Author Interview: Anita Amin

On By Only Picture BooksIn Author Interviews

This month’s Author Interview is with Tampa Bay writer Anita Amin, an Indian American author of many kidlit books, with more than 100 published short stories and articles in children’s literary magazines (like Ladybug, Spider, Humpty Dumpty, and Highlights) and education resources. And if that doesn’t make you think she’s a hard worker, when I invited her to do this interview, she confessed that she has eleven (11!) chapter and leveled readers books going to be published between now and the end of 2021.

To help us get to know her a bit more, here are five facts about Anita:

  1. Born and raised in the US, she’s the daughter of Indian immigrants. “My family roots stretch across North India, from the royal desert of Rajasthan to the bustling river city of Kolkata.”
  2. She has a Biomedical Engineering and Electrical Engineering degree (from Duke) and an MS in Computer Engineering (NC State).
  3. She used to design microcomputers, and then had a long career in the IT field before becoming a writer.
  4. Her travel bucket list includes: Antarctica, Egypt, Iceland, and Morocco.
  5. She writes secret coded messages for her kids.

One final thing. Anita had two STEM books come out in 2020, and let me tell you, What Would It Take to Make a Hoverboard? is a book I would’ve loved as a kid, though I probably would’ve torn apart my mom’s station wagon to get the parts to try to build it, so maybe it’s a good thing it didn’t come out back then!

In any case, now that we’re all pals, let’s get to the interview and find out more about what makes Anita so prolific!

RVC: In 2006, you left a long-​time career in information technology to become a writer. Was that a sudden thing or had it been brewing for a long time?

AA: Actually, I left my job in 2006 to focus on family. I had no idea I would eventually become a writer, even though that had been my childhood dream.

As a child, I wrote short stories every day. I wanted to attend young writer workshops, instead of summer camps. I remember pausing by the barely open door of a high school literature class, wondering what they were discussing, wishing I could live in their world too. It was the only AP class, for which I hadn’t qualified; I was always stronger in math and science, and so in college, I pushed my dreams aside, believing I could never make it as a writer. I became a business consultant in information technology instead.

But deep down, my passion for writing never completely extinguished. After I left my job, I started to play around with words, writing short stories just for my own fun. Writing became my retreat. It made me feel happy and whole – just like when I was a child.

RVC: How did it actually happen for you?

AA: As I began to write more and more again, I started thinking maybe I could try to get a story published. But I had no idea where to start. Were my stories publishable? Were they the right format for submission? Was I even writing the “right” way? And what market did I want to write for? This is when I started to take classes, and as I learned more, I became serious about writing for children and writing for publication as my goal.

RVC: I think you’re the first OPB interviewee who’s taken classes at the Institute of Children’s Literature. Tell us about that organization, and how did it help you get your start? 

AA: The Institute of Children’s Literature (ICL) was a great way to start learning about the basics of writing for the children’s market. I took three classes: two about writing for magazines and one about picture book writing. In each course, ICL matched me with an experienced children’s editor or author, who critiqued my outlines, manuscripts, and revisions. Communication about assignments was through email.

After ICL, I continued revising many of my assignments through other workshops and critique groups. Many of these revised stories were later published in print magazines and online educational resources such as Super Teacher Worksheets, which provides worksheets to teachers and homeschoolers all over the world. It’s always fun when I see a child bring home one of my stories as a homework assignment!

RVC: What kind of other things did you do to improve your writing skills in those early post-​IT career days?

AA: I joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI), an international organization of children’s writers and illustrators, representing every stage from beginner to seasoned and published. Their discussion boards are helpful for learning more about the craft and industry and for asking questions. They also offer great learning and book promotion opportunities.

During my early post-​IT days, I gravitated toward the magazine market because my first writing course was about short story writing. I identified the magazines I wanted be published in – like Humpty Dumpty and Highlights. I pulled apart the short stories in those magazines. How many sentences did each paragraph typically have? How many words per line and per paragraph? Did they typically run humorous or serious stories? I studied these stories for character growth and plot arcs. Analyzing mentor texts helped me learn how to write.

RVC: One of your early writing career highlights was, aptly enough, landing a short story in Highlights–one of those mags you studied so carefully. Tell us the story of that big success.

AA: Over four years, I tried getting published in Highlights. After several rejections, I took a break from submitting there. Even though I was slowly building up from first reader passes to personal rejections directly from the fiction editor, I had little hope that Highlights would ever accept one of my stories. It just felt impossible.  So, I focused on magazines which had higher acceptance rates.

One ezine needed stories about Valentine’s Day. This theme inspired me to start writing a story, but I missed the ezine’s submissions deadline. I kept working on the story for several months more. Once it had been polished enough, I thought to myself, I really like this story. Maybe I should try submitting it to Highlights. So off it went in the mail (this was before electronic submissions). Imagine my surprise when I received a Bear Card back! Back then, Highlights used to send a “Bear with us” postcard – basically meaning it was seriously being considered for publication. Still, I didn’t want to get my hopes up. Another couple of months went by. And then I received my self-​addressed stamped envelope back from them. I noticed the envelope had been carefully taped so nothing would fall out. But it was thick like several pages of a manuscript had been sent back to me. I opened the envelope and there was my letter. Highlights had accepted my short story, “A Valentine for Nanima,” which was published in their February 2013 issue.

RVC: Congrats on that. But that publication story has a hard-​to-​believe cool bonus element to it. Wanna share?

AA: My acceptance to Highlights came the same day I found out I was going to be a mama – of twins! A boy and a girl, complete opposites and best friends.

RVC: In 2016, you decided to expand your writing to include picture books. How did that transition go?

AA: It was harder than I realized! Initially, I thought writing picture books would be similar to writing magazine stories, because the word counts are about the same. But after taking classes and workshops and analyzing other picture books, I found out I was wrong! Chapter books (I write these as well) are probably a more natural transition from magazines.

