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)

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

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

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

Lindsey Hobson – Blossom’s Wish (self pub)

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Sometimes When I’m Sad

February 7, 2020February 6, 202012 Comments

Hurray! It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday!

(And just a little reminder that PPBF will be on hold for the next couple weeks while we run the Valentiny Contest, but we will return to our regularly scheduled programming as quickly as possible! 🙂 )

Since Valentiny is coming up and it’s a writing contest all about emotion, I’m sharing a Perfect Picture Book about emotion today. Not such a happy emotion, I’m afraid, but often times it’s the not-so-happy emotions we need a little help with.

Title: Sometimes When I’m Sad

Written By: Deborah Serani, Psy.D.

Illustrated By: Kyra Teis

Free Spirit Publishing, April 28 2020, nonfiction

Suitable For Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: emotions and feelings (sadness)

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text copyright Deborah Serani 2020, illustration copyright Kyra Teis 2020 Free Spirit Publishing

Opening: “Sometimes when I’m sad, I cry.
Sometimes I hide.
Sometimes I even throw my toys.”

Brief Synopsis: From the publisher: “A sensitive and supportive story to help young children recognize and cope with sadness.”

Links To Resources: the book itself is a resource with it’s helpful suggestions for coping with sadness, and the book’s back matter includes Helping Children Through Sadness: A Guide For Caring Adults, How To Spot Sadness In Children Of Differing Ages, Ways To Reduce Sadness In Children, When To Seek Professional Help, and Resources For More Information And Support. Kids can also try out the coping devices mentioned in the book – drawing, hugging something soft, talking to someone who loves them, etc.

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text copyright Deborah Serani 2020, illustration copyright Kyra Teis 2020 Free Spirit Publishing

Why I Like This Book: This isn’t exactly a story, but it’s a nice way to explain to children how to recognize and cope with feelings of sadness. The simple sentences and accompanying illustrations make the ideas easy to understand. We all feel sad sometimes. It can be hard to articulate and hard to manage. This book helps children recognize that they are not alone in feeling sadness and there are many constructive ways to work through it and keep it manageable, even when it threatens to overwhelm. A helpful book for kids and the grownups who care for them.

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 Lindsey Hobson!

February 4, 2020February 3, 202022 Comments

Welcome to another exciting edition of Tuesday Debut, Everyone!

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

Punxsutawney Phyllis!!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

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

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

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

Lindsey’s writing buddies 🙂

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

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

SUSANNA: How did you find an illustrator?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SUSANNA: How did you format your book for publication?

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

SUSANNA: How did you select a printing service?

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

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

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

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

LINDSEY: Four months from start to finish.

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

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

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

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

Author Lindsey Hobson

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

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

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

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

Amazon

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

– purchasing their books

– recommending their books to friends and family

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

– recommending their books to our local libraries and bookstores

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

– sharing their books on social media

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

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

Missed any previous Tuesday Debuts? Check them out!

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

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

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

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

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

Christine Evans – Evelyn The Adventurous Entomologist

Karen Kiefer – Drawing God (religious market)

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

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

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

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Ninja Boy’s Secret

January 24, 2020January 23, 202025 Comments

Hurray! It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday once again!

Today I have a book I’ve been wanting to share since November, but what with missing PPBFs for the contests and holidays, and posting holiday-themed books etc, it’s taken me until now. It’s a special book and I hope you’ll get the chance to read it!

Title: Ninja Boy’s Secret

Written & Illustrated By: Tina Schneider

Tuttle Publishing, September 17 2019, fiction

Suitable For Ages: 3-8

Themes/Topics: being yourself, music

Opening: “Ninja Boy did not want to be a ninja.
He did not want to be still as a stone.
He did not want to climb trees just to disappear into the leaves.
He did not want to slink across rooftops on silent cat feet.”

Brief Synopsis: (from the jacket copy) “What do you do when you’re a Ninja who marches to a different beat? With his faithful dog in tow, Ninja Boy makes his way from silence to song as he finds his voice and his calling.”

