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

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

Kelly Carey – How Long Is Forever?

Mary Wagley Copp – Wherever I Go

Nell Cross Beckerman – Down Under The Pier

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Evie’s Field Day

May 1, 2020April 30, 202010 Comments

It’s May! It’s May!
The lovely month of May!
That darling month when everyone goes
Blissfully astray. . .

(Okay, I confess to monkeying about with those lyrics a bit to make them acceptable for this G-rated blog, but you get the idea. . . 😊)

It’s also Perfect Picture Book Friday, and today’s pick is celebrating its Book Birthday today, so HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY!!! 🎉🎉🎉

It is here just in time for the Field Day season (although unfortunately, due to the current state of the world, a lot of Field Days may be postponed or cancelled this year.) Kids don’t need Field Day to know about competition, sportsmanship, winning, and losing, though, so Field Day or no Field Day they will enjoy Evie’s story. 😊

Title: Evie’s Field Day

Written By: Claire Noland

Illustrated By: Alicia Teba

Cardinal Rule Press, May 2020, fiction

Suitable For Ages: 5-7

Themes/Topics: good sportsmanship

Opening: “Evie loved to win.
She could jump the highest,
run the fastest, and hop
the farthest.”

Brief Synopsis: (From the publisher) “Evie loves to run, jump, hop, and win. She even has ribbons and trophies to prove it. So, when the school’s field day comes around, she is sure she will add to her winning collection. When Evie finds herself ahead of the pack, she is faced with an important decision. Does she choose the chance at a trophy or the chance to be a good friend?”

Links To Resources: Jump Rope Rhymes; Fun active games (that you can play indoors or in your yard while we’re #stayingathome)

Why I Like This Book: This book celebrates competition, teamwork, consideration for others, and being a good sport, while also giving young readers the opportunity to think about how to be a good loser. In addition, since it’s about field day, it models activity and physical fitness. I like that Evie is a little too competitive, a little too full of herself at the beginning. It makes her a believable kid and gives her room to learn and grow by the end of the story. All kids take part in school games, competition, Field Day, and/or sports on some level at some point and will appreciate and benefit from this book. 😊

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific 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!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 😊

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Nell Cross Beckerman!

April 28, 2020April 28, 202028 Comments

Hi there!

It’s Tuesday, and you know what that means!

It’s the day to remember all the things you didn’t get done Monday. . .

. . .and push them off until Wednesday! 😊

It’s also time to meet a brand new author!

Today, I’m thrilled to introduce you to Nell Cross Beckerman and her wonderful debut picture book Down Under The Pier!

DOWN UNDER THE PIER
By Nell Cross Beckerman
Illustrated by Rachell Sumpter
Publishing House: Cameron Kids
Date of PublicationL April 7, 2020
Fiction with non fiction back matter
Age range: 5-7 years

There’s lots of fun to be had up on the pier—the Ferris wheel, cotton candy, the carousel—but it’s down under the pier, at low tide, where the real magic can be found.

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

NELL: I was taking a picture book writing class at UCLA Extension taught by writer Michelle Markel. At the very last class, we did an in-class writing prompt that was a “How to” format. On a whim, I thought of, “How to have fun at the pier,” thinking of my hometown Santa Monica Pier, where I spent a lot of time with my kids. As I was writing about all the fun stuff to do on top of the pier with the thrill rides and arcade games, the words just flowed, going from how to have fun ON the pier, to have to have fun UNDER the pier. I shared it out loud with the class and another student whose opinion I respected gave me a deep look and said, “That’s a really good idea.” I got goosebumps because I felt it, too.

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

NELL: The first draft came very quickly, but it did not have the same structure or format that the finished book does. After my UCLA class ended, I realized I craved even more instructor attention. Rather than signing up for more classes where you only get perhaps one or two chances to get feedback, I decided it would be smarter to spend my money and time working directly with a freelance editor. She helped me with the structure and format and I learned a lot about picture book writing in general from her.

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

NELL: Yes, I went through a bajillion revisions…even after final illustrations came in, I tweaked some words! I previously worked in television so I’m very used to having to make tons of revisions and incorporate notes from other people. I don’t take it personally at all and (especially at this point) feel like I’ve developed a good sense of what notes to listen to and what notes to ignore. It’s hard when you are starting out and try to please any reader who has an opinion—that can lead your to spiral out and lose track of your original vision and intention.

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

NELL: After a few rounds with my freelance editor, she said something to the effect of, “I feel good about this manuscript’s marketability.” And I agreed—I was happy with it!