In picture books, page turns (how the text ends on a page to make the reader want to turn to the next page) are important. The book relies on art work to tell the story as much as the text. You don’t need to worry about these with short stories.

Joining an organization like Julie Hedlund’s 12 x 12 Picture Book Writing Challenge has been fundamental in learning more about picture book writing and keeping up with the market. Through this organization, I’ve also learned about work-​for-​hire opportunities and have written several leveled readers and chapter books, including What Would It Take to Make a Hoverboard? and What Would It Take to Make a Jet Pack? (Capstone Press, January 2020). It felt good to put my STEM skills to use again.

RVC: Your debut picture book, Raja’s Pet Camel: The Magic of Hope, came out last week.

AA: My publisher, Cardinal Rule Press, organized a live virtual launch on October 1, 2020, the release day for Raja’s Pet Camel: The Magic of Hope. I read the book to viewers, showed some photographs of the Thar Desert, which is where the book is set, and answered questions from my publisher as well as the audience.

RVC: How did the launch go?

AA: The launch went great – above my expectations! This is in large part due to the strength of my publisher and her team, and the amazing support of my family and friends, the kidlit community, my debut picture book group, critique partners, and my launch team. Launching a book is definitely a community effort.

RVC: What’s the elevator pitch for the story?

AA: Raja is a little boy in India who loves his new pet: a mischievous, date-​loving, baby camel named Kamal. But his father is fed up and determined to sell the camel at the next fair. Raja must use the power of hope to try and change his father’s mind or he might lose Kamal forever.

RVC: What was the breakthrough moment with this manuscript? When did it all finally work?

AA: The process for this book spanned 11 years! I happened to come across a photo I had taken in the Thar Desert in Rajasthan, India of a little boy playing with his camel. This inspired me to write a couple of lines in my writing journal: a little boy throws his arms around his camel, not wanting to sell her, while his dad makes a campfire. (This would later form the desert scene in Raja’s Pet Camel.) The idea was for a short story for ages 8 to 12.

My thoughts sat in that notebook for a few years. Then I took an advanced class at the Institute of Children’s Literature and realized maybe my short story idea would make a better picture book.

At around the same time, I started remembering how there are a lot of animals in India, but hardly any pets. My kids had been asking for a pet, but I kept worrying about how much mischief a pet could make.

This is when the pieces fell together, and I realized the story should be a picture book about a little boy in India trying to stop his mischievous pet camel from being sold at the next fair. This story continued to change through workshops and critiques but the theme stayed the same.

RVC: Rumor has it you had a memorable childhood experience with a camel.

AA: Yes! My first trip to India was when I was three years old. I was in awe of all of the camels and wanted to ride one. My dad set me on a camel’s back, and I was just fine – until the camel stood up! It’s pretty high up there for a three-​year-​old. I started crying and screaming, and this is when we realized I’m terrified of heights – and still am.

RVC: Raja’s Pet Camel has interesting back matter about the Thar Desert. What are your goals for back matter? Got a good mentor text or two that uses back matter in a way you admire?

AA: I see back matter as a way to explain cultural elements found in the story or to supplement the story with additional information.

When my publisher asked me to include the top 10 facts about the Thar Desert, I was happy because most of the facts I’ve personally experienced. I drew inspiration from my memories and experiences, when deciding which facts to include so they also have a personal connection to me. I used Evie’s Field Day by Claire Noland as a mentor text for my book; it’s published by Cardinal Rule Press too, so I could see what type of back matter and how much detail my publisher likes.

For back matter I also enjoy reading author notes because they often tell their own story. Some of my favorites have been in Numenia and the Hurricane: Inspired by a True Migration Story by Fiona Halliday and The Boy Who Dreamed of Infinity: A Tale of the Genius Ramanujan, written by Amy Alznauer and illustrated by Daniel Miyares. It was fascinating to learn about the inspiration behind both books.

RVC: Daniel Miyares is one of our grads here from Ringling College. He’s done some great work!

AA: I definitely liked the illustrations for that book!

RVC: I’m watching the #OwnVoices movement in kidlit with great interest. Beyond the obvious—opening the door for more diverse voices to find audiences—what else do you see happening as a result?

AA: Aside from the beauty of seeing more diverse voices and building bridges with other cultures, I think the #OwnVoices movement will help preserve cultural history and track how cultures change over time. Verbal stories can get lost over time. But if we write them down and they’re published for all to see, it will be that much harder to erase a culture and their stories from history.

RVC: What’s your writing process like? How involved is husband Jay and the kids?

AA: Very involved! My husband is my first Editor-​in-​Chief and often critiques my stories. My kids love to be involved, from helping to pick character names to reading my stories and providing feedback. They have some great ideas! My family has been amazingly supportive. I’m so lucky.

My writing process starts with my notebook and pen, even for my longer books like The Legacy of Rashmi Bazaar (Teacher Created Materials, 2019), a short chapter book for middle graders. I detest typing on the computer, so I write as much as I can in my notebook: fragments of ideas, outlines, paragraphs. On the rare occasion I’ll write out the whole story in my notebook, but normally I move to the computer for that. Once I’ve written a full draft, I let it sit for a few days at least – often weeks – and then go back and revise. I’ll let it sit again, revise, repeat, until the manuscript feels right.

RVC: A final question for this part of the interview. Looking back at when you switched to a writing career, where did you think it’d lead you?

AA: My plan in 2006 was to write short stories and eventually have one published in a magazine. I never expected to have one book published, much less seven by the end of 2020, with more forthcoming and so many short stories published in magazines and educational resources. I’ve been lucky and blessed so far!

RVC: Okay, we’ve reached that point in the interview where the point values are doubled, the stakes are raised, and it’s all about zippiness, because…it’s the SPEED ROUND! 

Anita, are you ready?

AA: Ready!

RVC: Best place in Tampa for Indian food?

AA: Gateway to India, though it’s actually in St. Pete.

RVC: If you had to live the life of a picture book character for a day, who’d it be?