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text and illustration copyright Tina Schneider 2019, Tuttle Publishing

Links To Resources: the back endpaper has illustrated definitions of some of the less familiar words in the story; the story mentions sonatas and concertos – listen to one of each and talk about what you hear; draw a picture of what you most want to be or do; write a poem about something that matters deeply to you – perhaps in the form of haiku since the story is Japanese; make musical note snacks(recipe); make Do-Re-Mi Music Cupcakes (recipe)

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text and illustration copyright Tina Schneider 2019, Tuttle Publishing

Why I Like This Book: This is a book for anyone who has ever wanted to be themself, in spite of what others might expect of them. Without belligerence or negative confrontation, Ninja Boy simply reveals who he is. He cannot be his father. He must be himself. And there is so much joy and rightness in who he is, that his father not only accepts him, but embraces his difference. Ninja Boy has his own way of bringing joy and beauty and goodness into the world. And shouldn’t everyone be encouraged to do that? The art perfectly matches the story, and I love the the musical notes and staffs, the parts of the violin, and other little details that are tucked within it. This is a lovely book to share with any little individual you know 🙂

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 Theresa Kiser!

January 21, 2020January 21, 202025 Comments

Hi Everyone!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

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

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

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

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Author Theresa Kiser

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

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

THERESA: Thank YOU, Susanna!

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

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

Holy Heroes (order from publisher’s website)
Indiebound
Amazon
Barnes&Noble

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

– purchasing their books

– recommending their books to friends and family

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

– recommending their books to our local libraries and bookstores

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

– sharing their books on social media

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

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

Missed any previous Tuesday Debuts? Check them out!

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

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

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

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

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

Christine Evans – Evelyn The Adventurous Entomologist

Karen Kiefer – Drawing God

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

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

Perfect Picture Book Friday – A Place To Land: Martin Luther King Jr. And The Speech That Inspired A Nation

January 17, 2020January 16, 202010 Comments

Woo hoo!

Perfect Picture Book Friday has rolled around again!

Although this book came out a few months ago, I’ve been waiting to review it for today – a perfect Friday for this Perfect Picture Book about Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have A Dream Speech since we will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday.

Title: A Place To Land: Martin Luther King Jr. And The Speech That Inspired A Nation

Written By: Barry Wittenstein

Illustrated By: Jerry Pinkney

Neal Porter Books, August 27 2019, nonfiction

I don’t normally include awards, but this one has won so many I thought I should mention them 🙂

Selected for the Texas Bluebonnet Master List
Winner of the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
A 2019 Booklist Editors’ Choice
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Nominated for an NAACP Image Award

Suitable For Ages: 7-10

Themes/Topics: history, civil rights, following your dreams, inspiration and revision

Opening: “Martin Luther King Jr. was once asked if the hardest part of preaching was knowing where to begin.
‘No,’ he said. ‘The hardest part is knowing where to end.
It’s terrible to be circling up there without a place to land.’”

Brief Synopsis: (From the publisher) “On the night before the historic March on Washington, Martin Luther King Jr. debated, worked, and wrote late into the night, trying to decide what to say— and how to say it. This little-known story celebrates not only the famed ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, but the influences of many other pioneering Civil Rights leaders who helped shape those famous words.”

Links To Resources: the book itself is a resource, both in the true story it tells and in the substantial back matter which include both a note from the author and note from the illustrator along with short bios of the Willard Hotel Advisors, “Other Voices”, and “Who Spoke At The March On Washington.”

Why I Like This Book: As a writer who often searches for the right words, the right way to say something, the right thing to say, I really appreciate this look at how Martin Luther King Jr. crafted his famous I Have A Dream Speech. Not only will young readers learn about the facts surrounding the writing of this speech – the people whose thoughts contributed and the history of the moment – they will also learn something about the writing process – about considering, articulating, revising, perfecting (as much as possible), and finally delivering a finished piece. About the uncertainty of wondering, have I said it right? Have I done the best job I can do? I think it’s encouraging for children to know that adults also write and revise, wonder and doubt, struggle to get things right. And in this case, not just an adult, but a famous, influential historical figure. It’s also really interesting to hear about this famous speech from this perspective – the crafting of it – rather than just the finished words themselves.

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 Ciara O’Neal!

