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

Valerie Bolling – Let’s Dance!

Janet Johnson – Help Wanted: Must Love Books

Perfect Picture Book Friday – And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street

March 27, 2020March 27, 202020 Comments

Woo hoo! It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday!

Today, we’re going to travel back in time to a book I loved back in my misspent youth in about 1969 😊

Stuck in our houses as we all are under the circumstances, what a perfect time to look out the window and see what we can see!

And maybe improve on what we actually see with a little imagination. . . 😊

Title: And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street

Written & Illustrated By: Dr. Seuss

Vanguard Press, Inc., 1937, fiction

Suitable For Ages: 5-9

Themes/Topics: Imagination/tall tales, language fun (rhyme)

Opening: “When I leave home to walk to school,
Dad always says to me,
“Marco, keep your eyelids up
And see what you can see.”

But when I tell him where I’ve been
And what I think I’ve seen,
He looks at me and sternly says,
“Your eyesight’s much too keen.

“Stop telling such outlandish tales.
Stop turning minnows into whales.”

Now what can I say,
When I get home today?”

Brief Synopsis: Charged with keeping his eyes open and reporting back on what he sees on his way home from school, Marco simply can’t tell his father that all he saw was a plain horse and wagon on Mulberry Street! So as he walks along, he think of how he could jazz it up a bit… 😊

Links To Resources: Look out the window of your house or car, or take a little walk, and see what you can see, then imagine it into a grander version and draw a picture of what you imagine, or write or tell a story about it! You can also see how many things you can see that start with the letter A (or any other letter), or count how many flowers (or other objects) you can see. Construction paper little red wagon; Bumping Up And Down In My Little Red Wagon (song)

Why I Like This Book: This is Dr. Seuss’s very first book for children, and as you can tell by the condition of the book in the photo above, it was one of my very first books – much loved by me and my siblings back in the late ’60s and early ’70s, and much loved by my children a couple decades later. It is the classic cumulative tale, beginning with a plain horse and wagon and getting more and more embellished until he’s got a brass band with a man in a little house hitched on behind being pulled by an elephant ridden by a rajah and flanked by two giraffes… until he has a story that no one can beat – and to think that he saw it on Mulberry Street!! I’m sure we’ve all felt the urge from time to time to make a story a little more interesting by adding a few details here and there. . . certainly kids like to do it. . . sometimes to see how far they can get and what people will believe! But the end result in this story is that, despite the fun he had with his imagination, Marco tells the plain truth – dull as it may seem in comparison to his active imagination 😊

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!!! 🙂

And stay safe and well!!! 🌷

Perfect Picture Book Friday – The Storybook Knight

March 20, 2020March 20, 202010 Comments

It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday and it’s officially SPRING!!!

Woo hoo!

I think that calls for a little kicking up our heels, don’t you? 😊

SQUEEEEE!!!!! 😊

After all that frolicking I suppose I should be sharing a book that celebrates cavorting… I didn’t quite manage that, but I’ve got one that celebrates adventure. . . 😊 🐉

Title: The Storybook Knight

Written By: Helen Docherty

Illustrated By: Thomas Docherty

Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, September 2016, fiction

Suitable For Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: reading, being true to yourself, standing up for what you love

Opening: “Leo was a gentle knight
in thought and word and deed.
While other knights liked fighting,
Leo liked to sit and read.

He was kind to every creature.
He wouldn’t hurt a fly.

When Mom and Dad said,
“Knights must FIGHT!”
he couldn’t quite see why.”

text copyright Helen Docherty 2016, illustration copyright Thomas Docherty 2016 Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Brief Synopsis: Leo is a small knight who is fond of adventures—at least the ones found in his books. His parents hope that the challenge of fighting a dragon with his new shield and sword will turn him into a brave, dragon-fighting knight. But Leo finds his own way to tame the dangerous beasts he comes across on his quest! 😊

text copyright Helen Docherty 2016, illustration copyright Thomas Docherty 2016 Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Links To Resources: Easy Dragon Crafts for Kids; waffle dragon (recipe); dragon songs ; read with There Was An Old Dragon Who Swallowed A Knight by Penny Parker Klosterman

Why I Like This Book: fun read-aloud rhyme, active, engaging illustrations, and a fun story – what’s not to love? 😊 But one thing I especially love is how distinctly all the characters come across. Leo is so appealing. It’s wonderful to see his confidence in himself, and how he uses what he loves and believes in to solve the problems he comes across. It’s a good message for all of us to use the tools we have 😊

text copyright Helen Docherty 2016, illustration copyright Thomas Docherty 2016 Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

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!!! 🙂

And stay safe and healthy!