AA: The little girl in Faith Pray’s The Starkeeper because she spreads hope to everyone

RVC: You’re caught singing in the shower. What song’s the likeliest culprit?

AA: None. That’s prime brainstorming time!

RVC: Which of your twins is most likely to become a kidlit writer?

AA: Both. They both love to write short stories and short chapter books.

RVC: What’s the wear-​it-​out favorite picture book in your family?

AA: There are so many! Hmm… My children’s favorites are Isle of You written by David LaRochelle and illustrated by Jaime Kim and Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear, written by Lindsay Mattick and illustrated by Sophie Blackall.

RVC: The writing motto/​quote you’ve found most useful over the years?

AA: “The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.” –Albert Camus

RVC: Thanks so much, Anita! 

Picture Book Review: Your House, My House by Marianne Dubuc

On By Only Picture BooksIn Picture Book Reviews

22 September 2020
32 pages

This month’s PB review is by Ryan G. Van Cleave (chief rabbit aficionado at Only Picture Books) and OPB newcomer, freelance author/​illustrator Kelly Light.

–Ryan’s Review of the Writing–

Marianne Dubuc’s new picture book, Your House, My House, almost seems like one of those seek-​and-​find books my kids loved so much in their k‑1 years. On every page of this book, a little block of text is tucked into the leaves of a tree at the top left while the rest of the page–the bulk of it–offers a look inside a multi-​level house full of animals engaged in a variety of actions. Yes, it’s a very special day at 3 Maple Street since it’s Little Rabbit’s birthday. But there’s so much more going on at the same time.

I confess that I find it a bit challenging to connect the text to the characters being referenced since the art is disproportionately large on the page. I’m almost more inclined to just peruse the pictures and imagine my own stories to pair up with the interesting characters versus try to bring the existing text into some kind of connection with the art. Is that a good thing? I’m not sure what to think about it.

Since my responsibility in these reviews is to focus on the story, though, I’ll leave it to Kelly to dive deep into the compelling artwork. While I have lots of appreciation for this book as a whole, I’m giving this a slightly lower ranking than I’d give were I reviewing the entire book as a single thing. With it being such a clearly art-​centric book, there’s almost no other option.

It’s worth checking out, though. Let’s not lose track of that fact.

4 out of 5 pencils

 

–Kelly’s Review of the Illustrations–

I’d like to ask Marianne Dubuc if she’s a fan of the book What Do People Do All Day? after pouring over her new book Your House, My House. Before I even received the book to review, the cover of her book struck a chord deep inside of me. I ripped tape off of boxes from my recent move, to find my own tattered copy of Richard Scarry’s book.

Was it the cross-​sectioned home revealing the inside of the building and goings-​on of what appears to be an early twentieth century, very large old apartment building? The viewer never sees the house with its front wall. That invisible wall allows us to take in all that happens on a very, very busy day at 3 Maple Street.

The SUPREMELY detailed drawings in Marianne’s book appear to be done in great, old-​fashioned pencil and watercolor. Simply–the best. Some touches of colored pencil, here and there. The palette emits a sunny day in soft washes with just the right amount of puddling. My inner art geek is dying to know. Did she work to size? (which means the size of the printed book.) I wonder if that’s the case because there is so much detail. I would imagine working larger to fit it all in, but if Marianne did that, perhaps all of this lovely graphite would close up and darken and lose its silvery tone.

These are the thoughts that fill my head when inspecting another illustrator’s work.

The details are ABUNDANT and the art tells most of the story. The writing here is mostly visual but WHOOO BOY, what kinds of lists Marianne must have made to keep this all straight as she drew! The day of the tiny Bunny’s birthday is filled with four floors of activity, one tree, two sides of the house, and the street out front. The inhabitants are all drawn with charm and deceptive simplicity. Marianne manages to convey all kinds of mood and emotion in her characters. An annoyed Owl, a sick Bear, Terrible Two Mice Triplets, Expectant Fox Family, Hedgehogs waiting for Dad, Cats moving in, Rabbits burning baked goods, Birds in the branches, a Post-​Cat, a Goldilocks breaking and entering, a Wolf chasing down some pigs and a Little Red Riding Hood walking on by. The tiniest of the characters, the ghost, the ladybug, the bee, the mice children, and a very odd Gnome are the only ones that are hardest to read.

Some of their drawings got tight. It was the Gnome that made me put this book onto my Cintiq and blow it up. I stared. ”IS THAT A…GNOME? A GNOME, TOO??” I started to question my own eyes and rubbed them and wondered if Marianne had eye strain, too, after creating the art. It is quite a feat to draw what is the visual equivalent to a silent movie. I had to go back through all of the pages and see where and when this crazy Gnome came into 3 Maple Street! By making me do that, I knew, Marianne had hooked me into this book experience.

I imagine a child POURING over this book, over and over and over to see all of the details, just as I did with my own Scarry book. This feels very classic, looks very classic, and is illustrated with a lot of class. It feels very real in these times that we stay so close to home and perhaps feel so much more together than we have for a long time.

My ONLY wish? That the book was BIG. 11x15 BIG , like my old Richard Scarry book.

Pure pencil, pure watercolors, pure picture book perfection.

4 out of 5 colored pencils

Kelly Light lives in Amherst, MA but grew up down the shore in New Jersey surrounded by giant pink dinosaurs, cotton candy colors, and Skee-​Ball sounds. She was schooled on Saturday-​morning cartoons and Sunday funny pages. She picked up a pencil, started drawing, and never stopped.

Kelly is the author/​Illustrator of the Louise series. Louise Loves Art and Louise and Andie, The Art of Friendship are the first two picture books in the series. Louise Loves Bake Sales and Louise and The Class Pet are the first readers in HarperCollins’ I Can Read program.

Kelly has also illustrated Elvis and the Underdogs and Elvis and the Underdogs: Secrets, Secret Service, and Room Service by Jenny Lee, and The Quirks series by Erin Soderberg.