Nell’s writing nook

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

NELL: From all the classes and the research I had done, it looked like the best way to start a career was to have three polished manuscripts before you start querying or submitting. So, I just put it aside and started to work on other stories. I went to my first summer SCBWI conference and I didn’t even bring it to my manuscript consultation (in retrospect: bad move! Send your best stuff!) because I wanted notes on my work in progress.

Coincidentally, I noticed that an old friend from college was now an agent who was on a panel at the conference. We caught up and she invited me to send her my story for notes. I was thrilled to get notes from a professional, of course. After we did a little back and forth with notes, she offered to start sending it out. It was not the path I had planned, but I was grateful for the opportunity and took the plunge!

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

NELL: Pretty early on an editor at Chronicle took it to acquisitions, but it was ultimately a pass. That was still so exciting—I felt truly legit! In the meantime, my agent and I started submitting another MS, but then she did another round for PIER about seven months later, and about a month after that she got the email from Cameron Kids that the editor loved it and would be taking it to the publisher in a few weeks. It was hard to be patient but it was worth it! I got “the email” on our way to the waterslide park. It was a great way to celebrate the good news.

SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?

NELL: I bought my family presents.

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

NELL: My agent helped put the offer in context for me, saying it was normal for a publisher the size of Cameron Kids. I was just happy to have my first book sold, to be honest!

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

NELL: I loved working with Amy Novesky (who is an accomplished picture book writer, herself!) We did some notes over email, then we spent a good hour going through it line by line. It felt like a good collaboration.

text copyright Nell Cross Beckerman 2020, illustration copyright Rachell Sumpter 2020 Cameron Kids Publishing

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

NELL: Last summer, the illustrator, Rachell Sumpter, started to post her progress in Instagram Stories—I became addicted to checking for new videos! It was thrilling to see it all come to life. Her evocative, dreamy, style really felt like a good fit for my words. The schedule was a bit in flux but I ultimately respected and trusted that they had a vision and a process that worked for them. If you have seen any Cameron Kids books, they are all unbelievably gorgeous, so I focused on knowing that whatever happened, there would be a beautiful book at the end. And I was right! I was happy they included back matter to address some of the scientific education concerns I had, as well. It felt like a great way to accommodate everyone’s visions.

text copyright Nell Cross Beckerman 2020, illustration copyright Rachell Sumpter 2020 Cameron Kids Publishing

SUSANNA: That’s really cool that Rachell posted her progress in Instagram stories – that must have been such fun to watch! Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc?

NELL: The first advance review I saw was from Kirkus. I was thrilled! They were very complimentary and “got” the book.

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

NELL: I got the offer in August 2017 and had a copy in my hand Dec 2019. I got super silly and slaphappy when I got my author copies—video evidence can be found on my Instagram page @NellCrossBeckerman if you click on “Author copies”.

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

NELL: They have sent it for reviews and assisted in planning some events. They post on Instagram as well.

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

NELL: I helped plan events and partnered with the Heal the Bay Aquarium to do joint events and have them sell my book on site. I also made flyers for the events and promoted them through email and social media. I did a Twitter giveaway. I hired my daughter to make a book trailer. I am sort of haphazardly doing a blog tour and approached some big blogs, one of whom requested a review copy. I am trying to pivot to online events for the book launch, but it has been hard to muster the energy after putting so much into events that are now canceled. I’ve decided I have to just stretch it out over the coming months because we are in the middle of a global pandemic for crying out loud—I can only ask myself to do so much!

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

NELL: There are different ways to answer this question, of course. I started my first picture book class in Jan 2016 and sold it by Aug 2017. HOWEVER, over a decade ago I was serious about writing middle grade, got an agent, and then could never do the revisions and basically quit writing for 10 years and focused on raising my kids. As I read and read to them, I kept having this feeling…I could do this (especially after the 30th Rainbow Magic Fairy book!). I tried again, and failed. Finally, I found my way to a creative painting class that followed along the book, THE ARTIST’S WAY by Julia Cameron. This class and book changed everything for me. It put all my creative struggles into perspective and gave me tools to nurture my inner artist. At the same time, I got to paint freely, being fully playful and creative in my class. Without this class and the book, I would have remained creatively frustrated. BIG MAGIC by Elizabeth Gilbert was also wonderful—the idea of “getting down” stories rather than “making them up” resonates with me. I love the images of stories buzzing around, looking for a portal to come though. That has been my experience. My art teacher, Helen Bradley, from The Playful Art Studio, pushed me to carve out early mornings for myself, which was also a huge step in taking myself and and my work seriously.