January 14, 2020January 14, 202030 Comments

Hi Everyone!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SUSANNA: How did you find an illustrator?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SUSANNA: How did you format your book for publication?

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

SUSANNA: How did you select a printing service?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ciara Logo_yellow swirl background

Social Media-

Twitter- @ciaraoneal2

Instagram- authorciaraoneal

Personal Website- ciaraoneal.weebly.com

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

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

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

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

– purchasing their books

– recommending their books to friends and family

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

– recommending their books to our local libraries and bookstores

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

– sharing their books on social media

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

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

Missed any previous Tuesday Debuts? Check them out!

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

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

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 Published)

Christine Evans – Evelyn The Adventurous Entomologist

Karen Kiefer – Drawing God

https://www.cmreviews.ca/node/952

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Counting Sheep

January 10, 2020January 9, 202018 Comments

Hi Everyone! Welcome back to Perfect Picture Book Fridays!

I know we took a bit of a break between the Holiday Contest preempting regular posts and then the holidays preempting everything 🙂 , so if you have posted Perfect Picture Books over the last few weeks you are welcome to add them all to today’s list!

As you all know, I am partial to books about counting sheep 🙂

So I am thrilled to share a new one with you! And, not only will I share the book with you on PPBF today, the author, Pippa Chorley, has generously offered to give away 2 copies in celebration of her launch to the US market this week! If you’re interested in winning a copy, she asks that you like and comment on post, and share this post on social media tagging her on Twitter:@PippaChorley and/or Instagram: @pippachorley! And if you’d like to learn a little more about her journey to publication with this book, please check out Tuesday Debut – Presenting Pippa Chorley!

Title: Counting Sheep

Written By: Pippa Chorley

Illustrated By: Danny Deeptown

Marshall Cavendish, January 20 2020, fiction

Suitable For Ages: 3-6

Themes/Topics: bedtime, ingenuity/problem solving

Opening: “One dark stormy night, when Sam couldn’t sleep,
Her mum suggested, “Try counting some sheep.”
Sam closed her eyes and pictured a flock,
But the white, woolly sheep were running…AMOK!
‘Please stop, please stop! Slow down, slow down!
I cannot sleep with you clowning around.‘”

Brief Synopsis: When Sam can’t sleep, her mother suggests counting sheep, but bedtime becomes bedlam as the sheep pile up and can’t be counted because Little Shep is unable to clear the fence. One outrageous solution after another fails to do the trick until Sam comes up with just the right answer.

Links To Resources: If it was your job to get Little Shep over the fence, how would you do it? Draw a picture!; Counting Sheep Song (YouTube Video); 10 Sheep Crafts For Kids; Sheep Cupcakes (recipe); 16 Counting Activities for Preschoolers

Why I Like This Book: this story is cute, energetic and entertaining. When Little Shep is unable to get over the fence, holding up the line and making it impossible for Sam to count herself to sleep, the sheep come up with one ridiculous proposition after another to solve the problem. Of course they don’t think their ideas are ridiculous! and their suggestions are believably kid-like (I speak from experience having come up with similar schemes myself 🙂 ), seeming perfectly plausible to them and making for a humorous story and illustrations. Ultimately Sam is the one who comes up with a sensible solution – the perfect answer to the problem – showing that sometimes a little careful thought is better than a lot of wild ideas. Young readers will enjoy watching the story unfold and wondering how will Little Shep get over that fence???!!! The illustrations are light-hearted and fun, including such entertaining details as the “spring plan” 🙂

text copyright Pippa Chorley 2020, illustration copyright Danny Deeptown 2020 – Marshall Cavendish

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 don’t forget! You could win a copy of this delightful book by liking and commenting on this post and sharing this post on Twitter and/or Instagram and tagging Pippa (Twitter:@PippaChorley and/or Instagram: @pippachorley!)

Perfect Picture Book Friday – The Gifts Of The Animals: A Christmas Tale

December 6, 2019December 5, 20198 Comments

Hi Everyone!

I know.

It’s been way too long since we had a Perfect Picture Book Friday!

Between Halloweensie, being away, Thanksgiving, etc, there either wasn’t time in the blog schedule or I didn’t have time. I apologize to the faithful who have posted every week and invite you to add all of your recent titles to this week’s list to make up for my absence from the front lines!