Website: www.kellylight.com

Editor Interview: Amy Novesky (Cameron Kids)

On By Only Picture BooksIn Editor Interviews

Hold on to your collective literary hats, folks, because this month’s Industry Interview subject—Amy Novesky, the Children’s Book Editor + Director @ Cameron Kids—said “I would love to have some fun” with this interview.

Challenge accepted, Amy.

She also pointed out that while she enjoyed the OPB interview I did with her friend Abigail Samoun, her own life “is not nearly as exciting.”

Implied challenge also accepted, Amy.

So, to get things off on the right foot, let’s begin with a semi-​biographical free association thing. I’ll start a sentence, you finish it. Ready, Amy?

  • If Netflix is the answer, the question is… 
    • what do you waste time endlessly scrolling?
  • If Sausalito were a sandwich, the right condiment for it would be… 
  • When I was a child, my least-​favorite crayon color was… 
    • the broken one.
  • A penguin walks into your room right now, and it’s wearing a tuxedo because it… 
    • clearly is a character from a picture book.
  • The only thing more important than giving a child a book is… 
    • teaching him how to cook dinner.

Whew, we’re off to a great start. I think we’re ready for the regular interview now. Sound good?

So, let me offer up a few URLs of note, then let’s get to the interview.

RVC: As an editor and writer, you’ve been involved with making kidlit books for two decades. Are you a writer who edits, an editor who writes? Or do you have some other way of thinking about it entirely? 

AN: Both, depending on the day. But I think of myself as a writer first, always. Writer is who I am, editor is what I do.

RVC: Then let’s talk about writing first!

One of the clear throughlines in your own books is your affection for creative folks–Georgia O’Keeffe (Georgia in Hawaii), Frida Kahlo (Me, Frida), and Imogen Cunningham (Imogen: The Mother of Modernism and Three Boys), to name just a few. How conscious of a thing is that? 

AN: I do have a thing for women artists—especially painters. And I have consciously wondered why, and made the connection to my mom who paints, and to our ancestors, a large family of artists called the Peales, who were known for their early American portraits. My great (x4) grandfather, Raphaelle, painted still lifes; he was the rebel of the family. So maybe the artist/​portrait/​still life gene got passed down to me, and manifests in words, instead of paint.

RVC: That’s such a cool story.

AN: I am drawn to the arts, and to artists, because I have always been in awe of one who can paint, play the piano, dance, sing. What an amazing life. For me it’s not just the art but the way these artists lived their lives like works of art. Frida was a walking canvas.

Incidentally, one of the things that connects almost all of the artists I have written about is flowers, which, I also love: Georgia’s giant red poppies, the flowers Frida wore in her hair, the signature gardenia Billie wore behind her ear. The magnolia flower Imogen photographed close-​up. And, all of these artists, Louise Bourgeois included, were especially bad ass. Imogen, was probably the most bad ass of all: she managed to be an artist and make art, while raising three boys. That’s what my book, Imogen: The Mother of Modernism and Three Boys, is about.

RVC: Speaking of your books, let’s examine the launch of your picture book author career. What’s the story of that first book?

AN: I wrote Elephant Prince after a trip to India. Among the many things that amazed me was this elephant-​headed god named Ganesh. Who was he? And why did he have the head of an elephant? The story is also, simply, the story of a mother who longs for a child, which was something I could relate to; my son, Quinn, was born a year after the book published.

RVC: You just had another picture book come out this month—Girl on a Motorcycle. Congrats on that! What’s your 20-​second pitch for the book?

AN: Thank you!

Girl with a good job in Paris, leaves it all, jumps on a motorcycle, carries only the essentials (pocket knife, tarp, anti-​diarrheal, eyeliner, bikini, paper & pen …), rides around the world—from France, through Canada to Alaska…to India and Afghanistan…—breaks down, fixes bike, falls, gets back up, finds the world is beautiful and good, writes about it, returns home.

RVC: And all in one sentence, too? Consider me grammatically wowed!

I’m curious. Like the unnamed young Parisian in this story, have you ever dreamed “to go Elsewhere”? 

AN: Every day.

RVC: Don’t we all, right? Even before the COVID world we now live in. [sigh]

What was the biggest challenge you faced when creating this book?

AN: Not being fluent in French (despite—I’m appalled to admit—15 years of studying it in school). Luckily Anne-​France Dautheville, the subject of Girl On a Motorcycle, speaks decent and, comment dit-​on, colorful English. But I would love to be able to talk with her and read her books in French. When I visited her at her home outside of Paris, I felt tongue-​tied, in addition to totally jet-​lagged. Not the best combo for meeting and interviewing your heroine.

RVC: Well, if you ever want help with French, let me know. I am très good at it! (Spoiler–I might be overstating this a bit. “Très” might be the only thing I actually recall from my Ph.D. crash-​course semester in French.)

Moving on–what do you most admire about Julie Morstad’s accompanying artwork for your book Girl On a Motorcycle?

AN: I’ve been a fan of Julie’s work for some time, and she immediately came to mind for this book for her exquisite illustrations, her stylish characters, her sublime palette, which, in this book—beginning with those gorgeous sunset colors on the cover; the coppery brown, uncoated, separate ends; and the muted, earthy and airy hues throughout—takes my breath away.

RVC: Let’s switch gears to your work as an editor. What fulfills you most about that type of work?

AN: Working with words, and in a form that is so distilled, poetic and visual. And, because I am an equally visual person, looking for and working with illustrators and artists.

RVC: How did you get the editing bug?

AN: I’ve been writing since I could write. I studied poetry in college and got a masters in writing, with a focus on short story. It’s hard to make a living writing poetry and short stories, and so I went to work for a publishing house. When I didn’t get the fiction editorial assistant job, I applied to the other editor job that was open: children’s editorial assistant. I fell in love with the picture book form and discovered it was a really good fit for me, and I’ve been doing it since.