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

NELL: I’d like to mention that although my original goal was to publish a book, I now find that my writing community is the real prize. I am lucky enough to be part of an in-person writing group that is incredibly supportive and filled with growth. I have truly found my tribe, and when we all get together at conferences, I feel even more connection with “my people.” Even now that we all can only connect online, the kid lit community continues to fill me up. This was not something I expected to find as a writer!

Also, I’m grateful that I have the privilege of taking classes, going to conferences, etc. and try to give back to the writing community any way I can.

Please go to my website and join my mailing list—I’m planning on writing a series of newsletters DEMYSTIFYING THE DEBUT where I’ll share more in depth about all the different things I learned writing, selling, and promoting my book that I wish I had known before! Plus I’ll be sending out a full read-aloud video of the book to share with children as well, all free for newsletter subscribers.

Thanks so much for having me!

Author Nell Cross Beckerman

www.nellcrossbeckerman.com
IG @NellCrossBeckerman
Twitter @NellBeckerman
Watch the book trailer at https://youtu.be/PLenD_075j0
Playful Art Studio http://www.playfulartstudio.com

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

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

You may purchase Nell’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

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

Kelly Carey – How Long Is Forever?

Mary Wagley Copp – Wherever I Go

Perfect Picture Book Friday – This Book Is Gray

April 24, 2020April 23, 202016 Comments

It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday and I have such a fun book to share today!

It might look dismal and gloomy but it isn’t – it’s lovely and perfect 😊

I love books that are sweet and books that make me laugh, and this one is both!

Title: This Book Is Gray

Written & Illustrated By: Lindsay Ward

Two Lions, December 2019, fiction

Suitable For Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: colors, story-within-a-story, humor

text and illustration copyright Lindsay Ward 2019, Two Lions

Opening: “I’m going to make the GRAYtest book ever. . .
Once upon a time, a wolf, a kitten, and a hippo lived in a small house by the sea. (Some would describe the house as dismal, bleak, or gloomy.)
But it wasn’t. It was lovely.
And GRAY.
And perfect.”

Brief Synopsis: All Gray wants is to be included. But the other colors are always leaving him out. So he decides to create his own project: an all-gray book. Gray just knows it’s going to be perfect. But as he tries to write it, the Primary and Secondary colors show up… Will anyone ever realize that Gray can be interesting too?

text and illustration copyright Lindsay Ward 2019, Two Lions

Links To Resources: 20 Color Activities for Preschoolers; List of Color Activities; make your own story and/or pictures using only one color!

Why I Like This Book: For starters, it’s funny! 😊 Not only do the Primary and Secondary colors try to shoulder their way into the book, but in guessing at the story line they go off on quite a tangent. There is also some fun color word play. But what makes the book even better is that, underlying the story and the humor, is Gray’s heartfelt wish to be appreciated for himself, something all kids (and grown-ups 😊) can relate to. The other colors, while a little boisterous and pushy, are not unkind, and in the end a solution is found that makes everyone happy! A delightful way for younger readers to learn about colors and for all readers to enjoy!

text and illustration copyright Lindsay Ward 2019, Two Lions

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 😊

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Mary Wagley Copp!

April 21, 2020April 20, 202013 Comments

Welcome to Tuesday Debut, Everyone, where at the moment, in addition to learning from newly published authors about their journey to publication – what worked for them and how you might incorporate that into your own journey – we are also trying to give them a little boost as they launch their books in this strange time of social distancing and cancelled in-person events!

I’m delighted to welcome today’s Debut-ess, Mary Wagley Copp, and share with you her beautiful picture book, WHEREVER I GO!

WHEREVER I GO
by Mary Wagley Copp
Illustrated by Munir D. Mohammed
Atheneum/S&S, April 21^st, 2020
Fiction. Ages 6-9.

Of all her friends, Abia has been at the Shimelba Refugee Camp the longest; her papa says they need a forever home. Until then, though, Abia has something important to do. Be a queen..

SUSANNA: Thank you for joining us, Mary! We’re so grateful to you for sharing your knowledge, expertise, and experience with us today!

MARY: First of all, how wonderful to be a part of a community that shares joys and struggles and encourages each other. Susanna, you are a model for us all! It is thrilling to share a bit of my journey to publication.