Since the Holiday Contest opens Monday and will preempt all regular posts, and then it will be the holidays, I will likely not have another PPBF post here until January, so anyone who continues to post may add their books for the next couple weeks to this list as well (or add them to the first post in January – whichever you prefer!)

I can’t wait to show you the book I’ve chosen for today. It is so lovely! I think even folks who don’t celebrate Christmas will find it very appealing.

Title: The Gifts Of The Animals: A Christmas Tale

Written By: Carole Gerber

Illustrated By: Yumi Shimokawara

Familius, October 2019, fiction

Suitable For Ages: 3-8

Themes/Topics: holidays (Christmas), birth of Jesus

Opening: “The gentle beasts of sky and earth
prepare their stable for Christ’s birth.

The ox that stands in the drafty shed
drops straw into a manger bed.”

Brief Synopsis: The Gift of the Animals shares the miraculous offerings the humble animals in the stable gave to the baby Jesus.

Links To Resources: The Friendly Beasts music video; make Christmas (or other holiday) cards for your friends and family to show them how much they mean to you; practice wrapping skills with boxes and paper from the recycling bin and make them into a pretty windowsill display.

Why I Like This Book: I am personally extra drawn to the story because when I was in kindergarten we sang The Friendly Beasts for the Christmas concert and I have always loved it. This sweet and lovely story is beautifully written and illustrated – a real Christmas treasure. There is something so appealing about each of the animals bringing something to make the baby’s arrival more warm and comfortable. All of them find something perfect to contribute, even though they are just humble creatures. Kids will love seeing all the animals and what each one has to offer, and the story’s message is one of love and giving. One of my favorite pages (since I am a mother and have done this 🙂 ) is the page where “Mary counts His tiny toes and wraps the Child in swaddling clothes.” I feel sure that even if the bible doesn’t specifically tell us so, Mary marveled over His perfection and couldn’t get enough of looking at Him the same way we all do with our babies.

I hope you enjoy this beautiful book 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 Heather Gale!

November 12, 2019November 11, 201921 Comments

Woo hoo! Woo hoo!
Time for something new.
Woo hoo! Woo hoo!
Tuesday Debut!

How’s that for a theme song?

It doesn’t have a tune yet . . . but that’s just a minor detail 🙂

Here on Blueberry Hill the weather forecast is less than optimal. Rain, snow, ice and other cr** . . . er, precipitation threatens to make going outside something to avoid unless you have a very good reason to want to fall down your mudroom stairs and introduce your hindquarters to the driveway, so today’s debut picture book is perfect! It will carry us away to the island paradise of Hawai’i!

Ho’onani: Hula Warrior
written by Heather Gale
illustrated by Mika Song
Tundra Books
October 1, 2019
Nonfiction, Ages 4 – 9

An empowering celebration of identity, acceptance and Hawaiian culture based on the true story of a young girl in Hawai’i who dreams of leading the boys-only hula troupe at her school.

SUSANNA: Welcome, Heather! Thank you so much for joining us today! Where did the idea for this book come from?

HEATHER: This story came after watching the PBS documentary A Place in the Middle, but it took a while for me to consider it as even a possible picture book.
I had used the documentary to help wind down after a day of research for that next picture book idea. Yet while watching Ho’onani and Kumu Hina face their struggles I was transfixed, swept along with the story and the power of emotions it evoked. When Ho’onani turned to face her community, I held my breath as if I were amongst the awed silence of the crowd. And when Ho’onani opened her mouth to begin the chant usually reserved for males, I whooped it up, both proud and relieved she had pulled off her biggest challenge.

The next day I could not stop thinking about each character in the documentary.
I watched and re-watched A Place in the Middle, never getting tired of feeling those same emotions. When this happens, I think you have no choice but to write the story. It’s under your skin and won’t let go until you do.

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

HEATHER: Initially I’d promised the producers, Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson, a no-commitment rough draft within 6 weeks. But it helped that by the time we’d met, I already knew where the story would start and where it should end. I’d never written and researched so hard in my life to meet that deadline, but it worked. They got their first draft and I got their green light to carry on.