RVC: What was the most memorable thing about working for Chronicle Books, where you got that first job in editing?

AN: Living and working in San Francisco in my 20s, making beautiful books, and, the people—many of whom are still close friends, and some I even work with (2 of the 12 Cameron employees worked at Chronicle).

RVC: What was the first picture book you acquired there?

AN: Oh boy. The Go Go Dogs, about two dogs who travel the world, a consistent theme for me. It’s got to be about 3000 words and was clearly influenced by my love of Maira Kalman.

And then there was Isabelle and the Angel, illustrated by Georg Hallensleben, a French buy-​in about an art-​loving pig who falls in love with an angel in a painting at a museum. She loves him so much she becomes a security guard so she can be near him all night. I know, it’s a little odd. But the art is so gorgeous! I have a soft spot for esoteric French picture books, what can I say. The English-​language edition is, sadly, out of print, but I did fairly recently find the original book on the bookstore shelf at the Musée D’Orsay.

RVC: A few years back, you left Chronicle and ended up acquiring titles for two presses at once. How did that happen?

AN: I left my job in 2000 to write and raise a son, and I have been a freelance editor since. Being a freelancer can be tough. I’ve had many many jobs over the years—some I wish I never took and at least one, like my stint at Pixar, which was great fun. Such is the life of a freelancer.

RVC: Tell me about it! My up-​to-​date resume is 40+ pages long to accommodate all the people/​company I’ve worked with over 20+ years of being a writer. 

AN: I started working for Cameron + Company, beginning in 2010, book-​by-​book, and then helped launch their children’s book imprint in 2015. Still, it was only part-​time. When Creative Editions, another small, family-​owned press, offered me part-​time work acquiring for their list, I couldn’t turn it down. Living in the Bay Area on a freelance editor’s income is not easy. Luckily, I was able to do the latter from home, and the two lists are aesthetically different so, creatively, it worked out. I left Creative in February to focus on growing Cameron Kids. And, as of September 1, 2020, I can report that I am a full-​time employee of Abrams, New York, which acquired Cameron + Company.

In short, yes, we editors often wear many hats.

RVC: Why is this super-​new role at Cameron + Company (congrats on that!!) such a good fit for you?

AN: To be the editorial director of a beautiful, thoughtful, well-​curated list of books I helped create; to work with people I respect and adore; and now to be a west coast division of a major New York publishing house, whom I also adore (and who published two of my books: Me, Frida and Cloth Lullaby), is a dream job. It was a long time coming, a lot of hard work, patience, and literal blood, sweat and tears, and I couldn’t be happier.

RVC: What’s the most common misconception about picture book editors?

AN: That we like children. Just kidding!

RVC: Who or what has influenced you most as an editor?

AN: I will give you a who and a what.

RVC: Way to overdeliver!

AN: Who: Victoria Rock at Chronicle Books. I learned so much, mostly from typing up her long, handwritten letters to authors and illustrators.

What: traveling the world. The places I’ve been and have lived and loved—India, Mexico, Paris, New York, Southern California, San Francisco, Kauai—influence my books.

RVC: How do picture books create an opportunity for adult readers to be present with kids?

AN: A picture book is a beautiful, tactile object. It takes time to turn a page, to read the words, to stop and define a difficult word or concept or two. One misconception about picture books is that they are simplistic, but they can be quite sophisticated and profound. The best books stop time, allow you to be present, and isn’t that what we strive for with our kids?

RVC: Well said, Amy. 

Let me ask an industry question. I’m hearing mixed answers these days. Is COVID making things better or worse for writers? Some argue that editors working from home are able to get more done. Some argue that editors working from home are just as swamped as ever, or even more so. What’s been your experience? And what have you seen/​heard from colleagues?

Amy’s home office in March 2020.
Amy’s home office in September 2020.

AN: For me, despite it all, I have been incredibly lucky. I have space. I live in a beautiful place. I have work and I can work from home. My son is old enough now to manage his online schooling and make a sandwich. And so, while I’ve surely gone through as many pandemic phases as stages of grief—from the urgency of it in those first few months, to heaviness and depression and rage, to a measure of acceptance, to moments of stillness and creativity–I’m doing okay, getting work done, chasing new books, even writing a new story or two.

But I know many people, friends and colleagues, who are struggling to do it all. It’s a lot. And here in California, we have pandemic + wildfires + smoke + heat + power outages, and there’s always a few earthquakes rattling about. September has been a particularly harrowing and heartbreaking month. When I can get to the office, 1⁄2 hour north, I keep a go-​bag, a 7‑gallon jug of water, and masks for multiple emergencies, in my car.

2020 is making us all bad ass.

RVC: Bad ass, indeed!

Circling back now to your work as a bad-​ass picture book author—you’ve got an author trailer on your website. Not a book trailer, but an AUTHOR one. So cool! Where’d you get that idea? 

AN: I have a good friend who is a talented documentary filmmaker, and she and the co-​founder of her company generously offered to make a short film about me. I am super camera-​shy, so it was pretty excruciating for me, which is probably apparent in the pained look on my face. That and I’m not great at promoting myself and my work. And so I am so grateful to have such a beautiful piece in my portfolio. It’s at least 10 years old at this point, but the heart of it is still current.

RVC: How have people responded to it?

AN: I’ve gotten some really nice feedback.

RVC: Rightly so. It’s terrific.

AN: Thank you!

RVC: One last question for this first part of the interview. Craziest thing that ever happened re: a school visit you did?

AN: Okay, I’ve got a good one for you. On my way to a book event at a school an hour from my house, it was first thing in the morning, rush hour, I’d drunk a pot of coffee, and there was traffic, I was running late, hundreds of elementary kids were waiting for me, and, I had to go to the bathroom really really, like painfully, badly; I wasn’t going to make it. I pulled the car over as soon as I got off the freeway, jumped out and peed in a bush. I’m guessing some homeowner has probably got some good security footage of this children’s book author squatting on their property.