My first piece of advice is to spend some time asking yourself how important is it that your story get out into the world and into the hands of children. If you answer with anything but a hearty YES, you might want to think twice about the time, effort and the cost that goes into this journey. I believe you have to be fully in the process – learning the craft, being truly open to feedback, connecting to writing pals and groups, supporting fellow writers, going to conferences, etc. It is a real commitment. AND there is so much joy in that commitment.

SUSANNA: Where did the idea for this book come from?

MARY: The initial idea for this book came when I was producing a documentary about refugee resettlement. When we visited a refugee camp, I was so amazed by the children – their creativity, their resilience, their joy – amidst a life of struggle. They were my inspiration.

I kept the idea alive for several years (I think writing it over and over in my mind) until I finally put pen to paper.

In terms of new ideas, my advice is to stay as open and receptive (this takes practice) as possible to your experiences, all your senses, etc. Also, cultivate quiet and space in your life. I am much more creative when I turn off my ‘automatic’, always-busy mode!

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

MARY: About 2 years. The first drafts came easily – kind of a stream of consciousness, which is the way I often like to write. It is the least intimidating for me. For any writer, just start where you have the least resistance. For some people, it might be an outline; for others, scenes. Really, just get some words down before they escape you!

When I began studying the craft of writing for children, I knew so little about it. I was a sponge – saturated at times, for sure – wanting to fill up with information and inspiration. I went to workshops and conferences, found mentors, etc. I joined critique groups. I paid for critiques – asking for them for birthdays, Christmases and anniversaries!

I took my first drafts of Wherever I Go to various workshops/classes/conferences; it was my work-in-progress for 2 years. I’d get a good idea or a nugget of knowledge from a teacher and I’d run back to my desk and revise. It is a long process! And my learning curve is still steep!

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

MARY: Yes! Many revisions. Sometimes, they were just tweaks here and there but there were also major revisions – always getting me closer to the version that was bought! I truly believe that openness is critical to getting one closer to a polished manuscript. Sure, we all have our preconceived (and often very good) ideas of what makes a great story. But, until we suspend those notions and hear, really hear, what others have to offer, we close ourselves off too early. For new writers, try taking out a character (maybe that parent?), try another POV, trying a new ending – something unexpected? Play with the story and definitely don’t get too attached to the way it is!

Mary’s work space featuring a favorite quotation: “In soft whisperings from the heart, the child within offers you always the thread of your truth. May you cherish that child, trust that voice and weave that thread richly into the fabric of your days.” AnonymousWhen did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?

Above: One of my writing spots – a little cubby-hole off the kitchen. It has photos of my kids, then and now, as well as photos of me as a child and a few quotations.

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

MARY: Well, I really didn’t. It was a bit of a leap of faith. I met an agent at a conference and she had given me really valuable feedback (BTW, it was valuable AND quite critical – maybe the most helpful kind!). I was able to share my revisions with her before the end of the conference and she said she’d like to see it again – when it was polished. Well, what is polished is subjective. I did what I thought was needed and submitted to her. I signed with her a few weeks later. One word of advice – sit on your manuscript for longer than you think you need to. I have to remind myself of this often. You may wake up at 2 am and have an “aha” moment!

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

MARY: This same agent helped me polish a bit more; we worked on the author’s note and then she submitted to editors. We received rejections but then came the YES!

My agent submitted the manuscript in early 2017 and we had a contract about 2 months later. So, I guess that is fairly prompt.

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

MARY: My agent submitted to about 12 houses and we heard from all of them over the course of a few weeks. My agent would email me whenever rejections, interest, nibbles came in. I am embarrassed to say that I don’t actually remember ‘the call.’ Most of our correspondence was though emails. Yes, very exciting emails! We did speak about the contract and any proposed revisions but mostly we connected through email.

SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?

MARY: I am not a jumping up and down person but I was extremely happy! I called my kids and my husband hugged me for a long time 😊 Then I probably went for a long walk and cried. I felt so relieved – more relieved than any other emotion. I wanted this story to be available to the world. I do remember thinking, yes, I am the author but it is so many children’s story.

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

MARY: As this is my first book, I did not know what to expect – except information from limited online searches. I really left it up to my agent to present me with the best offer she could get. As I am with an imprint of Simon & Schuster, my guess is that I have a pretty good deal for a debut PB writer. I have heard of artists hiring a lawyer if they don’t have an agent. I think this is a good idea –agreements like the one I received and signed can be intimidating.