After that the revisions took almost a year.

My best advice to anyone is to not start a story until you know those two key moments. They’ll keep you going when the writing process gets rough.

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

HEATHER: I must have gone through at least 150 revisions and this is the time to ask for help from your critique partners and writing buddies. Listen to their comments and suggestions and if more than one person is saying the same, you know you have to go back.

As you learn the mechanics behind a story, you’ll also discover your own revision process, and which ones are your favorites.

Mine are adding emotion and deleting.

I may already have one or two emotions in a draft, but there comes a point when the story needs a whole lot more. Thankfully, at this stage of the manuscript you’ll know your character inside and out, so this part is fun.

As I read scene by scene, I imagine my character’s face and gut reactions to the situation. I’ll jot them down and return for a more serious edit.

After emotions are added my next favorite is deleting.

Distilling a draft to 1000 special words is a challenge.

Every word matters.

Every sentence should feel unique.

Every paragraph has the potential to build a scene.

Like decluttering a room, there’s a sense of lightness with deleting which makes a story even better.

I start with spacing out the sentences. This gives me some working room (aka thinking or doodling space).

Then line by line, I’ll check the timing of events. I’ll ask myself does this follow and is it logical?

Then I check the sentence itself, looking at the structure.

Have you noticed sometimes when you split the sentence in half then swap their order it’s so much stronger? Or move one word to the end and you’ve got a WOW sentence.

Next, I look at each word in the sentence.

And here’s where my thesaurus is used to check each word conveys the best meaning I intended.

Perhaps there’s a better word with a deeper meaning. Or, the word is perfect, but in that sentence, it’s a tongue-twister.

And then I like to use words that surprise the reader and are easy or fun to say out loud.

If, after doing all this, the paragraph adds no story value, it qualifies for a total strike-through.

It’s hard to explain but when there’s a line through all that hard work, the story often pops through the noise and clutter.

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

HEATHER: I’m slowly learning when my manuscripts are almost ready for submission.

I always read my manuscript out loud to our two dogs (because my two kids are grown up now). This is an incredible way to discover those fancy words you found in thesaurus don’t quite work when placed together.

I’m lucky to have two work buddies, Molly and Cooper who are best friends. They love daily hikes in Toronto’s ravines, their daycare, and swimming beside me as I kayak.

I check off any sentences where my brain did a ‘huh?’ and question any gaps in the timing of events.

On another round I’ll hunt for emotions in the scenes. I want to walk in that person’s shoes, feel their frustrations and their achievements, get goosebumps and a lump in my throat.

Then, my best tool is the pitch.

Because my working pitches seem to always start off 4-6 sentences long, until I‘ve got one that’s whittled down to one or two sentences, I know the manuscript is not ready.

I tweak and hone that pitch every 3-4 revisions.

Once everything is as close as I can get it , I save my work in a folder, stash it away, put the timer on and wait two weeks.

And . . . tah-dah! This is when you’ll know if your story is ready to submit.

With fresh eyes I’ll read my story out loud, looking for all the same things as before. I want to laugh, to tear up, have the words swimming in front of me.

I want the story to unfold, unrushed yet not too wordy.

And when that happens there’s no way to describe the feeling except you know you’ve given your story the best possible chance.

Your manuscript is ready to face the big wide world.

I have two workspaces that inspire my writing process.

Here’s my view from the cottage:

SUSANNA: That is inspiring all right! But I’m not sure I’d get much work done with a view like that!!! 🙂 When and how did you submit?

HEATHER: I’d submitted this story to one agent while seeking representation and then to a publishing house through an earlier conference connection.

Both times Ho’onani: Hula Warrior was turned down but coming up was our annual Pack Your Imagination conference hosted by CANSCAIP in Toronto.

We have an opportunity to skip the line with Canadian publishing houses which is a fantastic opportunity. I decided to hold this manuscript back from further submissions because I had to know what was wrong with this story!

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

HEATHER: I was the last person slated to meet Lynne Missen, the Publishing Director for Penguin Young Readers at the CANSCAIP conference. You can take being last as good news, bad news, or part of the lucky draw so as I sat and waited. I’ll admit, I was nervous.