RVC: This from the lady who said her life wasn’t all that exciting! OMG! 

Regardless, it’s your time to shine, Amy, because it’s the…LIGHTNING ROUND! Electrifyingly fast questions and shockingly quick answers, please. Are you ready?

AN: Let’s do this.

RVC: Smurfs, fraggles, or trolls—most underappreciated not-​so-​tall creatures in pop culture?

AN: Fraggles.

RVC: Best place in Sausalito for a slice of California pizza?

AN: My house. When the sourdough starter stars align.…

But there’s also Sandrino on Caledonia Street!

RVC: What’s the One That Got Away?

AN: Parker Looks Up.

RVC: The responsibility of the picture book writer is…

AN: To write well.

RVC: Recent picture book biography you wish you’d thought of first.

AN: The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown.

RVC: The three most important characteristics that lead to picture book success.

AN: An authentic voice, a compelling story, and a Hell Yes manuscript (Cameron Kids’ motto).

RVC: Thanks so much, Amy. And not that anyone’s keeping score, but I think I won on both counts regarding our challenges. Fun and excitement was indeed had by all. 100% of my pre-​pub focus group of 2 agree.

So, thanks for sharing a bit of your literary journey with us today. It was great having you stop by OPB. Best of luck with the new book, too!

Educational Activities: Flibbertigibbety Words by Donna Guthrie

On By Only Picture BooksIn Educational Activities

Flibbertigibbety Words: Young Shakespeare Chases Inspiration
Author: Donna Guthrie
Illustrator: Åsa Gilland
1 September 2020
Page Street Kids
40 pages

I’m a big Shakespeare fan, so when I saw this book, I knew I had to include it in OPB in some way.

Book description from Goodreads: “With quotes and sly references to the famous works of William Shakespeare and the words he invented, this adventurous ode to language will delight readers young and old.

It all starts one morning when words fly into William’s window. He wants to catch them, but they are flibbertigibbety and quick and slip right through his fingers. Soon whole lines of verse are leading him on a wild goose chase as they tumble, dip, flip and skip all through town, past a host of colorful characters the observant reader may find as familiar as the quotes. William remains persistent, and with time and the proper tools he finds a way to keep the words with him.”

Need some reviews of Flibbertigibbety Words?

Educational Activities inspired by Donna Guthrie’s Flibbertigibbety Words:

  • Before Reading–From looking at the front and back cover: 
    • What does the word “flibbertigibbety” make you think of?
    • Where and when do you think this story takes place?
    • What do you already know about William Shakespeare?
    • What emotion does the boy on the back cover seem to be feeling?
  • After Reading–Now that you’ve read the story: 
    • What is the main message of this book?
    • Why does young Shakespeare want to chase down and catch  strange words?
    • If you wanted to go outside and catch words, what might you try to do?
    • The book is full of fun new words. What are some of your favorites? Zany? Madcap? Frivolous? Coax?
    • What other story does Flibbertigibbety Words remind you of?
    • What happens–or should happen–after the ending?
    • What feedback would you give to the author?
  • Writing–Shakespeare is known for writing amazing poems. Try your hand at writing a poem of your own. Here are some specific prompts to help you along: 
  • Performing–While you can certainly listen to or read a poem, there are more things you might try as well. Consider singing, dancing, or acting out any of the following poems. Perhaps get a friend or adult to help out? 
  • Further Reading–Which of these other picture books about Shakespeare have you read? (Click on the book cover for more information on any of these titles!)

Author Interview: Josh Funk

On By Only Picture BooksIn Author Interviews
Photo Credit: Carter Hasegawa

Dear OPB family, it’s with great pleasure that I’m able to bring you an all-​time OPB fave, Josh Funk. (Please note references in previous posts such as Jamie LB Deenihan’s interview, a review of one of Josh’s books, and this interview by literary agent Kaitlyn Sanchez, which reveal just a bit of the Funkalicious fan clubbing we’ve got going on here!).

With a writing career as big as Josh has (coupled with a full-​time day job!), getting this interview to work out took some finessing, but we did it thanks to his generosity and some fortuitous timing related to his new book, Short & Sweet, coming out. So, yay! And a syrupy hooray!

You probably know a lot about him already, but just in case not, he provides a Mad-​libs-​style bio on his website. Here’s the template:

Josh enjoys _​_​_​_​_​_​_​ during _​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​ and has always loved _​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​. He has played _​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​ since age _​_​ and his biggest fear in life is being eaten by a __________.

And here are what I can only assume are the totally-​true-​fact answers he fully expects everyone to come up with from this interactive bio.

Josh enjoys living one day at a time powered by the awesomeness of a freshly baked cookie during his weekly attempt to make the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs, and has always loved putting the “elation” in writerly “public relations.” He has played the role of a passionate cherry limeade lover since the moment he reckoned to be a force to reckon with, and his biggest fear in life is being eaten by a vampire porpoise that sometimes just wants to give it all up and become a handsome aquatic billionaire.

Just in case that’s not yet enough of a deep dive into All Things Josh, I’ll add these final even-​truer-​than-​those-​facts facts sleuthed up by our crack research team (consisting of a single penguin intern named Lefty who’s an especially gifted napper), with a little help from Josh himself.

Josh is:

  • a member of The Writer’s Loft in Sherborn, MA
  • a former fantasy football wunderkind
  • a long-​time vegan
  • a musician who created songs to pair with his picture books 
  • a candy corn aficionado
  • a fan of sewing
  • someone who still sleeps with the same stuffed animal he’s had since he was a kid (a Tropical Puffalump named Monkey Dude).
Josh and Monkey Dude. BFFs in action.

Alright, let’s get to it. Unleash the interview! (But if you want some Funky social media stuff, here are places to go, too.)

RVC: Welcome to the world of Only Picture Books, Josh!

JF: Thanks for all of the kind words, Ryan! It’s a pleasure to join you.