I received ½ the sum upon signing and ½ on the publisher’s acceptance of the complete manuscript. I believe the 5% royalty is fairly standard. And I will receive 30 free copies – which is SO exciting!!

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

MARY: The editor did ask for a revised ending. Of all the revisions, this was the hardest – not so much because of the actual request (trust your editor!) but because I was afraid of letting go of ‘my’ story. Once I understood her reasoning (always ask if you have questions) I was reassured and was able to meet her vision without compromising the integrity of my storyline.

Advice: allow ideas in. The beauty of publishing a picture book is that one lets go of it being ‘my’ book. The collaboration with the illustrator, editor, art director, etc. is wonderful and creative and results in a stronger work of art. It is really quite a beautiful orchestration of talents and Munir and I feel so fortunate to have been able to work with the Atheneum team, who was really supportive – and continues to be!

Mary’s writing buddy and constant companion – Rosa 😊

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

MARY: I believed all along that the editor had a similar vision for the artwork as I did. It is hard for me to believe how aligned we ALL were in our visions. The illustrations not only fit the text so well, they are more beautiful than I ever imagined!

I had an unlikely situation as I know the illustrator, Munir D. Mohammed. Both of us were aware of the unwritten yet wise ‘rules’ that the author and illustrator not communicate or share ideas. Munir and I were very strict about this. I think I saw one or two sketches early on (out of sheer excitement) but we really kept our communication to a minimum. Munir often told me how amazed and grateful he was for the direction the art director and editor were giving him. That was so reassuring to me!

By the way, many writers are interested in art notes. I don’t think I had any. If I had to advise a new writer, I would say less is more when it comes to art notes – unless, they are absolutely necessary for the understanding of the story. Not only do they tend to be directive, but also an editor really wants to know that you fully appreciate that a picture book is a collaboration between so many different people.

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

MARY: Yes! That was very exciting. My editor alerted me to very positive reviews in Kirkus and Booklist! It was thrilling to read someone’s ‘take’ on the book. And I was incredibly relieved!

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

MARY: Three years.

I believe the first printing is 20,000 copies.

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

MARY: Atheneum is an imprint of Simon and Schuster so they have quite a robust publicity department. They send out F&G’s and promote online as well. They will display at conferences and submit to award committees. It is a good idea to ask your editor for the publishing house’s plans. Inquire if you have questions. They will be forthcoming with their plans. Definitely, assume you will be doing more than you ever imagined in marketing and publicity.

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

MARY: There is SO much an author can do on the marketing/promotion front. It can be quite overwhelming. My advice is to do what feels comfortable for YOU. Do not compare yourself to others on the marketing front. I did not make flyers, bookmarks, stickers, etc. I sent an email to everyone in my address book describing the book and asking them to pre-order. Munir and I planned a large private launch party with about 150 guests (we live near each other) – unfortunately, that has had to be cancelled because of Covid-19. However, we wrote a ‘celebratory’ letter in lieu of the party and asked folks to purchase the book and we’d have a signing event.

Another really cool thing that has happened in terms of promotion: I found a donor who would match 1:1 each purchase of Wherever I Go, with the match going to a resettled child. This would be for all of April when ordering from our indie bookstore, which really needs the business during this precarious time. A win-win-win!

SUSANNA: What an amazing idea, that matching program! How wonderful for the kids! How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?

MARY: I took my first writing for children course in the Fall of 2014. I sold my first picture book in the Spring of 2017.
SUSANNA: Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?

MARY: I wanted to get this story right – not in the marketable sense but in the ‘honesty’ sense. All journeys are different, of course, but I didn’t want to gloss over or leave out something that was important. I have not been a refugee. I have never been resettled to a country I did not choose. I have never come close to experiencing what it feels like to flee one’s home, on and on.

I shared this story at all different stages with resettled folks. I do realize that this has inherent limitations. However, I received some very important and honest feedback from many. It was such a critical part of the process and I credit these folks for being an integral part of the story. They will each get a copy as a thank you.

Our writing communities are absolutely invaluable to our progress. It is one of the many incredible aspects of this industry – we really are in it together and we support each other, no matter where we are in our journeys. My recommendation is to find a local (mine is 1.5 hours away!) writing group: thank you Writers’ Loft and, eventually, a debut group: thank you Soaring20sPB

These folks become your friends and the sharing and encouragement will sustain you as you ride the rollercoaster. I am so grateful to all of them and I hope I give them a small part of what they have given me.”