And then it was my turn.

As I listened, waiting for the, ‘here’s why your story isn’t working,’ I struggled to understand why Lynne was smiling.

Lynne must have repeated it three or four times before her words and their meaning sank in – they loved my story!

We got to work right there, going through the manuscript, tweaking areas, discussing ideas and my 15-minute slot turned into the best 30 minutes I could’ve ever imagined . . . working on a story that my heart was so vested in.

SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?

HEATHER: We popped a bottle of bubbles and had a barbeque with my hubby, kids and dogs.

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

HEATHER: The contract was just what I expected, an advance, followed by a percentage in royalties and for me, the best gift ever – 10 author copies! (I’m one of 6 kids so my siblings all got a dedicated and signed copy.)

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

HEATHER: Samantha Swenson is such a gifted editor who, through some word tweaks made the story pop, and that’s when I saw the potential they’d seen all along.

SUSANNA: How about your experience of the illustration process?

HEATHER: I was so lucky with having Mika as my illustrator.

From the beginning I saw all her sketches, and my thoughts and ideas were sought out while any questions I had were explained. Mika captured each child in the documentary at the right moment while Kumu Hina looked the same yet different as she too experienced her emotions.

I had one illustration note in the story at the end and that was only because Ho’onani’s sister is not mentioned in the text.

Here’s what I wrote:

One person stood.

[illo: Kana smiles]

and here’s how that illustration turned out!

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

HEATHER: I saw a mix of advance reviews while others were sent to me soon after being released.

I think the best part about reading a review is, you get to see how the rest of the world views your story.

I’ve learnt so much about Mika’s illustrations from reading reviews.

For example, one review commented on Mika’s technique as a way to convey information to children.

“Boldly outlined watercolor and ink artwork by Song (A Friend for Henry) conveys visual information with strength that suggests Ho‘onani’s own.”

Publishers Weekly
https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-7352-6449-6

And then I read, “Watercolor and thick, angular black lines against a combination of white, open spaces, and blue or tan backgrounds elevate and emphasize Ho’onani as the central character within each spread.

As well, the use of bold colors at times helps some characters become more noticeable in crowd scenes.”

Canadian Review of Materials

And here’s another wonderful comment on Mika’s illustrations: “The boys filing past in the background, and the empty pair of flip-flops left in the hallway, are pale and weak in comparison to Ho’onani’s profound sense of self as a hula warrior.”
E. Schneider at Imaginary Elevators
https://imaginaryelevators.blog/2019/09/03/she-is-who-she-is/

With each of these reviews I went back to my copy and noticed the same.

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

HEATHER: The process from signing the contract to a first copy was almost two years. That sounds like a long time, but it wasn’t. We were always moving forward with the next steps.

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

HEATHER: Tundra Books has gone above and beyond in their efforts to get this book noticed by various communities.

From trade reviews to tradeshows, to advertising to promotions, Ho’onani: Hula Warrior has been included or is their featured title.

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

HEATHER: I’ve reached out to picture book bloggers I know and asked for any opportunity to be a guest post or have the book reviewed.
I’ve also figured out Twitter and become more involved.

And I plan on doing school and library visits – my first is in NZ!

SUSANNA: Wow! NZ?! That is AMAZING! How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?
HEATHER: The whole process took me six years along with a lot of online and class courses, some conferences and then just hours in the chair, practicing and honing the craft.

I actually started my serious writing with a psychological thriller which I wrote one year during NANOWRIMO (National November Writing Month). And, I still like that story and maybe one day I’ll get to revise it.

SUSANNA: Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?
HEATHER: This book has taught me a lot about the industry and I’m in awe. We have so many dedicated, passionate professionals who work with picture books and once a manuscript is sold, there’s still so much more that happens behind the scenes before it reaches the shelves.

SUSANNA: Heather, thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this series and paying it forward to other writers! We so appreciate all your insights, and the helpful information you shared about your writing process! Wishing you the very best of success with this and future books!!!

Author Heather Gale

You can visit me over at
https://heathergale.net/

and my social media links include:
https://twitter.com/writergale
https://www.facebook.com/heather.gale.311

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)

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