RVC: Once people knew you were visiting OPB, they all insisted I ask you about rhyme, so let’s start with that. While I realize you can talk for days on the topic, help us understand a specific way or two that we might move from amateur rhymes to elegant ones. 

JF: Great question! The most important thing you need to consider is that to be a successful book, loads of different people are going to be reading these words (agents, editors, reviewers, librarians, teachers, parents). However, not everyone pronounces words the same way you do. The English language, even just in the U.S., has many different accents and you want ALL of those accents to pronounce your words properly. So pay attention to each word and each syllable and each whatever-​is-​less-​than-​a-​syllable (I’m not a linguist)!

There are only ~549 words in a picture book–take the time to make sure each one is PERFECT.

RVC: What’s more important? Rhythm or rhyme?

JF: That’s a trick question. The most important aspect of a rhyming picture book is the STORY. If it’s not a good book without the rhyme, it won’t be good when you add the rhyme.

But between rhythm and rhyme, RHYTHM is more important. It’s harder to learn and more important to focus on. Any first grader can rhyme. Rhythm can be very tricky.

RVC: Which of your books gave you the most trouble in terms of getting rhymes to really sync up in the way you need them to? I’m going to guess Dear Dragon because of all those pen pal letters. But, you know, pastries! And fairy tale folk!

JF: I don’t really think of rhymes as tricky. Writing a rhyming picture book is more like a puzzle–and I enjoy solving puzzles. There’s always another way to say something. If I can’t get a word to rhyme properly, I’ll use a thesaurus and replace it with another that will work.

RVC: Volume four of the Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast series comes out this month—Short & Sweet. Congrats on that! Is it getting harder or easier to write sequels for your various series?

JF: In general, as long as I have a good story mapped out for characters I’ve written about previously, writing sequels gets easier. I have a sense of what the pacing will be, what the illustrator will be able to add, and a general sense of what I want to do to differentiate one book in each series with the next.

RVC: Just curious—are the publishers asking for sequels beyond those required in your contract, or are you pitching new ideas to extend any of your series beyond what anyone initially expected?

JF: It’s a combination of both. Usually my agent and I approach the publisher with ideas to see if they’re interested. And most of the time, the answer is based on two factors:

1) Did the previous book do well?
2) Is the new story one worth telling?

I’ve been very fortunate that several of my books have performed well enough that publishers considered the sequels.

RVC: What’s the elevator pitch for Short & Sweet?

JF: Each book in the series is a different genre, which I think keeps each of the stories fresh (pun intended). Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast is a race. The Case of the Stinky Stench is a mystery. Mission Defrostable is an action-​adventure/​spy-​thriller.

And Short & Sweet is a combination of a scifi-​comedy (think Honey, I Shrunk the Kids or The Absentminded Professor) mixed with a magical-​bodyswap (like Freaky Friday or Big). In this one, Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast begin to grow stale and visit Professor Biscotti who has a DE-​spoiling ray. Unfortunately, they shrink back into toddlers and run amuck through the fridge causing culinary chaos once again.

If I get to write more, maybe it’ll be an alien invasion or horror. Who knows?

RVC: If might suggest a genre, I’d say Western featuring their Old West ancestors in a breakfast saloon. “There’s not enough room on this here plate for the two of us…”

But let’s circle back to you. What was the biggest challenge you had in writing Short & Sweet?

JF: The ending. Not the plot part of the ending (Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast return to normal), and not the final page (of course there’s a party at the end and a gatefold), but the emotional wrap-​up. Figuring out how to show the character changes and saying it concisely–that spread took several emails back and forth to and from my editor–and she was right to keep pushing me, because it took a while to get right.

RVC: Got a favorite rhyme from Short & Sweet?

JF: Not yet. But maybe after I read it a few hundred times I’ll be able to pick one. Ask me again in a few years.

RVC: Will do. I’ve got you down for an interview part II thing in October 2022. Put it in your Google calendar, please!

JF: Actually, I’m washing my hair that month. Maybe November?

RVC: Deal.

Now, while every author is in some way every character they write, who has more Josh Funk DNA—Lady Pancake or Sir French Toast?

JF: Baron von Waffle.

Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast were inspired by my kids–but deep down, I know that I’d sacrifice myself and have the last drop of syrup if it stops my kids from bickering.

RVC: What else are you working on these days? What books should we be looking for from you in the near-​ish future?

JF: I have two books coming out on October 27th, 2020. Where Is Our Library?: A Story of Patience & Fortitude, the sequel to Lost in the Library, in which the two lion statues that guard the New York Public Library on 5th Avenue venture into the children’s room one night, only to find that all of their books have gone missing. Together they search throughout all of Manhattan for their books, visiting literary statues (like Alice in Wonderland and Hans Christian Andersen) and other library branches before finding them … well, you’ll have to read the book to find out.

On that same day, the third book in the It’s Not a Fairy Tale series is being released: It’s Not Little Red Riding Hood. In this tale, our beleaguered narrator tries to tell the traditional story of Little Red Riding Hood, but Red rips her hood and borrows her sister’s blue one, the Wolf calls in sick and is replaced by Captain Hook, and pretty much nothing goes according to plan.

RVC: Sounds like a frolicking good time. I’ll be sure to check it out.

Now, you’re often noted as someone who handles book PR better than most. What are two specific things most authors don’t do (or don’t do right) when it’s time to get out there and plug new books?

JF: Well, it’s important to start building your network early. Like now. Before you have an agent or a book deal. Or at the latest, as SOON as you have a book deal–before it’s announced for sure. If you don’t build your network soon, you’ll run into problem number two, which is: don’t say “buy my book.” Ever.

You can share all the good news you have (“I sold a book!” or “I got a good review!” or “Here’s my cover reveal!”), but never say “buy my book.”

RVC: Book trailers. What kind of mileage are you getting out of them?

JF: It’s nearly impossible to tell. But I figure every little thing could possibly help get word of my books out there. And I enjoy making trailers. Some of the best marketing advice I ever received is to do what you like–and conversely, don’t do what you don’t like.