I’d also like to thank all the folks at Atheneum for their belief in this story and their incredible and beautiful vision for Wherever I Go. They make up an amazing team. Also, thank you, Susanna, for the work you do to introduce us to so many books, authors and illustrators who offer so much insight, advice and encouragement.

SUSANNA: It is truly my pleasure, Mary, and it’s only possible because of the generosity of authors like you who are willing to take the time to share your experience!

Author Mary Wagley Copp

marywagleycopp.com
Instagram: @Marywcopp
Twitter: @Maryfkwc
Facebook: Mary Wagley Copp

Below is my headshot and Rosa, my constant companion – sleeping, or waiting patiently while I finish writing!

SUSANNA: Thank you so much for joining us today, Mary! We so appreciate your words of wisdom, and wish you all the best with this and future books!

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

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

Books on the Square (Providence, RI) – order signed copies from Mary’s local indie! Free shipping!
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

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

Kelly Carey – How Long Is Forever?

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Tap The Magic Tree

April 17, 2020April 16, 202016 Comments

I’m so excited it’s Friday because I have the best book to share with you today, and it’s perfect for Earth Day next week!

It’s one of those “man-I-wish-I’d-thought-of-that!!!” books 😊

Are you ready?

Title: Tap The Magic Tree

Written & Illustrated By: Christie Matheson

Greenwillow Books, August 2013, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 4-8 (according to pub. – I think kids as young as 3 would love it.)

Themes/Topics: following directions/listening, magic, seasons, nature

Opening: “There’s magic in this bare brown tree. Tap it once. Turn the page to see.”

Brief Synopsis: The seasons change as if by magic, all at the reader’s touch! From spring, to summer, to autumn and winter, with a lovely little surprise at the end 🙂

Links To Resources: Classroom activities, draw pictures of different kinds of trees – apple trees, pine trees, what else can you think of and how can you make them look different from each other? Talk about what trees wear in different seasons (and how some trees (deciduous) lose all their “clothes” and others (conifers) don’t) and compare to what you wear in different seasons. Project Plant It: Trees For Kids And Their Communities.

Why I Like This Book: Who needs an app for interactivity? This book has it all. Tap the tree to make the leaves come out. Rub the tree to make it warm so it blossoms. Jiggle the tree and wiggle your fingers to make a rain of petals. Brush the petals away and blow the tree a kiss to make apples form. The reader is in charge and gets to do all the activities. So clever and fun!

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! :😊🌷

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

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

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Except If

April 10, 2020April 10, 20207 Comments

Hi Everyone!

Time for another week’s round-up of fantastic picture books!

As you can tell by the age of the last few books I’ve reviewed, I am calling on my personal library for choices during this time when visits to the bookstore and local public library are impossible. Luckily, I have so many gems! 😊

With Spring in the air, and Easter this weekend, it seems like a perfect time for a perfect picture book about eggs! This book is an amazing example of how much story you can convey with only 125 words!

Title: Except If

Written & Illustrated By: Jim Averbeck

Atheneum Books For Young Readers, January 2011, fiction

Suitable For Ages: 2-8

Themes/Topics: imagination, potential, unexpected outcomes

Opening: “An egg is not a baby bird
but it will become one
except if
it becomes a baby snake.”

Brief Synopsis: From the Amazon book description: “In this young, clever, and whimsical picture book in the spirit of Not a Box and First the Egg, an egg is not just an egg, but a symbol of the potential a child’s imagination holds. As each image melds smoothly, but unexpectedly, into the next, readers are invited to stretch the limits of their imagination.”

text and illustration copyright Jim Averbeck 2011 Atheneum Books For young Readers

Links To Resources: Chick Hatching Activity including video, craft, song, snack idea, and more! And to make it even more fun, you could let kids put whatever they want inside the egg – frog, turtle, snake, dinosaur, etc…!

Why I Like This Book: I love this book because the first time I read it it stretched my imagination! I turned the pages wondering where would the author go next? How could he keep the surprises going? As a writer, it’s a great example of giving your imagination free rein and letting it take you to unexpected places, as well as how much story you can tell in very few words. As a reader (child or adult 😊), it gives just enough hints to make you think you might know what comes next…only to discover it’s something else! For teachers, it’s a great model of how you could encourage students to explore their own concepts/ideas in a story form in an unexpected way. The book is deceptively simple, a fun read for youngest readers, but just as intriguing for older ones!

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 🙂

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! Happy Passover and Happy Easter to those who celebrate! 🙂

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