and Sub It Club groups on Facebook.
SUSANNA:Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this series and paying it forward to other writers! It’s such a valuable opportunity for all of us to get a chance to learn from you, and I know I speak for everyone when I say THANK YOU and wish you the best of luck with this and future titles!
AMY: Thank you Susanna! I really enjoyed this interview!
Susanna Leonard Hill 
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