I like making musical book trailers. So I keep making them. I have no idea if they lead to many book sales. But, going back to the previous question, saying “check out my book trailer!” is not saying “buy my book”–yet it still gets my book out there … so why not make them?

RVC: One last question for this part of the interview. What’s the one question you’ve been waiting for someone to ask in an interview, but no one’s teed it up for you yet?

JF: What were Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast going to do with the syrup if they got it?

RVC: How can I NOT ask that question now, right? So, what’s the answer? What WOULD they do?

JF: I don’t know.

RVC: Alrighty, Josh. It’s time to shift gears from Standard Interview Mode to all that’s required of you to succeed in the Sudden-​Death-​Quadruple-​Overtime-​No-​Holds-​Barred Wrap Up. Are you READY?

JF: Maybe?

RVC: Favorite picture book villain?

JF: The monkeys in Caps for Sale.

RVC: What secret talent does Sir French Toast have that nobody would ever suspect?

JF: He’s a musical theater triple threat.

RVC: What does Baron von Waffle do for fun when he wants to get away from the world of books and breakfast?

JF: Plays NBA2K.

RVC: Rumor has it Lady Pancake’s secretly writing a tell-​all. Any idea what the title might be?

JF: Fresh Takes: From Flour to Fame

RVC: I’ve got a universal translator for catspeak on backorder at Indiegogo. If it ever arrives and I pop in the bio your cat wrote for you, what will it say?

JF: “Josh Funk cleans my poop and feeds me.”

RVC: Five things we’d see if we checked out your fave writing place.

JF: Coffee, Sharpies, coffee, laptop, and coffee.

RVC: A recent picture book where you absolutely loved the rhyming.

JF: Ogilvy by Deborah Underwood and T. L. McBeth.

RVC: Two lines that sum up your picture book aesthetic. (FYI—if this isn’t a rhyming couplet, the comment section below might explode like an overfilled jelly donut that got squooshed by a woolly mammoth!)

JF:

Goofy, silly, sometimes smart,

Funny with a little heart.

RVC: Thanks a zillion for swinging by today, Josh. Best of luck with the new books! And if you’d ever like to be part of a non-​Monday Bonus Goody for OPB, let me know. We’ll cook something up! I’ll bring the blog, you bring the pastries.

 

About Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast: SHORT & SWEET

Picture Book Review: The Blank Page by Alberto Blanco

On By Only Picture BooksIn Picture Book Reviews
Author: Alberto Blanco
Illustrator: Rob Moss Wilson
Parallax Press
22 September 2020
32 pages

This month’s PB review is by Ryan G. Van Cleave (#1 Paper Fan at Only Picture Books) and OPB newcomer, freelance artist Sharon Holm.

–Ryan’s Review of the Writing–

It’s fitting that a book like this is published by Parallax Press, a publisher founded by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, and one that’s committed to producing books on mindfulness. Why? Because the book’s first line is very Zen.

“There is nothing here.”

And just as Zen can plunge one past the surface of life, so, too, does this picture book by acclaimed Mexican poet Alberto Blanco seek to send the reader into an unexpected journey into the profound interconnectedness of all things. To look at a single page of paper is to sense the tree it was made from, as well as the rain and sunlight that helped it grow, and so on.

Eventually, “we can see the trees, the rivers, the clouds, and the mountains…and we can see people, like you and me.” That’s a pretty deep concept for picture book readers. But if we’re fine with board books like Nietzsche 4 Babies or Metaphysics for Babies, why not this, right?

Still…is the idea that the book in your hands is something that connects you to the whole universe too big of idea for little ones to grasp? Is it too abstract? I’m not certain. It’s ambitious, to be sure. And there’s a clear sense of community and connection here, which I applaud.

The best line is the last one: “Where nothing happens, there is a miracle that we are not seeing.” A note on the copyright page attributes that to someone other than the author, though it certainly feels like a line that a poet as accomplished as Blanco might have created.

Ultimately, the book might be more about prompting discussions and thought than providing answers or entertaining readers. For the right adult companion reader, that might be a great fit for what they want to share with a child.

3.75 out of 5 pencils

 

–Sharon’s Review of the Illustrations–

The Blank Page has a clever introduction, especially for a children’s picture book–a blank page that says “There’s nothing on this page.”  But is there really nothing there? There’s the page, after all. And the book goes on to examine the process of making the paper that makes up that page, as Ryan noted above.

One might suggest that the story is rather simplistic. But is it really? Can a child see that this is more than just another life cycle of a tree book?  The words created a depth I wanted to read into.

Let’s see if the art helps readers explore those depths.

I found the design of the cover to be simple yet effective. I’m also pleased by how that design simplicity is carried throughout the interior spreads. The composition of the interior pages–with the use of sparse text and brightly colored vignettes–pop on a solid white background.

Overall, the illustration style of bold black outlines with bright digital color come across well.

But I wanted more of a connection between the actual artwork and the words of the story. Instead, the heavy lines and flat digital color caused the illustrations to lack the same emotion and depth of the words. It seemed like a missed opportunity.

The art and text didn’t quite work as well as I hoped to support a picture book that isn’t nonfiction, but doesn’t have a main character or narrative throughline.

The book’s message seems to be that everything has a connection, and that we’re all working together in conjunction with our universe. And that we must ALL work together as one, with the universe, to succeed. That’s a great message for any child.

3.25 out of 5 crayons

Sharon Holm is an artist, mother, sister, daughter, wife, friend, black belt kick boxer, and animal rescuer.

She’s also a professional children’s book illustrator/​work-​in-​progress writer. She graduated with honors from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale with a degree in Visual Communications, and was an award-​winning art director for various advertising agencies in South Florida before turning her attention to children’s illustrating.

Since then, she’s built an art career through illustrating trade books, fiction, nonfiction, activity books, educational products, and bath books, as well as greeting cards, puzzles, and calendars.