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Jamie O’Rourke And The Big Potato: An Irish Folktale

March 13, 2020March 12, 202020 Comments

Hurray! It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday!

With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, I wanted to share an Irish folktale that my kids loved when they were little. It’s not about St. Patrick’s Day, but it does have a leprechaun in it 😊

Title: Jamie O’Rourke And The Big Potato: An Irish Folktale

Written & Illustrated By: Tomie de Paola

A Paper Star Book, The Putnam & Grosset Group, 1997, fiction

Suitable For Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: folktale (Irish), laziness, luck, making assumptions, humor

Opening: “Jamie O’Rourke was the laziest man in all of Ireland.
He would do anything to avoid working, especially if it had to do with growing potatoes.”

text and illustration copyright Tomie dePaola 1997 Putnam&Grosset Group

Brief Synopsis: Jamie O’Rourke is so lazy he makes his wife do all the work. When she hurts her back, he figures they’ll starve so he goes to confess his sins. On his way to church he comes upon a leprechaun who offers a solution – a seed to grow the biggest potato in the world. The leprechaun thinks he’s tricked Jamie, but in the end, it is Jamie who wins!

Links To Resources: Leprechaun Crafts; Leprechaun Coloring Pages; Easy Shamrock Pretzel Pops (recipe)

Why I Like This Book: I love the folktale language and rhythm of this story. Jamie is delightful in his laziness. When his wife hurts her back, he assumes they will starve (because he’s not going to work!) so he goes to confess his sins to Father O’Malley. In an Irish twist on Jack and the Beanstalk, Jamie comes upon a leprechaun and accepts a seed that will grow the biggest potato in the world instead of the leprechaun’s pot of gold. The potato grows so big it takes the whole village to dig it up, and then, as things tend to happen in folk tales 😊 it rolls down the hill and blocks the only way into or out of town. The end result? The whole village gets enough potato to last them through the winter but when spring comes they are SO TIRED of eating potato that they bargain with Jamie: if he promises not to plant another giant potato, they will gladly make sure he and his wife always have enough to eat. So lazy Jamie wins the day! This ending – a reversal of expectation (you’d assume that Jamie would learn to do an honest day’s work) gives a great opportunity to talk about making assumptions, what a more deserving solution might have been, and surprise endings. A fun story all around. 😊

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 🙂

illustration copyright Tomie dePaola 1997 Putnam&Grosset Group

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

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 😊☘️

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Janet Johnson!

March 10, 2020March 9, 202033 Comments

Hi Everybody!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Revision took much longer.

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

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

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

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

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

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

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

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SUSANNA: What was the editorial process like for you?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Author Janet Johnson

Social Media Links:

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

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

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

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

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

Valerie Bolling – Let’s Dance!

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Marilyn’s Monster

March 6, 2020March 5, 202010 Comments

Woo hoo! It’s Friday!!!

And you know what that means, boys and girls…

It’s time for Perfect Picture Books!

(Although truth be told, I’m not even here today!)

I can’t say today’s choice relates to the time of year or anything that’s going on. I just loved this book from the opening sentence, and I hope you will too!

Title: Marilyn’s Monster
Written By: Michelle Knudsen
Illustrated By: Matt Phelan
Candlewick, March 2015, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: patience/waiting, monsters, doing what you know is right

Opening: “Some of the kids in Marilyn’s class had monsters. It was the latest thing. Marilyn didn’t have a monster. Not yet. You couldn’t just go out and get one. Your monster had to find you. That’s just the way it worked.”

Brief Synopsis: Marilyn longs for her monster to find her. She tries to be patient and be the kind of girl no monster can resist. But the longer she waits, the harder it gets, until finally Marilyn takes matters into her own hands. And it’s a good thing she does!

Links To Resources: Marilyn’s Monster Story Time Kit; Q&A with Michelle Knudsen and Matt Phelan

Why I Like This Book: Oh, gosh! Where to begin? The story is wonderfully original and entertaining, and relates to a theme all kids can understand – having to wait for things! Marilyn is so believably child-like in her behaviors and emotions. The art is delightful, full of wacky monsters that are tons of fun to look at, and Marilyn’s face and body language are so expressive. Marilyn goes against expectation without being disobedient or breaking any rules, so it’s a nice way to model doing what you know is right, or being true to yourself. And the resolution is surprisingly sweet. Across the board, this one is a winner!

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

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 🙂

And wish me luck at today’s school visit! New presentation. . . little bit o’ shaking in my astronaut boots. . .! 🙂

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Valerie Bolling!

March 3, 2020March 2, 202011 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Valerie’s work space

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

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

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

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

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

SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?

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

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

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

SUSANNA: How did you find the editorial process?

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

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

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

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

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

One example:

My note:

Turn, twirl.

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

Jes’note:

Turn, twirl.

Twist, whirl. [Kathak, Indian dance]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let’s Dance! Coloring Sheet

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

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

Author Valerie Bolling

My social media links are:

Website: http://valeriebolling.com

Twitter: @valerie_bolling

Instagram: @valeriebollingauthor and @letsdancebook.

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

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

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

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

Indiebound
Amazon
Barnes&Noble

We can help our debut authors successfully launch their careers by:

– purchasing their books

– recommending their books to friends and family

– recommending their books to our children’s teachers and librarians

– recommending their books to our local libraries and bookstores

– suggesting them as visiting authors at our children’s schools and our local libraries

– sharing their books on social media

– reviewing their books on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and other sites where people go to learn about books.

Thank you all for stopping by to read today! Have a lovely, inspiration-filled Tuesday! Maybe today is the day you’ll write your debut picture book 🙂

Missed any previous Tuesday Debuts? Check them out!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Christine Evans – Evelyn The Adventurous Entomologist

Karen Kiefer – Drawing God (religious market)

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

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

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

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Lost Cat

February 28, 2020February 27, 202011 Comments

Woo hoo! It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday!

So, last Friday I got a text from my sister-in-law who was helping a friend find a home for a cat. Long story short, the cat has found a home (not on Blueberry Hill – in Manhattan 🙂 ) All good, but as a result I have cats on my mind, and that reminded me of this book that I absolutely love.

Title: Lost Cat

Written & Illustrated By: C. Roger Mader

Houghton Mifflin Books For Children, October 2013, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: journey, pets, love (person/pet)

Opening: “Ever since Slipper was a tiny kitten, she’d lived with a little old lady in a little old house in a little old town.”

Brief Synopsis: Slipper has always lived happily with Mrs. Fluffy Slippers, but when Mrs. Fluffy Slippers moves, Slipper accidentally gets left behind in the commotion. Slippers searches for a new home, but not just any home will do – it has to be the right one. Will she find a new family she can adopt?

Links To Resources: Washington Children’s Choice Award Activities (scroll about 1/2 way down the pdf); Fun Facts About Cats; How To Draw A Cat video; learn to draw a cat step-by-step guide.

(Sorry – I can’t make that picture turn the right way around so you’ll have to tilt your head! 🙂 )

Why I Like This Book: First and foremost, I love the art! Soft pastels that render that beautiful kitty so life-like! Her expressions are perfect, especially her fright at High Tops, her polite pleading with Miss Shiny Shoes, and her bliss on the last two pages. And the cat’s-eye-view perspective is wonderful. The story is a sweet one with both humorous and poignant moments. I love that all the people in the story are named for their footwear – which is what Slippers sees of them first 🙂 And most of all, I love that this lost cat story has a happy ending 🙂

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!!! 🙂

Maybe there’s a cat out there waiting to be adopted by YOU! 🙂

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Kirsten Larson!

February 25, 2020February 24, 202026 Comments

Greetings, everyone!

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

First, have a look at this terrific book!

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

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

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

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

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

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

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

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

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

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

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

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

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

SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Author Kirsten Larson

My website: kirsten-w-larson.com

Twitter/Instgram/Pinterest: @kirstenwlarson

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

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

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

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

Indiebound
Amazon
Barnes&Noble

We can help our debut authors successfully launch their careers by:

– purchasing their books

– recommending their books to friends and family

– recommending their books to our children’s teachers and librarians

– recommending their books to our local libraries and bookstores

– suggesting them as visiting authors at our children’s schools and our local libraries

– sharing their books on social media

– reviewing their books on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and other sites where people go to learn about books.

Thank you all for stopping by to read today! Have a lovely, inspiration-filled Tuesday! Maybe today is the day you’ll write your debut picture book 🙂

Missed any previous Tuesday Debuts? Check them out!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Christine Evans – Evelyn The Adventurous Entomologist

Karen Kiefer – Drawing God (religious market)

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

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